Movie Review: MaXXXine

Director Ti West’s MaXXXine is the third and seemingly final installment of his X Trilogy (though he has hinted in being interested in a fourth film) and the film is entertaining, twisted, and violent, something we have come to expect from this series of movies. But it suffers from something a lot of third films suffer from in that it has an over-stuffed and rushed plot that takes away from what made the previous films great.

MaXXXine marks the return of porn actress Maxine Minx, played once again by Mia Goth. Following the events of X, in which a porn shoot Maxine was on turned into a bloody massacre, Maxine has taken her talents to Hollywood to break out of the porn game and become a movie star. When she lands the role of the lead in a new horror movie, it looks like she may be able to break out of the porn industry and become a star after all. But, she has to avoid John Labat (Kevin Bacon), a ruthless private investigator on her tail about the events that took place in X, the police following her due to people around her dying, and trying to avoid the Night Stalker serial killer who is terrorizing Hollywood with his murders of women.

West utilizes authentic costumes and settings to imbed us in 1980s Hollywood, showing us the grit and grime that ran rampant in a city known for its glitz and glamour. He plays loose with the history of the Night Stalker, the real-life serial killer who took several lives in the greater Los Angeles area in the 80s, and doesn’t utilize him as a character but as an added layer to show the grotesque nature of what was happening in Hollywood in the 80s.

Where X and Pearl leaned heavily on the horror side, MaXXXine is more of a murder mystery. There are still plenty of horror elements and scenes of horrific violence, but not nearly as many as in the previous films. MaXXXine is more interested in Maxine’s journey to becoming a star and her trying to get past everything that is trying to slow her down. Will she be the next victim of the Night Stalker? Will Labat bring Maxine to who hired him? Will the cops find out who she really is? Will Maxine’s past catch up with her? Will she become a star? Each of the plots and the characters within them are interesting, but it’s a few too many plots for this movie to handle and some of the plots and characters end up under-developed. That said, Maxine’s journey to survive and become a star is captivating. The beginning of the film shows a home movie of a young Maxine claiming, “I will not accept a life I do not deserve” and regardless of who they are, whether a serial killer, private investigator, or police officer, Maxine knows she is a star and won’t let anything stop her.

MaXXXine boasts a great cast full of stellar performances. Kevin Bacon is having an absolute blast as the scummy Labat. It’s one of his best performances in years. Giancarlo Esposito is ridiculously fun as Maxine’s agent. Michelle Monaghan and Bobby Cannavale play the cops investigating Maxine. And Moses Sumney is a real delight as Maxine’s friend who owns a video store. But this is Goth’s movie and Goth’s trilogy, and she gives another spectacular performance. It’s the kind of performance where you know the actor has complete control and understanding of the character. Goth knows everything about Maxine and showcases her confidence, toughness, and the fear that lingers deep inside of her, though Maxine tries her best not to show it. Despite the film’s flaws, Goth’s performance is worth the price of admission alone and is one of my favorites of the year.

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