Movie Review: “MaXXXine”

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Mia Goth in MaXXXine

Ti West’s “X” trilogy—which include 2022’s “X” and “Pearl” and now 2024’s “MaXXXine”—has always been an assembly of pastiches. The first entry was a take on Tobe Hooper’s late ‘70s output (particularly “The Texas Chain Saw Massacre” and “Eaten Alive!”) that found a clever approach by creating unexpected antagonists with palpable motivations. “Pearl” was a more demented psychosexual horror take on ground covered by “Pennies From Heaven” and other stories that contrasted the technicolor entertainment of the time with the harsh realities of those in the audience. Neither were great, but both were solid films with excellent performances, surprising turns, and clever approaches to the material. Unfortunately, “MaXXXine” is the weakest of the three, never offering much in the way of interesting commentary for its ‘80s setting or sub-genre takes. There are some stellar sequences and a few actors truly standout, but mostly it feels like all surface-level references without any of the necessary spirit, leaving viewers constantly wanting more but never getting it.

It’s Hollywood in 1985 and Maxine Minx (Mia Goth) is trying to transition from stripping/adult films to more mainstream fare. She successfully books a substantial role in an upcoming horror sequel, but soon finds her past has come back to haunt her. A sleazy private detective (Kevin Bacon) knows a lot about Maxine, including her involvement with multiple murders at a Texas farm years earlier, and is working for a mysterious benefactor who is hellbent on meeting with the starlet. Meanwhile, the city is terrorized by the ongoing exploits of the Night Stalker, with dead bodies turning up that may not be connected to that serial killer, but are definitely getting closer to Maxine.

“MaXXXine” gets a lot of mileage out of its many ‘80s references, a few shocking moments of violence, and strong performances by some of the cast. But as the film goes along, it becomes abundantly clear that there’s not much to it and it awkwardly limps to an overly muted ending. Goth continues to impress in these films, this time turning in a different performance than “X” and “Pearl,” one that is much more quietly determined and defiant that may be let down for some after the histrionics of “Pearl” but is still impressive in its own right. Bacon is tremendous in his sweat-soaked Louisiana detective role and every moment he’s on screen is utterly delightful. Giancarlo Esposito and Moses Sumney also shine as Maxine’s agent and best friend (respectively), playing expertly off Goth’s frazzled attempts at stoicism. But it’s not enough when so much of the dialogue is expository or dull and the narrative feels tired. The central mystery in “MaXXXine” is obvious and easy to solve, but then that wouldn’t be an issue if the journey was more interesting than the destination. Unfortunately, both are far too subdued and superficial to really engage audiences. And while the soundtrack and score are great and feel authentic—with composer Tyler Bates correctly asserting that it’s the sax not the synthesizer that was the MVP of ‘80s music—none of the costuming or sets ever feel like anything more than just playing dress up for some retro night at the club.

In addition to its many cultural signifiers (New Coke! John Parr’s theme song from “St. Elmo’s Fire”! Cocaine!), “MaXXXine” also homages many different directors and films of the period—the most glaringly obvious to me being Vernon Zimmerman’s “Fade to Black” (1980), Lucio Fulci’s “The New York Ripper” (1982), Gary Sherman’s “Vice Squad” (1982), Robert Vincent O’Neil’s “Angel” (1983), and Brian De Palma’s “Body Double” (1984). But the difference between West’s movie and those is that there was a real sense of grime and risk that permeated every frame. The key difference—and this will sound negative, but it isn’t—is that those filmmakers felt like dangerous perverts who infused their work with their deviant obsessions, but also were willing to constantly veer off course narratively into bizarre territory that would shock and titillate their viewers. “MaXXXine” lacks that tactile feeling of a real environment, and it never seems like we’re seeing the confessions of a singularly-minded artist’s sick desires as he tells us a fairly standard (and more than a bit obvious) story. The movie is ‘80s versions of William Lustig and Dario Argento but hobbled by the overly safe and sanitized guardrails of a 2020s theme park ride.

“MaXXXine” is fine enough. There are some great performances, some stand out scenes, excellent music, and it all moves at a clip. But no artist should be aiming for “fine enough” (and, in fact, few artists do) and it’s hard not to mourn the wasted potential in West’s film. Just because it’s a pastiche that harkens back to specific titles and vibes of a certain decade doesn’t mean it shouldn’t also have a pounding heart and stand on its own. The directors of the Film Brat movement (which included De Palma) constantly homage their predecessors but do so in service to their own narratives and memorable moments. West and company get a lot of the elements of ‘80s sleazy horror right, but without any of the necessary soul or grime to make it truly worthwhile. It’s a whimper of an ending to a promising trilogy that mistakes reverence for entertainment and references for storytelling.

3 / 5 Stars
Starring: Mia Goth, Kevin Bacon, Elizabeth Debicki, Giancarlo Esposito, Moses Sumney, Lily Collins, Halsey, Bobby Cannavale, Michelle Monaghan
Director: Ti West

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