Filmmaker Ti West and actress Mia Goth wrap up their X Saga on a glorious high note in MaXXXine. Since it debuted only two years ago, the X film series has quickly become a top favorite among moviegoers thanks to how it explores and, more importantly, reclaims the grimier side of the horror genre through various lenses in cinema history. Goth’s fearless dual leading performances as Maxine Minx and Pearl, of course, have just as much to do with the franchise’s mass appeal as well. Regardless of whether you prefer the DIY approach and homage to low-budget ’70s exploitation cinema in X (2022) or the Technicolor terrors and Golden Age aesthetics of its prequel Pearl (2023), everything comes together in a satisfying, neon-bright thematic bow in MaXXXine. Eighties throwback slashers are a dime a dozen nowadays, but few get their hands as dirty as this.
Six years after the events of X (2022), which the tabloids now refer to as the “Texas Porn Star Massacre,” lone survivor and actress Maxine Minx (Mia Goth) finds herself in Los Angeles, California working as a successful adult film star and showgirl on Hollywood Boulevard. The mid-1980s are treating Maxine pretty well, as she’s never low on cocaine or lacking an audience to entertain. But she longs for the kind of cinematic stardom that porn cannot offer, pushing Maxine to audition all over Hollywood despite her stigmatized reputation as a pornstar. A certain phrase from Maxine’s childhood, coined by her abusive evangelist father and preacher, looms over her head. “I will not accept a life I do not deserve.” Living by this mantra soon pays off when she victoriously lands the lead role in ‘The Puritan II,’ the highly-anticipated sequel to a classic ultra-violent satanic possession flick.
Maxine’s big break is undeniably on the horizon, with her set to lead a promising horror sequel helmed by the harsh yet brilliant rising director Elizabeth Bender (Elizabeth Debicki). After all, starting out in horror films proved great for Jamie Lee Curtis, John Travolta, Brooke Shields, and many others before her. However, someone who knows what truly happened at the farmhouse massacre in 1979 is on a mission to make sure Maxine never works in this town again. This mystery villain begins to use the murders of the Night Stalker, a real-life devil-worshiping serial killer who terrorized LA in the ’80s, to cover their trail of blood as they slash their way through the starlets of Hollywood to get closer to Maxine. To achieve the esteemed fame and star status of her dreams, Maxine must first put to rest the demons of her sinister past — both metaphorically and literally.
To make matters far worse, the production of ‘The Puritan II’ is surrounded by hysteria. The year is 1985, and the Satanic Panic and Reaganomics are both at their peak, which makes the casting of a pornstar in a big-time Hollywood movie extremely controversial. While Maxine is used to being loathed for her work in porn, she now faces additional public contempt for being associated with the world of horror. And so, the seeds that writer-director Ti West first planted in X (2022) continue to sprout until they bear fruit in a blood-soaked grand finale. MaXXXine could perhaps be seen as the one with a more conventional horror plot out of the three X movies. However, this doesn’t take away from its gratifying thematic impact. Also, to the credit of West’s elusive screenplay, the identity of the main killer isn’t easy to see until the actual moment it’s revealed.
The strength of the horror genre’s artistic integrity across time, propelled by its shocking and provocative imagery, is a running theme from the previous two films that comes full circle in MaXXXine. Filmed on the real Warner Bros. and Universal backlots, we see the pure wonder in Maxine’s eyes as she strolls around the various lively sets of a massive Hollywood studio. As Elizabeth Debicki’s hard-nosed director explains, Maxine’s character in ‘The Puritan II’ isn’t a villain but will kill when necessary. Her own personality is clearly reflected in this movie role, a bridge that connects Maxine’s industry upbringing in pornography to her breakout in horror. Ti West continues to weave this narrative thread when director Elizabeth Bender brings Maxine to the steps of the famous Psycho house (which tourists can visit on the Universal Studio Tour) for a tense private meeting on the backlot.
There’s something poetic about seeing an underdog like Maxine Minx standing in front of the iconic Psycho house, all the while evangelists protest the “satanist” production of her first big horror movie outside of the studio gates, no less. After sticking her neck out to cast a pornstar in her film, Elizabeth Bender claims that she’s a real artist who sees that same kind of commitment in others. Moreover, she won’t settle for a lead actress who isn’t brave enough to see ‘The Puritan II’ as more than another cheap sequel. In her own words, they’re making a “B movie with A ideas.” Despite its historical negligences, the horror genre has long kept Hollywood alive thanks to the visions of persevering artists like these. People who, just like Maxine Minx, overcame all odds to protect the value of their work, no matter how despised it was to the public eye.
Now that this story has allowed Mia Goth to take the character’s underdog nature and uncompromising attitude to the next level, it feels like Maxine Minx is a true modern horror icon. Goth presents Maxine as a relentless yet surprisingly endearing anti-hero, one who isn’t ashamed of their flaws. That’s the difference between her and the people who have historically tried to bring down horror as “smut” or lesser art. Horror cinema has always held a mirror up to society, revealing its constantly evolving fears and ugliness. But when Maxine sees all the trauma of her past in her own reflection, she embraces it. Rather than being afraid, she tells herself, “You’re fucking a movie star.” Regardless if you prefer X (2022) or Pearl over MaXXXine, it cannot be denied that Ti West and Goth say something valuable about horror as an art form through Maxine’s arc in this finale.
Mia Goth is also joined by a stellar supporting cast, giving MaXXXine an edge over the previous two movies. After Elizabeth Debicki (The Crown, Tenet), who leaves a deep impression with her cold and sharp portrayal of a rising filmmaker, it’s the great Kevin Bacon and Giancarlo Esposito who then get to have the most fun from the ensemble. Bacon lets loose as John Labat, a scumbag private investigator with a dirty smile and southern twang. Meanwhile, Esposito shows off his comedic chops as Teddy Knight, Esq., Maxine’s agent and entertainment lawyer. With Elizabeth Bender, these three players benefit the most from Ti West’s script, which often leans into the silliness of ’80s slashers. Even smaller characters like Maxine’s fellow showgirl Tabby (played by pop star Halsey) and returning ‘Puritan’ actress Molly Bennett (Emily in Paris star Lily Collins) make the most of their brief screen time.
Ti West and X trilogy cinematographer Eliot Rockett set this third film apart by embracing the colorful, often cheesy aesthetics of 1980s cult horror. The duo easily achieve a rich cinematic look with MaXXXine being shot on 35mm film, but their immersive camerawork and vibrant lighting in many of the movie’s large sets — often filled with different kinds of extras — is what aligns it more with the time period. The screen gives off pulsating energy, as you never know what eye-popping character Maxine might run into next in 1980s Hollywood. Plus, the gore depicted during certain graphic scenes is super messy in a fun way. Thanks to humorous practical effects, you can’t help but admire the film’s violence even when it goes over the top, especially when it looks purposefully corny.
Composer Tyler Bates, most known for his work in the Guardians of the Galaxy and John Wick franchises aside from scoring the X trilogy, might be the movie’s MVP when it comes to the ’80s setting. Ti West assembles a worthy lineup of banging needle drops, from ZZ Top to New Order to Frankie Goes To Hollywood, and Bates’ dynamic score is what connects it all together through the energetic sounds of shredding electric guitars, analog synthesizers, and moody saxophones — all appropriate for the time period. At its best, through a combination of grimy visuals and pulse-pounding music, MaXXXine achieves an authentic old-school, Grindhouse aesthetic. To no exaggeration, West successfully evokes the scummy vibes of genre films from creators like Rob Zombie and Robert Rodriguez, something many filmmakers constantly try but fail at achieving.
Ti West’s MaXXXine is all about the resilience of horror, packaged in a neon-drenched ’80s slasher. The writer-director, alongside star Mia Goth, has created something special here, something that will easily find its own place in the modern horror lexicon. When so many modern horror films often find themselves afraid of pushing barriers to avoid being labeled as exploitative, either with violence or subject matter, MaXXXine proves that you can do so in a way that brings out something valuable in the genre. Everyone’s got a little blood on their hands, and we shouldn’t be afraid to admit it.
MaXXXine hits theaters on July 5!
Release Date: July 5, 2024.
Directed by Ti West.
Written by Ti West.
Produced by Mia Goth, Jacob Jaffke, Ti West, Kevin Turen, & Harrison Kreiss.
Executive Producers: Len Blavatnik, Danny Cohen, Jeremy Reitz, Peter Phok, Sam Levinson, & Ashley Levinson.
Main Cast: Mia Goth, Elizabeth Debicki, Moses Sumney, Michelle Monaghan, Bobby Cannavale, Halsey, Lily Collins, Giancarlo Esposito, Kevin Bacon, & Sophie Thatcher.
Cinematographer: Eliot Rockett.
Composer: Tyler Bates.
Production Companies: Motel Mojave & Access Entertainment.
Distributor: A24.
Runtime: 104 minutes.
Rated R.
