Maxine is back! That’s right the survivor of X has returned and is bigger and bolder than ever in her self-titled adventure MaXXXine. Starring Mia Goth, Kevin Bacon, Giancarlo Esposito and Elizabeth Debicki, MaXXXine is the gory climax to the horror series begun in 2022’s X. Ti West and Mia Goth have teamed up to close out this eccentric and brilliant trilogy.
MaXXXine is a brilliant film, this is mainly due to the pairing of West and Goth. They’re an excellent pairing. Goth has never been better. She has lived in the characters of Pearl and Maxine for several films now and is stellar when portraying them both. It’s fascinating to see how both Goth and Maxine have evolved over the course of these films.
Along with Goth, West has also grown as a director. He brings a more visceral nature to MaXXXine that somehow eclipses what came before in Pearl and X. This is thanks, in part, to the setting. With his cinematic choices, the film comes across as a tongue-in-cheek nod to the 80s, similar to the previous films.
Between West’s stylish direction, which sets up the 80s aesthetic commendably, and Goth’s awards-worthy performance this is a thrilling film. The story meanders between several subplots, a serial killer, Maxine’s journey into Hollywood and Maxine’s past catching up with her. They all work with varying degrees of success.
One of my favourite elements of the film is the cast. Kevin Bacon, Elizabeth Debicki and Giancarlo Esposito are particular standouts. Each of them brings a stylistic choice that makes each of them memorable.
The setting of MaXXXine is one of the elements that I felt was somewhat played out. It might be the influx of films and television shows set in the 80s, but this was one element that I didn’t enjoy as much as the rest of the film. After X’s stylish take on the 70s and Pearl’s take on the early 1900s, I found this setting less adventurous. What does work though is the score and soundtrack, West handpicked several electric songs for the film to give it that 80s oomph. This allows for the setting to feel as authentic as possible.
With all the gore, guts and glamour, MaXXXine is a bonkers film. With a stellar cast at its core, it is highly enjoyable, especially if you’re a fan of the horror genre.
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