HOLLYWOOD. If anything, “MaXXXine” is a love letter to the Los Angeles movie scene. This third film in the unlikely trilogy (following “X” and “Pearl”) takes us to Hollywood in the 1980s with Mia Goth reprising her role as Maxine Minx. Maxine’s existence is far from glamorous; she’s living in a rundown apartment on Hollywood Boulevard and working tirelessly in adult films and sex shops. Despite her seedy background, she’s focused on one thing: becoming a star.
Maxine gets a massive break to star in a studio horror sequel, but her past haunts her as a serial killer, “The Night Stalker,” looms, threatening to derail her big opportunity. True to her character, Maxine is determined not to let anything get in her way.
Director and writer Ti West meticulously checks off a list of “LA movie” musts: a synthy nightclub scene, a shot of someone falling into a pool, a plaster casting sequence, and the obligatory costumed extras marching down a studio lot. The film takes full advantage of its setting, featuring iconic locations such as The Hollywood Forever Cemetery, The Chinese Theater, The Walk of Fame, a modernist mansion in the hills, The Bates Motel, and a recognizable golf cart ride through the facades and old west town at Universal Studios.
“MaXXXine” is rich with homages to filmmakers like Brian De Palma and David Lynch, campy costuming, and memorable supporting performances. Elizabeth Debicki shines as a serious English auteur making “B movies with A ideas,” Halsey delights as a brassy best friend reminiscent of Laura San Giacomo in “Pretty Woman,” Moses Sumney plays a savant video clerk, Lily Collins has fun with accents as a rising scream queen, Kevin Bacon enjoys an over-the-top accent as a crooked private investigator, Giancarlo Esposito goes low-class in a wild wig as a small-time agent/manager/fixer, and Michelle Monaghan and Bobby Cannavale appear as bickering homicide detectives.
While not particularly scary, “MaXXXine” delivers several gruesome murders, feeling more like a self-aware horror satire than a film that instills genuine dread or terror. The violence and gore are present but feel routine, possibly reflecting Maxine’s jaded perspective.
Mia Goth remains compelling as Maxine, especially in a killer audition scene, but her character feels underwritten compared to her role in “Pearl.” The supporting cast often outshines her, with the camera frequently focusing on her, yet giving more substantial moments to others.
The climax is notably silly, diminishing some of the film’s earlier tension. Perhaps West leaned too heavily into the B movie/video store oddity aesthetic, which, despite the world-building promise, falls short. Nevertheless, “MaXXXine” remains a fun movie, best enjoyed with an excitable crowd.
“MaXXXine,” an A24 release in theaters Friday, is rated R by the Motion Picture Association for “strong violence, graphic nudity, gore, drug use, language, sexual content.” Running time: 101 minutes. Two and a half stars out of four.
Paraluman P. Funtanilla
Paraluman P. Funtanilla is Tutubi News Magazine's Marketing Specialist and is a Contributing Editor. She finished her degree in Communication Arts in De La Salle Lipa. She has worked as a Digital Marketer for start-up businesses and small business spaces for the past two years. She has earned certificates from Coursera on Brand Management: Aligning Business Brand and Behavior and Viral Marketing and How to Craft Contagious Content. She also worked with Asia Express Romania TV Show.
