In 1980s Hollywood, adult film star and aspiring actress Maxine Minx finally gets her big break. But as a mysterious killer stalks the starlets of Hollywood, a trail of blood threatens to reveal he...
There’s a lot to appreciate about “MaXXXine,” writer/director Ti West‘s latest film in his horror trilogy, even if he doesn’t quite stick the landing. The whole project feels like, as one of his characters says in one of the film’s most memorable lines, a “B-movie with A+ ideas.” There’s plenty of blood and gore to appease slasher fanatics, but there’s a depth to the film that comes from the hefty themes about sex, opportunity, religion, and Hollywood’s dark underbelly.
Set in Los Angeles in the mid-1980s, adult film star and aspiring big studio actress Maxine Minx (Mia Goth) finally gets her big break into the mainstream. She’s been cast in a supporting role in a horror movie sequel and is set to work with up-and-coming director Elizabeth Bender (Elizabeth Debicki). Things are looking up for Maxine career-wise, but a mysterious stalker who is targeting the starlets of Hollywood seems to have her directly in his sights. When a trail of blood makes it clear that several murders are directly connected to her, Maxine starts to worry that her sinister past is going to be exposed.
The first half of the film is also the best, and West fully embraces the decadence and danger that goes along with the backdrop of sleazy Hollywood. Filmed with a vintage aesthetic and Eighties feel, the neon-lit, blood soaked movie looks like it has stepped out of an exploitation cinema time capsule. It’s an homage that’s done exceedingly well, from the cinematography to the soundtrack to the costume design.
The casting is perfect across the board, with standout performances from both Kevin Bacon as a menacing bad guy and Giancarlo Esposito as Maxine’s attorney agent, Teddy Night. (Even the supporting roles are meaty, featuring solid turns from Michelle Monaghan, Moses Sumney, Bobby Cannavale, and Sophie Thatcher). Goth is once again terrific as a shrewd woman with a fierce ambition, lending the ideal mix of street smart toughness with a relatable vulnerability. West never demeans his lead character either, which is refreshing. The film portrays sex work and the adult film industry as a legitimate profession and Maxine as a strong, empowered woman who takes charge of her own destiny.
The second half of the film derails with a conclusion that seems both corny and disappointing (at least on the surface). The ending is left open for rampant speculation, which is probably going to polarize audiences. I think it’s fun when a film can be interpreted in several different ways, but this may prove frustrating for moviegoers who like things very black and white.
Best of all, “MaXXXine” leaves plenty of room for a fourth film featuring the character, which I certainly hope we get.
