‘MaXXXine’ – Review
Take a trip back in time to the scintillating sleaze of mid-1980s Hollywood with a fiendishly fun slasher fest in Ti West’s long-awaited third chapter of the X Trilogy, MaXXXine which has arrived in cinemas.
In 1980s Hollywood, adult film star and aspiring actress Maxine Minx (Mia Goth) finally gets her big break. However, as a mysterious killer stalks the starlets of Los Angeles, a trail of blood threatens to reveal her sinister past.
In 2022, writer-director Ti West found a new twist to classic shock value and gore with X, his freaky new take on the slasher film, which he then followed up with his Pearl, which double downed on his desire to freak audiences out, and after much waiting we now have the concluding chapter to this modern day horror trilogy in MaXXXine. As the immediate follow-on to X, West takes audiences to the grim grime and sexy sleaze of Hollywood circa 1985 as porn actress Maxine Minx makes her move from fuck films to features, and the bodies and blood pile up along the way. MaXXXine is a film with a pulse, and once it starts to move, the shock, terror, sex, and violence don’t let up for a moment, and we’re back in the territory of those quintessential video nasties!
Over the last few years, Mia Goth has become a ‘go-to’ scream queen, and she’s proven herself to be a capable and intriguing actress, and now she returns to complete Maxine’s arc as she reaches for the stars in MaXXXine. Now a veteran of the adult film industry, Maxine has secured her first role in Hollywood’s latest horror flick, The Puritan II, and she’s on the verge of stardom. She’s also plagued by horrific visions and the trauma of her past, and then discovers that those she cares about are beginning to be sliced up by a savage serial killer who may just be the Night Stalker or an even more terrible force! Goth brings considerable screen presence and attitude to her character of Maxine, and she’s through and through a survivor who’s willing to get her hands dirty to get what she wants, and this is where things get interesting.
West packs out his cast with a terrific list of players, and they all elevate the picture. Elizabeth Debicki’s Elizabeth Bender is a take-no-shit film director who plans to elevate the horror genre to new heights, and she’s a great foil for Maxine’s character. Giancarlo Esposito’s Teddy Knight, Esq, is Maxine’s trusting agent, lawyer and fixer, and he’s ready to go to ‘extremes’ for his client’s success. Then there’s Kevin Bacon as surly, salty and slimeball private investigator John Labat, and it’s a scene-stealing performance that sees him go from A to Z!
MaXXXine is a film that immediately catches your attention. It stands out due to its neon colours, dark shadows, and provocative scenes, capturing the essence of 1980s Los Angeles with its endless boulevards filled with sex shops, peep shows, and strip clubs juxtaposed with the grand sound stages of Hollywood. The film embodies the spirit of the 80s, featuring big hair, heavy makeup, and artificial tans, accompanied by a pulsating soundtrack with artists like Mary Jane Girls, Judas Priest, Madonna, and Frankie Goes to Hollywood. Visually striking, MaXXXine offers a full-on grindhouse experience, balancing elements of sex and gore to create a horror film with real bite, expertly delivered by Ti West and his team.
MaXXXine is a wild watch. Packed out with busty blondes, bright lights, and buckets of blood, this is a horror flick with a slick edge. For those who like their horror on a knife’s edge, then this slasher fest is for you!
Image: Universal Pictures
