A Flashy Farewell: ‘MaXXXine’ and the Dark Allure of 80s Hollywood

In the latest installment of Ti West’s thrilling trilogy, MaXXXine takes us on a wild ride through the sleazy and seductive streets of 1980s Hollywood. This isn’t the glamorized version often depicted in films, but instead a gritty love letter to a city steeped in ambition and lurking danger. The protagonist, Maxine Minx, brilliantly portrayed by Mia Goth, is determined to rise above her troubled past in adult films and make her mark in a world dominated by darkness and desire.

Exploring the dark side of Hollywood in the 80s

Maxine’s journey is as fascinating as it is harrowing. She inhabits a rundown apartment on Hollywood Boulevard, battling not only the stigma of her previous career but also a looming serial killer known as The Night Stalker, who is wreaking havoc in the city. At its core, MaXXXine is about resilience; it’s a narrative that underscores how ambition can coexist with fear as Maxine fights to secure her destiny in an unforgiving industry.

A Cinematic Love Letter

West offers a playful homage to the film industry with a plethora of nods to the genre’s legends like Brian De Palma and David Lynch. The film includes the obligatory nightclub scenes packed with synth beats, a classic mishap at a swimming pool, and that charmingly awkward casting sequence that could set the tone for a delightful 80s flick. The setting sprawls across iconic locations—each frame is a nostalgia-laden postcard that speaks volumes about Los Angeles itself.

What stands out are the supporting performances, bringing a delightful concoction of characters that range from Elizabeth Debicki, portraying a serious auteur, to Halsey, channeling that quintessential brassy best friend vibe reminiscent of Pretty Woman. Characters like a knowledgeable video store clerk, played by Moses Sumney, provide a dose of humor while sounding an echo of our shared love for cinema.

The Thrill Factor

However, as entertaining as it is, MaXXXine struggles to encapsulate true horror. There’s violence, and yes, the gore factor is checked, but the film feels more like a self-aware satire than a spine-chilling experience. The shocking moments merely raise eyebrows instead of eliciting that primal scream you’d expect from a serious horror flick. As I watched it unfold, I couldn’t shake the feeling that perhaps this self-consciousness reflects Maxine’s character arc—hardened by her past and less susceptible to terror.

“Is Maxine, with all her past struggles and ambitions, too jaded to succumb to the fear that lingers in the shadows of her world?”

Character Depth and Climax

Though Goth shines in her portrayal and delivers a stand-out audition sequence, one can’t help but feel that her character is somewhat underwritten. While the previous chapters in this trilogy provided Maxine with meaty dialogue—like that unforgettable dinner table monologue in Pearl—this time around, others seem to overshadow her. The climax, while intended to be exhilarating, feels almost trivial compared to the buildup of tension throughout the film.

Despite its shortcomings, I found myself captivated, eager to engage with an audience that thrilled at every absurd twist and turn unfolding on the screen. Maybe the problems were not in what the film created but in my own expectations. Perhaps it’s a design of West’s to remind us that Hollywood, while glamorous on the surface, often reveals a much sillier, chaotic, and darkly humorous underside.

The night unfolds in Hollywood’s dark alleys

Closing Thoughts

MaXXXine is ultimately an entertaining addition to the trilogy. It’s a film best enjoyed in a theater where collective gasps and laughter echo the absurdities on screen. While it may not live up to the high standards set by its predecessors, X and Pearl, it reminds us of the complexities within the horror genre—a love letter drenched in a cocktail of thrilling nostalgia and pop culture references. As we keep our eyes peeled for more from the enigmatic Mia Goth, we can cautiously recommend this colorful, chaotic jaunt through the 1980s.

MaXXXine, an A24 release, hits theaters this Friday with an R rating for its strong violence, graphic nudity, and themes of substance use. Running time: 101 minutes. While you might walk away feeling a mix of satisfaction and slight disappointment, it’s a fun enough flick to appreciate, especially when shared with fellow cinephiles.