MaXXXine: A Dull Curtain Call for a Promising Trilogy
As the curtains draw on the much-anticipated MaXXXine, the final chapter of the X trilogy, I find myself grappling with a sense of disappointment. This film, directed by Ti West, fails to reach the heights that its predecessors, X and Pearl, had set. While the previous entries in this unique nu-slasher series brilliantly interwove themes of fame, survival, and horror, MaXXXine sputters at the finish line, leaving us with a sense of what could have been.
Maxine Minx facing her fears in MaXXXine*
At the heart of slasher films lies the iconic battle between the Final Girl and the malevolent force determined to thwart her. In MaXXXine, we follow Maxine Minx, portrayed by the talented Mia Goth, as she embarks on a journey through the glitzy but perilous streets of 1980s Los Angeles. Armed with a tumultuous past and the ambition to become a star, Maxine’s character dazzles us at first. But as the plot unfolds, we begin to see cracks in what could have been a stellar transformation into a terrifying horror icon.
Jumping from the gritty landscapes of Texas in 1979 to a vibrant, neon-drenched Tinseltown in 1985, Maxine’s story becomes less about her evolution and more about navigating the absurdities of Hollywood. At thirty-three, she’s aging out of her adult film career, leading her to take on dubious gigs just to stay afloat. Here, we see Maxine landing a role in The Puritan II, a dubious sequel steeped in the controversies of its predecessor. One can’t help but question: has Maxine Minx truly become the horror movie monster she was set up to be?
The film’s pacing suffers as it throws various subplots our way, like private detective John Labat (played with unexpected humor by Kevin Bacon) pursuing Maxine while LA detectives rush to solve grisly murders linked to her. Instead of building suspense, these side stories feel like distractions from Maxine’s core narrative and dilute the film’s potential for a thrilling climax.
As we witness Maxine’s struggle against lurking threats—from both the detectives and her own dark past—we are reminded of a poignant quote that opens the film: “Until you’re known in my profession as a monster, you’re not a star.” Unfortunately, MaXXXine doesn’t uphold this promise. Instead of fully committing to Maxine’s transformation into her own formidable villain, the narrative reverts back to familiar tropes of victimhood, leaving the audience yearning for a more satisfying exploration of her darker side.
The neon-drenched aesthetic of MaXXXine*
While I lament the lost opportunities for character depth, I cannot deny the film’s stylistic merits. Ti West’s signature flair for grotesque violence coupled with cinematographer Eliot Rockett’s vivid visuals offer glimpses of brilliance. The duality of glittering LA glamour and sinister undertones sharply contrasts the previous films’ textures, drawing us into a world that’s as repulsive as it is alluring. There are standout moments, particularly the violent sequences that demonstrate West’s knack for shocking imagery—two specific scenes where Maxine’s foes meet grisly ends remind us of the film’s nu-slasher roots.
Yet, despite these stylistic choices, I find myself wrestling with the overarching themes—or lack thereof. Maxine’s journey, which should have seen her embrace her dark side and emerge as a horror icon, sadly capitulates to a retread of survival predicated on outside forces. Where is the sense of ownership that the character so desperately needs? The film needed to evolve Maxine from a heroine into a horror legend capable of both evoking fear and eliciting empathy.
In the climactic moments, as we watch her dodge the traditional weapons of her past, I felt a savage thrill, but it ultimately felt unearned. Instead of fulfilling the tantalizing potential that began with X and blossomed with Pearl, MaXXXine serves as a reminder of how context can shift. The film stands on a precarious brink between homage and imitation, which, in some ways, betrays the genre it seeks to reinvigorate.
As a fan of slasher films, I hoped that MaXXXine would tip the scales, delivering a powerful conclusion rather than a damp squib of a finale. Where the first two films cleverly interlinked their narratives and expanded character arcs, this final entry feels stifled by necessity. Being a Final Girl should have empowered Maxine in a visceral, transformative way, but instead, it only leaves us reflecting on unfulfilled potential descending into mediocrity.
In conclusion, while MaXXXine offers flashes of brilliance, its failure to explore the more sinister elements of Maxine’s character arc ultimately leads it to falter. The thrill of slasher cinema lies not just in survival but also in the evolution of its characters into iconic figures of horror; and in that regard, I am left wanting. As the trilogy ends, it’s hard not to feel like we missed out on something truly sensational.
