Welcome to Knockout Horror. We have been catching up on the first two entries in the Maxine Minx series this week. After watching, we felt that the first entry into the series X was a fairly formulaic, style over substance, slasher flick. We absolutely loved Pearl and now we are on to the most recent entry into Ti West’s series MaXXXine.
MaXXXine picks up on the protagonist from X, Maxine Minx (Mia Goth), a few years removed from the first movie. It’s 1985 and, while still part of the adult film industry, Maxine has bigger aspirations. Hoping to make it in Hollywood, she begins taking auditions. The only problem is, there is a serial killer on the loose terrorising Hollywood and somebody wants to remind her of her complicated past. Leading Maxine to, once again, take matters into her own hands.
Before we begin, if you have already watched MaXXXine and are looking for some explanation. Why not check out our MaXXXine Ending Explained article? It does contain spoilers, unlike this review, so if you haven’t watched the movie yet. Carry on reading this review and check out the ending explained article later. Let’s go.
Barely a Horror
Full disclosure before we get any further into this review. MaXXXine is barely a horror movie. In fact, it felt so alien to me watching it that I wondered whether to even bother reviewing it. Of all the thrillers and “barely horrors” on this site, MaXXXine sits atop the pile as the least horror of them all.
This is far closer to a crime drama than anything. Sure, there are slasher elements, I suppose. But there is very little to define this as a horror movie. The majority of the film plays out as a drama with suspenseful crime elements and the occasional action scene. I suppose it could be classed as a thriller, at a push, but that’s about it.
If fans of X felt like they were misled by Pearl’s 30’s technicolour aesthetic. They should prepare to have their heads spun again as MaXXXine is nothing like either movie. Watching all three in a row is something of a testament to West’s clearly exceptional film making talent. But people hoping for more of the same from either Pearl or X will likely be disappointed.
Not Exactly Excited
Full disclosure, I’m fairly mixed on Ti West. I loved The Innkeepers and enjoyed The House of The Devil but I really feel like his focus on aesthetics and appearance over storytelling and character development can be detrimental to his movie making. X was full of winks to the camera, cringey one liners and overt nods to other horror movies. Pearl managed to eschew most of these traits and, in my eyes, was all the better for it.
MaXXXine is a return to form, as it were, for Ti West. It features just as much winking at the camera as X, just as many cheesy one liners and just as many overt references to other movies. As soon as Maxine stubs a cigarette out on the Hollywood star of actress Theda Bara (the name of the Crocodile in X and Pearl). You pretty much know what you are in for. Ti West has literally never encountered subtlety in his entire life. I doubt he even knows the definition. This is more of him thinking he is the horror equivalent of Tarantino and, to be perfectly honest, I just don’t get it. I don’t know what everybody likes so much about this.
In The Minority
Evidently, I am in the minority as plenty of people love both X and MaXXXine. I do recognise West’s exceptional talent for movie making, though. MaXXXine was filmed on actual equipment from the period and no corners were cut to make this film as accurate to the era as possible. Much like X, MaXXXine feels like a movie pulled out of the 80s. Whether that is your cup of tea, or not, depends on your tolerance for the recent resurgence in 80s stuff.
I’m not sure if people who were born in the 80s, or earlier, are going to find this type of thing particularly interesting. As an 80’s baby, I am burned out on it, to be honest. All the references to Betamax (as if it actually won the war), synthesised music and neon lighting gets old pretty fast. Especially when you consider the recent release of V/H/S/85. Hell, MaXXXine even features a snuff tape recorded on Betamax; a concept that the aforementioned V/H/S/85 already beat it to. It’s getting pretty tired at this point.
Still, technically, the movie looks fantastic. Once again, Goth’s acting is brilliant and most other performances from the excellent cast are great. Outside of Lily Collin’s absolutely piss poor Yorkshire accent, of course. Kevin Bacon, as Louisiana Private Investigator John Labat, is a real treat. Not forgetting the brilliant Giancarlo Esposito as Maxine’s agent. It’s a brilliant cast and deserves special mention for its assembly. The Tyler Bates helmed sound track is, once again, sensational. With Bates having seamlessly nailed it on every film in the series. This is a technically well crafted film.
But….
It just didn’t do anything for me. MaXXXine felt like one of those crime movies I would find on a random channel at 1AM when I couldn’t sleep. Throw on for twenty minutes, get bored, flick the channel, and come back in an hour only to find it is still on and has 15 minutes left. Nothing stood out about it. Pacing is glacial with large periods of empty nothing. Dialogue is as rough as it is in most other Ti West movies. The story is meandering and the kills fairly dull.
The story at the heart of the movie is painfully predictable. Anyone who watched X will call it within the first 15 minutes or so and when West hits you with the “big reveal” as if it is a surprise. I imagine even his most ardent supporters might roll their eyes just a little bit. The inclusion of the Night Stalker serial killer as a plot point was rather low brow but that isn’t a shock, all things considered. Maxine, herself, as a character is, in my opinion, just not all that interesting. I don’t find her very likable and I don’t feel like West gives Goth even half a chance to tap into the hidden depth behind the character’s trauma.
It doesn’t help that Maxine’s motivations are, at times, quite confusing. Certain actions, or lack of actions, taken by the character make little sense and much of what she does lacks explanation. There are so many different elements thrown together that it feels messy and not all that interesting. MaXXXine just didn’t do it for me and I think it is the weakest in the trilogy.
Should You Watch MaXXXine?
If you enjoy Ti West’s movies and have a high tolerance for his “Style Over Substance” brand of film making, you should watch MaXXXine. I just didn’t enjoy it very much. It’s barely a horror; it is far more of a crime drama and anyone planning to watch should take that into account. The aesthetics are fantastic but I would expect nothing less from a movie maker the calibre of West. The references and winks to the camera are eye rolling, much like they were in X. And the movie feels messy and confused, at times. The painfully obvious big reveal at the end is a poor reward for enduring the glacial pacing. But the movie is stylish enough and the acting stellar enough for this to, likely, not matter to many. Not my cup of tea at all but still technically well made.