MaXXXine (2024) Review – A Stylish But Substance-Free 80s Crime Thriller

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.

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.

It’s barely a horror

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. Oh, and somebody wants to remind her of her complicated past. Leading Maxine to, once again, take matters into her own hands.

“Of all the thrillers and ‘barely horrors’ on this site, MaXXXine sits atop the pile as the least horror of them all.”

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. At a push, I would say it is closest to a Giallo movie but even then one that leans towards thriller rather than horror themes.

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 30s 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 filmmaking talent. But people hoping for more of the same from either Pearl or X will likely be disappointed.

I wasn’t exactly excited for this film

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.”

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.

I’m probably 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 80s 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 Collins’ 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 soundtrack is, once again, sensational. With Bates having seamlessly nailed it on every film in the series. This is a technically well-crafted film.

I think it is overrated

It just didn’t do anything for me. MaXXXine felt like one of those crime movies I would find on a random channel at 1 AM 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.”

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 likeable 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. 

Our Scoring Philosophy: A Fair Fight

Horror is a genre that thrives thanks to indie film makers and low budget creators. At Knockout Horror, we firmly believe that every movie that we review deserves a fair fight. That's why we grade on a curve. Our star ratings are all about context, judging a film on what it achieves with the resources it has.

A 4-star rating for a scrappy indie horror made for $10,000 is a testament to its ingenuity and raw power. A 4-star rating for a $100 million blockbuster means it delivered on its epic promises. We don't compare them side-by-side; we celebrate success in every weight class, from the back-alley brawler to the heavyweight champion. Please keep this in mind when considering star ratings.

Support the Site Knockout Horror is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. Basically, if you click a link to rent or buy a movie, we may earn a tiny commission at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. This helps keep the lights on and the nightmares coming. Don't worry, we will never recommend a movie purely to generate clicks. If it's bad, we will tell you.

Disclaimer: Images, posters, and video stills used in this review are the property of their respective copyright holders. They are included here for the purposes of commentary, criticism, and review under fair use. Knockout Horror makes no claim of ownership and encourages readers to support the official release of all films discussed.