A One Mann’s Movies review of “MaXXXine” (2024).
Ti West’s ends his horror trilogy with “MaXXXine” (he previously gave us “X” – which I have still to see – and the excellent “Pearl“). We continue to follow the life adventures of Maxine Minx, the porn-star with a bloody past who is now trying to make it big in the Hollywood of the mid-80’s.
Bob the Movie Man Rating:
Plot Summary:
Maxine Minx (Mia Goth), who most men recognise from her porn videos, is keen to make the break from porn into mainstream features. She gets a break by bagging a leading role in a controversial horror sequel directed by Elizabeth Bender (Elizabeth Debicki). But her chance at stardom is put at risk by the involvement of a terrifying mass-murderer called The Night Stalker.
Certification:
UK: 18; US: PG. (From the BBFC web site: “Strong bloody violence, gore, sex, sexualised violence”.)
Talent:
Starring: Mia Goth, Elizabeth Debicki, Kevin Bacon, Simon Prast, Giancarlo Esposito, Moses Sumney, Lily Collins, Chloe Farnworth.
Directed by: Ti West.
Written by: Ti West.
Twitter Handle: #MaXXXine.
Running Time: 1h 43m.
“MaXXXine” Summary:
Positives:
- Nicely atmospheric reconstruction of the sleazy end of Hollywood in the 1980’s.
- Lots of gore for gore-lovers!
- Mia Goth again turns in a mesmerising performance.
Negatives:
- It never really got my adrenaline going at any point.
- Felt rather formulaic compared to “Pearl”.
Review of “MaXXXine”:
Hollywood is a complete dump!
When I first went to Hollywood in 1999, my expectations were way higher than the reality. What a dump! Yes, there was the Hollywood sign on the hill and the “walk of the stars” but all of this was running through a neighbourhood of sleazy bars and night clubs that made me not want to be there after the hours of darkness. It may have improved in the 25 years since then. But I can only imagine how bad it was 15 years earlier, in the age of sex-peep-shows and video nasties. It’s one of the virtues of the film that Ti West manages to recreate this neighbourhood in all its queasy sleaziness. You almost want to use hand wipes while you’re watching the film.
No suspense but lots of gore.
A similarity of this film with “A Quiet Place: Day One“, also out in cinemas at the moment, is that I really wasn’t ‘scared’ once. Whereas “A Quiet Place” made up for this with an inherent level of tension, “Maxxxine” leads with scenes of sex and gore, earning it its “18” certificate. We see Maxine at one point walking in on a porn scene being filmed with her friend Amber James (a well-endowed Chloe Farnworth) getting pounded by a less than proficient stud. And various scenes of violence are ones that would have the illustrious Mrs Movie Man with her hands firmly over her eyes throughout! Most are of the slashing and bashing and head caving variety that I just see as clever prosthetics. But one, involving a street artist portraying a well-known silent star – “Hit the floor buster!”… LOL, ends with a stiletto attack to the genitals that I guarantee will make every man in the audiences’ eyes water!
Mia Goth
Mia Goth is a real talent and she absolutely carries the role of Maxine. It will be really interesting to see where she goes next with her career.
Never got my adrenaline pumping
Whereas “Pearl” thoroughly engaged me with its perverted “Wizard of Oz” like loopiness, MaXXXine felt rather too like any one of dozens of sleazy sex-workers-get-murdered cop thrillers in the archive. (I was reminded of “The Nice Guys“, “LA Confidential” and “The Night Stalker”) Yes, it rises above some of these by setting it against the background of film production, and was never less than interesting. But I’m afraid it never really wowed me.
By the way, one curiousity I noticed during the end-titles is that the film was “filmed in Warner Brothers Studios”. But, at least at one point, we are definitely on the Universal backlot with the Bates motel.
Monkeys?
There’s a nice flight over LA in the closing credits with a notable difference! But at the end of the titles there is a VERY brief monkey that only people who remember VHS and Betamax tapes will probably understand! It made me laugh!
Summary Thoughts on “MaXXXine”
It’s good gory fun but, for me, it didn’t quite reach the heights of “Pearl” which I enjoyed more. As I think I was a bit mean on my score for Pearl (also 3 1/2 stars) I’ve given this the same.
Where to Watch it (Powered by Justwatch)
Trailer for “MaXXXine”:
The trailer is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y0uS3t6nFgY .
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