Director: Ti West 
Starring: Mia Goth, Elizabeth Debicki, Moses Sumney, Michelle Monaghan, Bobby Cannavale, Halsey, Lily Collins, Giancarlo Esposito, Kevin Bacon
Certificate: 18
Run Time: 104 mins

MaXXXine is the third instalment in Ti West’s X series and a direct sequel to X. It’s surreal to think what was originally a relatively low-key release is now a full-blown film series, with West having originally shot X (which I loved) and Pearl (fine, but overrated) back-to-back.  

MaXXXine picks up in 1985 shortly after the gruesome events of X, with Maxine Minx (Mia Goth) attending an audition for the lead in a new horror film following her pornography career. Minx’s transition to socially acceptable filmmaking is amidst the Night Stalker murders in Los Angeles and she soon finds herself intertwined in a tale of bloodshed and blackmail. 

MaXXXine is a thoroughly enjoyable, if uneven third instalment. Like its predecessors, West experiments with exploring a different horror sub-genre – in this case, Giallo horror. It unexpectedly shares many of the story beats of Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon A Time In Hollywood but in a thrilling way that isn’t derivative. The score by Tyler Bates is brilliant and is probably a career-best. The film’s also beautifully shot by Eliot Rocket, who really captures the neon, seedy 80’s Hollywood aesthetic. 

Like Pearl indirectly provided commentary on the coronavirus pandemic, West uses MaXXXine to explore the rise of extremist politics. There’s a big third act reveal that didn’t fully work for me but it does work in the interests of what West is going for. In a way, it’s good MaXXXine tries to stand on its own feet before eventually connecting to X. 

But sticking on that note, MaXXXine an odd film in the context of the trilogy. While there’s a handful of gory kills, there’s next to no tension, with West instead simply embracing its 80’s roots. I wonder if MaXXXine would be an even better film if it wasn’t chained to the confines of a series. 

There’s some very entertaining performances across the board. Mia Goth is reliably strong but Kevin Bacon steals the show as a seedy private investigator, resplendent with gold teeth. Giancarlo Esposito is also a highlight as Maxine’s agent with an outrageous haircut. 

I really enjoyed MaXXXine and although it’s a little shambolically crafted, I’d be lying if I didn’t say I had a big grin on my face. There’s some expertly crafted sequences and West, in combination with the music, cinematography and performances, confidently captures the time period with care and passion.