MaXXXine
Filmmaker Ti West has the guts to skewer Hollywood with "MaXXXine," but the proceedings could've been bloodier.
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Writer/editor/producer/director Ti West’s “X” trilogy concludes with “MaXXXine” (in theaters beginning Friday, July 5). I don’t think it hits the heights of “X” (the sexiest/skeeviest entry to the franchise with the greatest number of and most graphic kills) nor “Pearl” (the best of the bunch with an Academy Award-worthy performance from Mia Goth … seriously, the late-picture confessional monologue and that prolonged closing credits shot should’ve sealed the deal), but it’s still a bloody bit of 1980s nostalgia-tinged fun.
It’s 1985 and Maxine Minx (Goth) is the sole survivor of “The Texas Porn Star Massacre” depicted in “X.” She’s made the move to Hollywood, Calif. and is working in the adult entertainment industry with dreams of mainstream stardom.
Opportunity knocks when she auditions for and lands a supporting role in the horror sequel “The Puritan II” from writer/director Elizabeth Bender (Elizabeth Debicki) and headlined by starlet Molly Bennett (Lily Collins). Just as things are starting to look up for Maxine weird things start going down.
There’s a sleazy private investigator in town named John Labat (a game Kevin Bacon – his second movie this week after “Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F”) who’s investigating Maxine’s involvement with “The Texas Porn Star Massacre” on behalf of a mystery benefactor.
As bodies begin piling up Detectives Williams (Michelle Monaghan) and Torres (Bobby Cannavale) focus their attention on Maxine. Are these folks the victims of infamous serial killer Richard Ramirez, the Night Stalker or someone else altogether?
Maxine must turn to her video store employee pal Leon (singer-songwriter Moses Sumney, doing good work with what’s easily the most likable character in the movie) and agent/entertainment lawyer Teddy Night, Esq. (Gustavo Fring himself, Giancarlo Esposito) in order to get to the bottom of the mystery and ensure she’s still alive to enjoy her big break.
“MaXXXine” starts strongly and ends with a bit of a whimper. As an ‘80s kid I definitely dug the depiction of that decade’s vibes. As a film fanatic I also enjoyed all of the entertainment industry inside baseball. (The hotel and house sets from Alfred Hitchcock’s “Psycho” are awesomely employed.) West definitely has the starriest cast and likely the biggest budget of any of his “X” pictures with “MaXXXine,” but the scope should’ve been bigger and the horror elements seem somewhat underutilized. There are killings, but many of them occur off-screen. Goth is good as per usual, but isn’t required to dig anywhere near as deeply as she did in “Pearl.”
West has the guts to skewer Hollywood with “MaXXXine,” but the proceedings could’ve been bloodier.