As a fan of this movie series, I had a good time with this latest franchise installment. That said, this newest chapter is very predictable about the real villain. Filmmaker Ti West has much love for cinema and the various eras of Hollywood, which inspired him. His latest foray in this saga takes place during the 1980s, and like his previous installments, the audience is genuinely immersed in this era. Still, it is great to see the character Maxine again and follow her on her journey to Hollywood stardom.
After surviving the “Texas Porn Star Massacre” of the movie X, Maxine (Mia Goth) heads to Hollywood to pursue her dream of acting. Though she encounters some opposition to her previous work, she manages to score a role in the second installment of a moderately successful horror franchise. Meanwhile, the city of Los Angeles is currently under fear. The “Night Stalker” serial murders are plaguing the city, and some of Maxine’s closest associates have fallen victim to the killer. Maxine must use all her strength and willpower to survive and achieve her voraciously desired stardom.
Written and directed by Ti West, Maxxxine delivers 1980s horror thrills with the filmmaker’s sly sense of humor and exceptional grasp of this particular era of movies. Watching this movie mostly feels like watching a sleazy horror thriller from this time. The movie does show some heavy-handedness in expressing and presenting its setting. Still, I had a lot of fun watching its story unfold and the color characters that bring this movie to life.
Mia Goth is absolutely exceptional as Maxine, a driven actress willing to do whatever it takes to make it in Hollywood. It was also a delightful treat to witness Kevin Bacon portray a sleazy private detective harassing Maxine for her troubled past. I loved Giancarlo Esposito as Teddy Knight, Esq, Maxine’s agent/entertainment lawyer, willing to do whatever it takes to help her career thrive.
After reflecting on these installments, Maxxxine is my second favorite movie, after Pearl. I truly enjoyed this series, and I am okay with West continuing with any further adventures with Maxine. Part of me wants to see a spinoff movie featuring the character of Teddy Knight because that could be an absolute blast.