“I will not accept a life I do not deserve”, but I guess I’ll have to accept a conclusion this trilogy doesn’t deserve. MaXXXine is a tepid final chapter, devoid of the X factor that made the first two movies special.
Two years ago, X flipped the slasher genre on its head with an exceptional subversion of ‘70s grindhouse horror. It flawlessly mirrored porn against horror movies, cleverly highlighting the parallels that exist between the two. Pearl was a solid follow up that functioned as an homage to old Hollywood and a twisted character study. MaXXXine is… well, it’s an 80s style slasher flick. The sharp genre subversions and clever commentary that elevated the first two entries is absent, leaving us with a movie that would’ve been lost among hundreds of similar movies, had it been released in the decade it’s emulating.
Ti West is masterful at capturing the essence of analogue horror, as showcased in House of the Devil and X. While this didn’t pull me into the seedy underbelly of ‘80s Hollywood as successfully as it wants to, West does a good job at making this feel like a product of the decade. It’s a bigger production, and once again West proves he knows how to stretch his budget, but bigger doesn’t mean better. The plot is generic, failing to any take bold and unexpected swings to catch audiences off guard. The third act is especially weak, with a lacklustre reveal and a sloppy climax that left me disappointed.
One thing’s for sure though - Mia Goth is a star! A certified scream queen who’s made a name for herself in the horror genre. While she is undoubtedly the best thing this movie has going for it, the material really lets her down. I was floored by her unrecognizable dual performance in X, and her monologue in Pearl is an all time great scene. Sadly there’s not much that allows her to shine in the same way here. She still carries the movie effortlessly, though, and I’d like to see more of her in this role, should West decide to continue the franchise. Much of the supporting cast is underused, feeling like more of a flex of a larger budget than anything else. Kevin Bacon chews the scenery as a sleazy gun for hire, and I enjoyed watching his character square off against Maxine’s fiery temper.
I grew up renting horror and slasher flicks from the video store near my house. MaXXXine feels like one of the obscure VHS’ I’d watch based on the cover art and synopsis on the back. Like many of those movies, though, it’s a one and done watch. It’s an ultimately forgettable outing that won’t leave much of an impact on me - apart from reminding me how strongly this trilogy began in the first place.
2.5/5
Review by: Benjamin Garrett