Maxxxine Movie Review

“Maxxxine” is part of a horror movie trilogy, and it is the last one. It will become the ‘Final Movie’ about a ‘Final Girl’. That is, the last one standing. The ‘adult film’ actress who is now in Hollywood is out to follow her obsession. She wants to be a Star. She won’t allow her role to be ‘cut’…

A quick catch up: in the movie named “X” (not formally known as Twitter), it was the introduction to Maxine (played by Mia Goth). In the late seventies, she and a bunch of friends went to a small East Texas farm. They were there to make an ‘artistic’ porno movie.

But the elderly owners figured out what was going on in the barn and the bunkhouse. The elderly owners were not pleased, and went after Maxine and crew — with deadly intentions.

The elderly farmer’s wife, named Pearl (also played by Mia Goth) had a previously unknown tendency to kill off any one who pissed her off. The back story of the murderous wife was later told in the movie named “Pearl”. But in the end, it was only Maxine who escaped alive. Texas authorities were on late to the game, and did not know what happened.

Maxine was raised by a pastor father (played by Simon Prast) who explained to her his motto: “I will not accept a life I do not deserve”. Maxine believed that back then, as a child, and she adheres to the idea even more — now as an adult. Getting out of Texas to Los Angeles in the mid-eighties — Maxine becomes Maxine Minx, ‘adult film star’.

Maxine works with her low-life agent named Teddy Knight, Esq. (played by Giancarlo Esposito). She has an audition for a real-life Hollywood horror movie. It is called ‘The Puritan II’, and the movie director is Liz Bender (played by Elizabeth Debicki). She is primed to be taken seriously herself. Liz sees something in common with Maxine.

All the while, the California LA area is plagued by what is called the ‘Night Stalker’ killer. There are sightings of an unknown man clothed in a black jacket, a black hat and black gloves. Could this be the ‘Stalker’? Or is it someone with ties to Maxine’s past — out to prove something.

Maxine has a couple of girlfriends, Amber (played by Chloe Farnworth) and Tabby (played by Halsey). They wind up dead, perhaps victims of the ‘Stacker’, or maybe a different killer. Maxine also has a friend who works in a video store downstairs. Soon, Leon (played by Moses Sumney) winds up dead. She meets the actress who stared in the first ‘Puritan’ movie. Her name is Molly (played by Lily Collins). Opps! Another person dead.

There are two Homicide detectives on the case now. Detective Williams (played by Michelle Monaghan) and partner Detective Torres (played by Bobby Cannavale) are trying to get information out of Maxine. She seems to be the only link to these deaths. Was there something in her past that is coming back to haunt Maxine?

Why, of course the past cannot remain hidden. Maxine is contacted by a sleazy bayou Private Investigator who goes by the name John Labat (played by Kevin Bacon). This guy seems to have information about the tragic instances in Texas, where a bunch of people ended up dead — and Maxine ended up gone. Labat tells her, it is not him who is interested — it is his client.

And his client is… Well, Labat does not say if it is an unknown man clothed in a black jacket, a black hat and black gloves. Teddy is able to assist Maxine to ‘eliminate’ problem of P.I. John Labat — in a very bloody, and squishy, manner. There are two Detectives (Williams and Torres) who do not know about Labat. But they know that quite a few deaths are connected to Maxine.

Maxine sees an old note from Labat about meeting the ‘client’ up in the Hollywood hills. It was the same place that Amber, Tabby and Molly mentioned said they would go. There are big parties held up in the mansions near the huge Hollywood sign. Maxine decides to head up into the hills. She does not know there are two Detectives trailing her.

What will Maxine find up in the Hollywood hills, up in the mansions and estates? These places are so close to the iconic sign that will be plenty of people there, right? But will they be the right people? Will the two Detectives have chance to find out the mystery. Will Maxine find out that she has ‘daddy issues’, even now after all these years?

“Maxxxine” is a movie that is destined to trigger the auto-correct in every film critic’s document creation software. But it also a third part of a trilogy by the same Director and Lead Actress. Based on the quality and the reception of the first two — this one is also destined to be a ‘cut’ above…

This movie is the brainchild of Ti West (Writer, Director – and even Editor). But he has a very special muse in Mia Goth (Maxine). Without her keeping the movie grounded in a very special ‘Maxine’ frame of mind – it could have gone off the rails. Also, Kevin Bacon does a smash-up job as the over-the-top P.I. Labat.

There are very gruesome deaths and graphic instances of violence. But if you take the gore and the nudity and profanity – you can see an example of how Hollywood can take person and chew them up. Maxine is someone who can take care of herself, and she is not afraid of getting nasty to get her way.

“Maxxxine” is a gory and bloody look at 1980’s Hollywood, and how a stylish horror movie can be gross and fascinating at the same time. Hurray for Hollywood!