I was really looking forward to seeing Maxxxine because it's presented as the final part of Ti West’s X trilogy, and I had such a good time with the first two movies. Each one in the series has its own distinct style that reflects the time period it’s set in. X, released in 2022, felt like a raw tribute to those brutal horror films from the seventies, especially drawing on The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Later that same year, Pearl took an even more stylized approach, acting as a prequel with nods to silent movies and visuals inspired by The Wizard of Oz. Those clear stylistic choices made me expect a lot from Maxxxine. In this film, we follow Maxine, the only person who survived the killings at the farmhouse shown in the first movie. Now older and with noticeably blonder hair, she’s still trying to make it big as a Hollywood star. She finally gets her chance by landing the lead role in a new horror movie, but her past starts to resurface. A shady private investigator, played by Kevin Bacon, who works for a ruthless killer, begins tracking her and targeting her friends. At the same time, Maxine has to deal with the terror of the Night Stalker, who is haunting Los Angeles, while detectives try to figure out how she’s connected to everything that's happening. Maxxxine feels like a gorgeous tribute to horror films from the eighties. Ti West takes inspiration from many great filmmakers from that era. There’s one scene in particular—when Maxine walks up some stairs toward the film’s end—that really calls to mind David Lynch’s cinematography from that period. This careful attention to style and atmosphere makes the movie feel nostalgic. Mia Goth is absolutely wonderful, bringing depth and intensity to her role. Her performance stands out as a highlight of the trilogy, showing how versatile she is as she plays different characters and deals with complicated emotions. For example, the way she portrays Maxine’s determination alongside a sense of vulnerability adds layers to the character, making her story captivating and easy to connect with. Even though Maxxxine is a solid addition to the series, I think it's the weakest one so far. It does provide a satisfying end to the trilogy, but it leaves some questions unanswered from X. I would have liked more resolution regarding what happened in the first film because the connections feel a little shallow. Also, when we find out who the main villain is, it feels somewhat disconnected from the rest of the story. The killer's reasons and backstory aren’t as thoroughly woven into the plot as they could be, which makes the ending feel a bit disjointed. Despite these criticisms, Maxxxine remains a well-made horror film with plenty of references for fans of the genre. Ti West has created a trilogy that respects the horror tradition while bringing fresh and creative storytelling to it. The movie is full of familiar elements from 1980s horror, making it both nostalgic and new at the same time. Mia Goth’s performance ties everything together beautifully, and her work in Maxxxine really establishes her as a standout performer in modern horror cinema. Even with its flaws, it's still a fitting and enjoyable conclusion to an impressive series.

Source on TMDB