Quartile rating: 6.5/10 · 1 rating
In 1980s Hollywood, adult film star and aspiring actress Maxine Minx finally gets her big break. But as a mysterious killer stalks the starlets of Hollywood, a trail of blood threatens to reveal her sinister past.
MaXXXine closes Ti West's X trilogy with undeniable visual flair — the neon-drenched 1980s Hollywood atmosphere and period-accurate cinematography are genuinely exceptional, evoking both the Satanic Panic era and classic slasher aesthetics with real craft. Mia Goth commits fully and anchors the film, and the supporting cast (Bobby Cannavale, Elizabeth Debicki) is colorful. However, the film stumbles where it matters most narratively: the whodunit mystery is telegraphed early and the resolution feels anticlimactic and somewhat contrived, undercutting the buildup. The plot, while loaded with fun 80s references and pastiche energy, is relatively thin and relies on genre familiarity more than genuine ingenuity. As the third entry in a trilogy, its novelty is slightly diminished compared to the original X, though it still has a distinctive voice. The ending, meant to be cathartic, lands as rushed and unsatisfying for many viewers — a weak payoff to an otherwise stylish ride.