Courtney Howard // Film Critic
MAXXXINE
Rated R, 104 minutes
Directed by: Ti West
Starring: Mia Goth, Elizabeth Debicki, Moses Sumney, Giancarlo Esposito, Kevin Bacon, Michelle Monaghan, Bobby Cannavale, Lily Collins, Halsey, Sophie Thatcher, Charley Rowan McCain
Filmmaker Ti West has made a love letter to the horror genre in all its gory, glorious forms with his terrific X trilogy. From the 70s-set grit of X, to the Technicolor madness of PEARL, and now with the 80s-era grime of MAXXXINE, he’s crafted a celebration of killer inspiration with great care and interwoven details. Though not all of his broader ideas tie together perfectly in this continuing tale of a final girl’s pursuit of her childhood dream, he’s created a stylish, stunning spectacular. Gutsy, gritty and grisly, he and his leading lady go for the gusto and the result is a total blast.
It’s 1985 – a time marked by crime, cocaine and puritanical protests. Though it’s been a few years and she’s as caustic and cautious as ever, Maxine Minx (Mia Goth) is still reeling from the trauma endured while shooting an unreleased porno on a property owned by a murderous psychopath. She’s a double survivor, having also escaped the wrath of her televangelist father (as alluded to in X). Her dreams of superstardom have carried her all the way to Los Angeles, where by day she acts in porn and by night she performs in peep shows for perverts with pocket change to spare. She also has a small circle of friends like kind-hearted co-worker Tabby (Halsey) and knowledgeable video store clerk Leon (Moses Sumney). But there’s an evil presence lurking in the shadows.
Just when it seems like Maxine’s career is picking up after being hired for her first mainstream role in a slasher sequel helmed by demanding director Elizabeth Bender (Elizabeth Debicki), a series of terrifying events occurs. Not only is she receiving anonymous threats alluding to the Texas Farmhouse Massacre, her besties turn up dead, marked by Satanic emblems. This, of course, draws the attention of nosy Detectives Torres (Bobby Cannavale) and Williams (Michelle Monaghan), who pull her attention away from her new gig. Plus, she’s being tailed by scumbag private investigator John Labat (Kevin Bacon), who’s working on behalf of a black leather-clad, creepy figure, who knows about Maxine’s elusive past and has been terrorizing the city. As she quickly learns, it’s a kill or be killed world out there.
In terms of character development, Maxxine’s ever-evolving journey has brought her to an interesting place – and I don’t mean this City of Stars. She’s a reluctant final girl, who remains true to the selfish person we first met in X, staring back at herself in the mirror of the Bayou Burlesque Club in 1979. Her arc in this direct sequel isn’t an expected one, not focused on turning her into a selfless heroine out to help other women avoid a gruesome end, but rather about gaining closure to the unending horror that’s been plaguing her.
Once again, Goth slays. She’s powerhouse perfection. Her performance deepens this time around, revealing an internalized portrait of her character’s anxieties, fears and vulnerabilities. She keeps Maxine reactionary yet teetering on sanity’s edge, and her inevitable 3rd act reclamation of her spitfire strength sends an invigorating shockwave into the audience. Bacon is delicious in total sleaze ball mode with his Southern drawl, cloaked seersucker suit and wolf-like gold tooth grin. Giancarlo Esposito shines in his supporting role as Maxine’s caring agent and lawyer. He brings a lot of humor to the film. Lily Collins, in a supporting turn, makes a meal out of her brief screen time, starring as the vapid lead actress on Maxine’s film. She’s charming, witty and ebullient.
West leans full tilt into his Brian De Palma (DRESSED TO KILL and BODY DOUBLE) and William Friedkin (CRUISING) inspirations, paying homage to slashers, video nasties and giallos along the way. It has something for every horror-hound, particularly one entertaining kill that’s a mix of blood and brake fluid. Tyler Bates’ alto-sax-heavy score drips with lust and sweaty brine. It comingles perfectly with the aggressive, pulsating soundtrack, featuring ZZ Top’s “Gimme All Your Lovin’”, Frankie Goes To Hollywood’s “Welcome To The Pleasuredome” and John Parr’s “St. Elmo’s Fire (Man In Motion),” which all feature in memorable montages to further character drive and palpable emotional intent. Eliot Rockett’s compelling cinematography augments atmospheric overtones. Jason Kisvarday’s immersive production design grounds the heightened kills in a period specific playground.
However, it’s not all razzle dazzle. Similar to X, West has a lot of superfluous detail in MAXXXINE. He makes a point of rooting this fiction in our historical reality where Reaganism, The Night Stalker, Tipper Gore’s censorship campaign, the influx of cocaine and religious zealotry ran rampant. Though they add a tactile texture to the picture, they wind up being more incidental to the plot rather than integrated fluidly. Frequently, he has trouble blending the narrative’s B and C stories. The cops are dealt short shrift, existing primarily on the periphery. The film production storyline, which blessedly includes some satirical bite, could use much more levity and buoyancy. Instead we sit through repetitive sequences with Debicki’s director lecturing Goth’s final girl on punctuality, taking this opportunity seriously and the inflated importance of her picture in the zeitgeist. Once is certainly enough.
While MAXXXINE doesn’t quite reach the phenomenal heights PEARL did, it does rank better than X as it’s more of a complete picture. With fun callbacks to the previous pictures tucked away within, it’s a wild, totally awesome ride.
Grade: B-
MAXXXINE opens in theaters on July 5.
