MaXXXine (2024), directed by Ti West, stars Mia Goth, Kevin Bacon, Elizabeth Debicki, Giancarlo Esposito, Moses Sumney, Halsey, Simon Prast, Michelle Monaghan, Bobby Cannavale, Lily Collins, and Chole Farnworth. This is the final film in Ti West’s X trilogy and follows Maxine (Goth) in the 1980s as she tries to make it as a movie star in Los Angeles after the events of X (2022). While on the verge of being cast in a breakout role, Maxine’s friends begin to go missing or even turn up dead. This brings the arrival of a sleazy private detective (Bacon) whose mysterious employer seems intent on making Maxine’s life a living hell. As the bodies begin to pile up, Maxine decides it’s time to take the fight straight to the killer’s doorstep before she loses her dream role or even her life. 

Goth once again gives a fantastic performance that rounds out an impressive trilogy performance-wise. This feels unique compared to her performances as Pearl and her initial turn as Maxine. I was worried that this would just be a retread of what we already know about the character, but the film succeeds in painting Maxxine as the ultimate final girl badass. That being said, I do still feel as if this is her weakest of the three films (but all are great). I think it’s due to a script that doesn’t end up taking a lot of risks with the character. Her characterization is somewhat safe and it slightly ruins a bit of mystery the character held throughout the entirety of X. The film’s mystery/plot in relation to Maxine’s past is also somewhat predictable which is a slight problem. However, it also feels like a direction that was set up in X, and therefore would feel strange if it wasn’t followed through on. It’s a real double-edged sword situation. These are all good examples of how this script fails to do its protagonist justice on the same level as the previous films. 

As for the remaining cast, no one stands out besides Kevin Bacon as Private Detective John Labat. He presents himself in a ratty suit, his hair shining with grease, and speaking in a thick southern drawl. The film constantly plays into the styles of classic noir and Giallo slasher and this is immediately apparent in Bacon’s performance. This is exactly the kind of scumbag private detective that a viewer just loves to hate – the kind Giallo slashers often feature. To be honest, this is the best performance I’ve seen Bacon give in a long time. 

Although this may be the weakest film of the trilogy in terms of substance, It’s almost an overload in terms of style. Giallo slashers have away prioritized style over substance so it almost feels like an intentional choice. However, I feel as if it’s nothing but a lame excuse to have a looser script than the proceeding films. Ignoring the issues with the script, I have to admit how much fun it is in terms of the amount of the 80s callbacks it’s able to implement. And they aren’t just callbacks to golden-age giallo and 80s horror in general, they also include buddy cop movies and 80s action. This makes the film feel like a truly unique installment in the sense that it feels closer to a mystery/thriller/action film than it does horror.

Overall, this is a fast-moving and action-packed trilogy capper that is a step down from the first two films, but not by much. On an emotional/personal level, it may actually be my favorite of the franchise. On a critical level, there are just too many small script/character issues that make me recognize this as a lesser film. Either way, it easily cements the X films as one of the best (and most consistent) horror trilogies of all time. If you liked the first two films, this delivers the same wonderful creative energy that makes a person’s heart beat faster than they were expecting. It’s a hell of a good time if not quite as good as I would have wished. B