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MaXXXine is set in 1985, so has a fair smattering of ’80s music in it, albeit reminding me of one particular song I haven’t heard in years, with a vox pop of a woman complaining about dodgy lyrics, since her child bought Prince’s Purple Rain album, then played Darling Nikki…
If you were expecting Mia Goth, as Maxine Minx, to go full-frontal and show you her breakfast, you’ll be rather disappointed, since we’re at the point in her career where she’s looking for her big break to go from adult movies into mainstream ones, ending up in schlock-horror sequel, The Puritan II, directed by Elizabeth Bender (Elizabeth Debicki – The Crown).
it’s also the time of video nasties, so that shows what they’re planning to make with this, but fame in Hollywood is never a given, and for some, it might just chew them up and spit them out if the producers are all as slimy as John Labat (Kevin Bacon – Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F).
However, there’s a killer the loose, who also leaves a calling card, and must be stopped. Can Maxine expose and deal with them? Either way, there are worse ways of spending almost two hours than watching MaXXXine, but also much better ones. Out of this trilogy, I saw Pearl, first, did not like that one, then checked out X when Channel 4 recently showed it – it was a bit better (3/10), but not great.
While Pearl and X felt like they were based around people getting bumped off in grisly ways – and not as often as I’d have liked – MaXXXine does a bit of that, but heads more down the mystery route. It still ends up a poor film, though.
That said, there was some amusement at seeing Giancarlo Esposito (Abigail) with a dodgy syrup, as Maxine’s agent, Teddy Night, and Surrey-born Lily Collins (Emily In Paris) putting on an attempt at a North Yorkshire accent, as aspiring actress Molly Bennett. Sounded almost as false as those that overegg them for the Yorkshire tea adverts.
As an aside, the film includes the recreation of the outside of the Psycho house, albeit no doubt just in CGI, as it’s only distance shots where you see it in full. Then again, MaXXXine is a very low budget film.
Let’s just hope her world is now put to bed. The film’s trailer was shown a zillion times to promote it, but despite that,it wasn’t exactly busy in the Sunday afternoon screening I attended.
However, about those ’80s songs, and they included:
- Animotion – Obsession (also used in the trailer)
- Laura Branigan: Self Control
- ZZ Top: Gimme All Your Lovin’
- Mary Jane Girls: In My House
- Ratt: I’m Insane
- John Parr: St. Elmo’s Fire
- Judas Priest: Prisoner of Your Eyes
- Frankie Goes to Hollywood: Welcome to the Pleasuredome
- New Order: Shellshock
- Kim Carnes: Bette Davis Eyes
Also, check out the video below for info about the post-credits moment you missed!
MaXXXine is in cinemas now, and is available to pre-order on Blu-ray and DVD, ahead of its release date TBA.
Detailed specs:
Cert: 
Running time: 104 minutes
Release date: July 5th 2024
Studio: A24 / Universal Pictures UK
Aspect Ratio: 2.39:1 (Anamorphic Panavision)
Cinema: Odeon Trafford Centre
Rating: 3/10
Director: Ti West
Producers: Mia Goth, Jacob Jaffke, Harrison Kreiss, Kevin Turen, Ti West
Screenplay: Ti West
Music: Tyler Bates
Cast:
Maxine Minx: Mia Goth
Elizabeth Bender: Elizabeth Debicki
Teddy Night, Esq.: Giancarlo Esposito
John Labat: Kevin Bacon
Molly Bennett: Lily Collins
Maxine Miller: Charley Rowan McCain
Ernest Miller: Simon Prast
Tabby Martin: Halsey
Amber James: Chloe Farnworth
Frankie Love: Brad Swanick
Shepard Turei: Uli Latukefu
Angel: Susan Pingleton
Leon: Moses Sumney
Buster: Zachary Mooren
Producer: Daniel Lench
Elaine Casting: Deborah Geffner
Reviewer of movies, videogames and music since 1994. Aortic valve operation survivor from the same year. Running DVDfever.co.uk since 2000. Nobel Peace Prize winner 2021.