Common Sense Media Review
By Jeffrey M. Anderson
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Clever finale to gory, graphic feminist horror trilogy.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 17+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
MaXXXine
What's the Story?
In MAXXXINE, it's six years after the violent events of X, and survivor Maxine Minx (Mia Goth) has left Texas for Hollywood. It's 1985, and she's started pouring her energy into getting out of pornography and into "straight" movies. Maxine nails an audition for a horror sequel called The Puritan II, to be directed by the formidable Elizabeth Bender (Elizabeth Debicki), but her victory is marred by a series of murders. At first the victims are several of Maxine's adult film-star friends, but then her best pal, video store clerk Leon (Moses Sumney), also meets his end. Private detective John Labat (Kevin Bacon) begins hounding Maxine, pressuring her to meet with his mysterious, powerful client, while two homicide detectives (Michelle Monaghan and Bobby Cannavale) suspect that Maxine knows more about the murders than she's letting on. With her big break in danger of being sabotaged, Maxine once again takes matters into her own hands.
Is It Any Good?
The finale of an hugely effective trilogy, this frisky, fun slasher movie has extreme gore but also plenty of small gifts for cinephiles and a memorable, close-to-iconic main character. In the opening minutes of MaXXXine, viewers see Maxine absolutely destroy her audition, strut across the studio lot to the tune of "Gimme All Your Lovin'," climb into her convertible, and roar away, as the camera tilts down to her "MAXXXINE" license plate. When she tells another character "I can handle myself," you believe it, especially after she dispatches a would-be mugger dressed as Buster Keaton.
As he did in the previous series entries X and Pearl, director Ti West creates a thoroughly evocative atmosphere; he not only re-creates the 1980s but deep-dives into the era, incorporating Satanic killers, evil rock 'n' roll lyrics, and other concerns of the day into the movie's story and themes. (Movie marquees display titles ranging from the Brat Pack classic St. Elmo's Fire to Jean-Luc Godard's hackle-raising Hail Mary.) The ending of MaXXXine may be a little far-fetched, but at the same time, it's an astute blending of ideas and sensations, adding up to a timely movie about fame, obsession, media, and monsters.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about MaXXXine's violence. How did it make you feel? Was it exciting? Shocking? What did the movie show or not show to achieve this effect? Why is that important?
Does Maxine "deserve" to be famous? What does it mean to deserve or not deserve something?
What roles does sex play in the story? In the movie, how is filmed sex different from "real" sex?
How is drug use depicted? Is it glamorized? Are there consequences? Why is that important?
How does this movie compare with its two predecessors? How do the three movies come together to tell a larger story?
Movie Details
- In theaters : July 5, 2024
- On DVD or streaming : August 2, 2024
- Cast : Mia Goth , Elizabeth Debicki , Giancarlo Esposito
- Director : Ti West
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Actor(s) , Latino Movie Actor(s) , Black Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : A24
- Genre : Horror
- Run time : 104 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : strong violence, gore, sexual content, graphic nudity, language and drug use
- Last updated : August 23, 2024
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