The scene of Maxine stomping on the guys testicles was a crowd-pleaser, but it hurt the story structure, because it made Maxine look scarier than anybody in the movie, including the masked killer.
I think one way they could have resolved the problem, in a way that would make Maxine tough but also vulnerable, would have been to lean into more of the implications that Maxine is suffering from PTSD. Ti West had a great visual language for depicting the PTSD, by putting flashbacks on grainy 1970s-style film stock, but he could have easily done more.
I really disliked the killer "reveal", it was so predictable which is fine and you can make it interesting but once you involve the cult it was just ridiculous. What really made me upset was the fact that Maxine doesn't save Molly and that, to me, minimizes her story in the film of her kinda having survivors guilt and being selfish, not wanting to help others, it would've brought her story full circle. There isn't much character development for her and she gets what she wants, which is great, that's what we wanted for her but it doesn't feel meaningful or deserved. It feels like they didn't really know what to do with the story, doesn't mean it doesn't have it's moments but pretty weak compared to the last two
I mean to me, she was pretty selfish and an asshole in the first movie, so i'm not surprised she didn't bother to care about others except for herself and her success
It just was a very inconsistent experience, real moments of brilliance but felt like it was afraid to fully commit. The final act just did not work for me. Felt too safe tbh
That’s what the first movie was for me, and Pearl was just bad. I can understand people liking Pearl, because of the style and weirdness, but I just didn’t think he pulled off what he was trying to get across, very well.
Agreed. I was actually enjoying everything until the last act. That’s where it just completely fell apart. I was almost expecting another 20 minutes and then it just wrapped up and I was head scratching, not in a good way.
Mannnn. After that beautiful shot in the dark hallway with the red neon sign as the killer is walking towards it, then seeing him clad in all black with the focus on his gloves while watching the peep show I was just thinking "oh fuck yeah, we're getting a Giallo!" Then when that didn't materialize, we got the Bacon stuff which was fun and bordering on campy which I rolled with. But the killer reveal and the outdoor scene kind of killed the vibe for me. I still liked it, a solid 7/10. As others have mentioned I think Ti needed to just choose a consistent tone which I feel like Ti accomplished in both X and Pearl. I do feel like he nailed the seedy atmosphere of LA in '85 which I feel a lot of films with much higher budgets fall to fully immerse you in. That and Goth's performance were probably the highlights.
I completely agree with everything you said. This one just didn’t have the magic like the first one did, so much was going on at once and the third act just seemed so rushed. I didn’t hate this either but I had very high expectations for this and when it was over, I was like wait that’s it? As soon as I saw the trailers, I immediately knew it was gonna be her Dad.
The killer reveal was absolutely ridiculous. It turned the killer from someone with a personal vendetta to a complete clown show. It lessens the impact of the rest of the movie
Made perfect sense to me based upon her past and that it reflected the time period and the horror movie that she was making. All about art imitating life and vice versa. At least that’s my take.
@@Trill_Tour that may be true. To me though, not making sense equals bad so I kind of try to stay consistent in my views. But I do appreciate what they did here.
That was my exact same reaction, the reveal was just a letdown for me and it’s so looney tunes all of a sudden.. Still I had a blast with the film but there’s no doubt in my mind that Maxxxine is the weakest in the trilogy.
Agreed. Everything that happened in the film amounted to nothing. Classic final act letdown and I enjoyed the other two films. It starts strong and just goes completely down hill from there when it’s all said and done.
Thanks for the review; to me, the worst is when a movie just doesn’t live up to the high expectations you had for it! Hopefully, you will eventually love it more and at some point make a video ranking the trilogy.
I’m right with you on this one, Lee. Ty West was kind of throwing everything in there including the kitchen sink! Ramirez, Satanic panic, a film director trying to make her mark in the industry, an actress willing to do anything to become a star, a clownish PI, and a pissed off, mentally unstable dad! I also agree with the fact that it should have been darker, like Seven. I also expected a more badass Maxine! She had two awesome moments; but we needed more! The third act reveal took me right out of it for a few moments; but I guess it did make sense that he came looking for her. I truly thought , though, that the dad and PI in particular were cartoonish. Holy cow, did Kevin Bacon ever chew the scenery! One last thing, did you catch the Easter eggs ?!? I don’t mean the obvious references to X, I mean the subtle visual nods in a couple of scenes! You know, I still had fun, though!
I just watched this movie for the first time yesterday. I had seen both X and Pearl prior, but it had been about a year since I’ve seen either. My expectations going in were somewhere in the middle. I think I’m in the same boat as you as far as the beginning and middle of the movie being pretty solid and keeping me interested. I was at about a 7/10 for this movie going into the final act. I was hoping it would push the movie to an 8/10. However, the final act didn’t bring it home for me. I was all excited for this great killer reveal. I’ll be honest with you, when they revealed the killer, I was like who is that. It actually took me a few minutes to make the connection of it being Maxine’s father. I think you nailed it perfectly when you said it was “cartoonish.” I just didn’t really like the killer’s motive or the way the character went about things once he was revealed. I also didn’t like Kevin Bacon’s character. He just felt really annoying to me. Decent movie until the final act. I was hoping somebody from X that we thought died was going to be the killer or a relative of Pearl. I just didn’t feel satisfied with the way this series wrapped up.
Yeah I’d say the move has some good and a few bad. And one of the great things is that it got the 80s very well. Enjoyed that a lot along with the music
I don't know why she's running from Bacon other than to make use of the Bates Motel location. And yeah I thought using coke was supposed to make her more maniac and erupt quicker to violence
Considering not long before this scene she beat the crap out of him with her keys, I don’t think she would’ve run from him outside of yeah the obvious Universal backlot usage. And yeah I get the ‘80s was the era of cocaine/War on Drugs, but it didn’t seem to do anything to Maxine outside of being nose candy and she’s obviously an addict at this point. But huge missed opportunity
Giancarlo Esposito is in a ton of movies, dating all the way back to the 80s. I mostly remember him from School Daze. If you haven't seen that, check it out, it was Spike Lee's second film and had an all-star cast, including Laurence Fishburne. I did some extra work years ago on Homicide, and was in a scene right next to Giancarlo haha! Ahh memories......🎬
Hi Lee! I enjoyed this movie but couldnt quite figure out what the things were that held it back for me and it turns out its the same stuff you mentioned! The dangerousness and kills I felt werent fully there but Mia Goth was amazing. I loved when Bette Davis plays in the credits, I wanted to cheer for maxine at that moment
Totally agree. I didn’t hate it by any means but it relied too heavy on the nostalgia. The beginning I felt started off strong and I remember saying this is going to live up to the hype. Then it just spiraled to where I kept asking myself “is something going to happen?” I remember it feeling like a long movie and it wasn’t at all. It was presented to us that the night stalker would be a big part of the movie and he really has pretty much zero part in it. I think I would have preferred the night stalker or copy cat yo have been killing off people in the movie maxxxine is in, and she takes things into her own hands bc she’s not going to let anyone or anything stand in her way of becoming a star.
@@pobstrelit doesn’t have to be factually accurate though, it’s just a movie. Inglorious basterds is a perfect example of using characters from history combined with events that didn’t actually occur the way they did in real life.
Besides the obvious movie references- like Giallo, there were a lot of cool movie nods- Kevin Bacon looking like Jack Nicholson in Chinatown, a couple Nightmare references- the guy on fire jumping in the pool, like Freddy pool party, the car junkyard scene like Nightmare 3.
I just came from watching it And yes even though it’s a decent movie on its own, it just didn’t feel that it had (X) vibes. The kills weren’t that gruesome It just felt too commercial like u said. The final act with the shoot out was silly. I wanted to see gruesome scenes and Mia Goth be a bad ass through the whole movie and i didn’t get that
I agree with a lot of what you said. They could've done a lot more with the kills. I loved the car crusher scene!! She didn't even care who hired the detective...she didn't question him or had any intention of stopping it short and not killing him. I don't know if it's just the scenes from the strip but when I saw the trailer all I could think about was the film Angel. I really wish they could've come up with a better ending but really where were they going to go with it. No one else from X survived.
I think if we saw the actual deaths scenes of maxxxine’s friends it would have made the film better. Because it happens off screen it feels like we were cheated character deaths
I enjoyed it, not loved it. I was expecting more suffering and rejection towards her, just because of the Bette Davis quote at the beginning. On things i loved; the beginning with ZZ Top and that shot of Pearl in the window of the Bates Motel. I will definitely gonna re-watch it but, it's my least favorite of the trilogy. Also, the killer was so obvious from the beginning.
Do you think Ti West might have had trouble with the MPAA, which is why you don't see how Halsey's character is killed? In addition, I wonder if the acting budget drastically reduced the budget for effects.
I doubt it as we see Leon’s death in pretty grisly detail and the final headshot of Maxine’s dad being executed by Maxine. I think Ti West misunderstood how gialli films worked which was gratuitous violence
I was severely disappointed in this. Liked it but man I was looking forward to an all out giallo slasher. When I heard it was a whodunnit back when they were making it I feel like it never went that route. You never felt like you had to guess who was killing who. The kills were somewhat tame and the finale being a goofy cop shoot out took me out a bit.
I was not a fan. I don’t think I’m a Ti West fan. I feel that Maxxxine underdelivered. I wanted a lot more of the 80s horror film ingredients, and I feel like this movie was an “80s horror film - light.”
Just watched it tonight, and it was good. kind of reminded me of the movie ‘Vice squad’ and ‘Angel’ , I love those movies.. 🍿 Great review 👍🏼 Happy 4th of July 🩵
I pretty much agree with you good sir I expected so much because this was my most anticipated movie of the year as well and although it was good it just still fell a little short
Completely agree with you. I'm still "unsure" that I liked it more than I initially did. Loved the setting, music, references, etc. But, yeah, could've gone a bit further. She should have been more confident and in control as she was at times. The kills off screen, meh. Maybe we'll see that in a director's cut?? Probably not.
What I hate most is that I predicted how the ending would play out long before they started filming this movie. Fingers crossed for LongLegs next week which I've heard nothing but great things about.
I actually watched this as I wanted to hear what you were meaning about not being a huge fan of the final act, I haven’t seen this yet and I might not until it hits showtime like the other two have and then I will watch the entire trilogy of which I have only seen X once and really enjoyed it. Plus slasher movies like this especially ones I’m not super invested in of which there aren’t many but, this series is one of them honestly and I must say even seeing X once when you mentioned the father being the killer at the end of this movie wasn’t a huge surprise or spoiler for me because, much like you stated, story wise it makes sense for it to be the father who was the killer, weirdly enough, I’m actually more interested in checking this out now that I know a bit of spoilers than I was without because, with just your non spoiler review I was kind of like “meh….I’ll check it out eventually.” However, this spoiler review kind of grabbed me a bit more and made me want to see it more which usually spoilers just piss me off and make me not want to give the movie money anymore but this is the opposite in a weird way
It’s not a movie mystery it’s not a slasher film it’s a endcap to a great trilogy that each film had its own genre. The beginning of pearl when she goes to a pharmacy you see a man on the street with a sign on his back saying “we will not accept a life we do not deserve”… and also in x he’s very prominent in the beginning end and on the television in pearls house. The ties from each movie is amazing and gets better on rewatches
Yup the reveal is where it fell off for me. I was rolling my eyes HARD. Before that I was so having so much fun ☹️. Didn’t ruin my overall experience of it TOO much but wish it went another direction. Absolutely love Maxine as a horror icon! Still a solid trilogy I will be revisiting often I think. ❤
0:36 I’m only at the beginning of the video and I just got done seeing it in theaters… it wasn’t a terrible movie. It was good. However, the ending was a little bit expected and because of how they set up the movie X and the movie Pearl, it made me feel very hyped up to see this movie and I feel like it didn’t fulfill what it was intended to do.. unless there is a fourth movie or even if there isn’t, the story is good at its conclusion however, I felt that everything was rushed at the end 6:31 I am so happy that you have the opinion I didn’t hate the movie, not at all, but it felt like I was let down based on the first two movies that had previously come out before it. if there’s a fourth movie, I’ll be happy and I will be willing to see it how to put it“millennial “terms or younger terms it didn’t have the same “ vibe” as the other movies did
I loved the movie up until she got to the house. It was just a jarring tonal shift that was not consistent at all with the trilogy as a whole. It turned into a scream movie in the last 20 minutes. The Scream franchise is my favorite horror franchise but thats not what i wanted in the final act of this trilogy. Those last 20 minutes dropped the movie 2 whole points for me. 6/10
Overall, I liked Maxxxine, but I agree with you about the final act. My big problem was with the killer. Anyway, I had fun with it and I liked the references to Bette Davis.
I called the reveal about halfway in but I figured I was just being a little over the top in expectation. Then I remembered what movie I was watching lol
Lee, I finally watched Maxxxine and agree with you 💯. It was stylistically amazing with a great soundtrack. The 3rd act totally lost me. Did all that happen or was it her movie?
Does anyone know the post credits scene? My friend wasn’t feeling well and we had to leave right at the credits but everyone was still sitting down so I’m guessing there was something at the end? Maxine Minx has made it to my top three favourite movie characters but I agree something about Maxxxine felt a little empty. But in a way that’s exactly how 80s movies were! I don’t even think I remember any of the side characters names and didn’t really care when they died. When Bobbi-Lynn, Jackson and crew died I was sad, this time I was like ‘oh Halsey died 🥱’ Bobby Cannavale did a fantastic job in this one too! I felt like there was a big disconnect between the more realistic characters like him and then Kevin Bacon and the dad hamming it up like crazy. I didn’t know if it wanted to be campy or noir. Also Lily Cole’s accent got the UK crowd tittering a bit 😂 absolutely awful especially as her father is English!
I just realized that I've been neglecting this video. While I see where you're coming from, I happily gave this film an 8/10, saw it three times, and had a ball each time (get it?), even if I too saw the twist coming. Heck, I knew it was going to be her father the moment the film opened with its flashback, and this was confirmed in her peepshow. That said, I like that this plays more like an ode to the violent thrillers I used to see late at night on cable, with a rocking soundtrack and plenty of threads to X and Pearl alike. Perhaps the fantasy part at the end before she kills her father was a bit cliché, but the violence and thematics of the climax made up for it, as did the pan up to the stars to show that Maxine ultimately succeeded where Pearl failed. Even if this one wasn't as graphic as X, I still had fun with every kill, especially the car crush. All up, this is definitely going to be in my top 10 this year.
I was disappointed with it..i was so looking forward to it! I think the father being the killer was silly and the ending was so rushed! Love Mia Goth though,and X is the best movie in my opinion. Great review Lee 😊
For me, I was kinda wanting like "Once Upon A Time In Hollywood" ending with "Maxxxine". I think the way they center it around the night stalker, I would've loved it more!!!
I went in completely blind, I thought that's what they were working toward. I was really disappointed, and flat out insulted by the cult reveal, so I left.
I wanted more from this movie. I wish this movie was 2hour and 30 mins. I was vibing but there is just something missing about the movie that i couldnt point out
I agree Lee, Giancarlo Esposito is a phenomenal actor in anything he’s in, funny enough, I just saw him last week, in The Boys Season 4, when Butcher and Mother’s Milk break his character Stan Edgar out of prison to help them with a particular problem, and I won’t say what that problem is in case people haven’t been keeping up with season 4, but if they have they know what problem I’m speaking of. I still have yet to watch episode 6 of this season that dropped yesterday, I definitely need to soon, I might do that tomorrow night honestly
I think they took the safe route with the plot. I knew her dad was the killer, but I thought there would be a twist. And that the Night Stalker would be involved in the killings.
Maxxxine was my most highly anticipated movie of 2024 as well. I watched it yesterday and throughly enjoyed it but I had some of the same issues as you with this movie. I have watched 21 new movie releases this year and this is in my top five favorite movies of 2024 thus far along with Dune 2, Bad Boys 4 Ride or Die, Horizon: An American Saga Chapter 1 and A Quiet Place Day One. It’s my favorite of the trilogy but I think Pearl is the best of the trilogy mainly because of Mia Goth’s stellar performance in that movie. This was another good movie review Lee. ❤❤❤❤
It sort of disappointed me the fact that Maxine became a pseudo-criminal in this one. Of course she was stalked and still suffered from PTSD from the previous film but most of her fellonies were unnecesary. I appreciated the nods to Michael Mann, Lucio Fulci, Dario Argento and even Brian DePalma, but it came pretty unbalanced at the end with so many tropes and wasted potential.
Agreed 100%. I liked the film a lot until the killer reveal. It disappointed me and got into 'jump the shark' type territory with that. I do agree with you though that it WAS at least set up sort of in the previous installments, so I guess I can't harp on it too much. I'd just have preferred something else. Despite all of that, I still enjoyed the film a lot. The killer reveal and the way he acted gave me '90s Heaven's Gate cult vibes more so that some kind of Christian fundamentalist extremism. Oh, and I knew Bette Davis Eyes was going to be featured at some point the second the film started with a Bette Davis quote 😂😂...
Agree on the issues with the weaker aspects of the film, for sure. My overall takeaway is very positive after having a few days to consider my thoughts after hyping it up so much for so long in my head. I'm going to see it again just to enjoy it more without so many expectations. Would still say that Late Night with the Devil and The First Omen are my top two horrors so far this year, with Abigail and MaXXXine in close proximity.
It felt like there were 3 or 4 movies that got mixed together. Some parts worked and were interesting, but some parts just made the movie overly convoluted and took away focus from the good bits. Ti: Do you want a strawberry milkshake? Me: Yes, I love strawberry ice cream. Ti: I'm going to add some bananas too. Me: That's even better. Ti: Now we'll throw in some aged salami. Me: Well... I do really enjoy salami but maybe not in a milkshake. Ti: And lastly, we sprinkle in black licorice. Me: Nooooo.
Ti West is a director that wants to do something different every film. I love House of the Devil and Pearl, but I love the Sacrament. That’s my favorite film from Ti West
It was an odd choice to have Maxine be almost entirely mute in the third act. Overall she becomes a sort of sleepy bystander in the latter half of the movie.
I fully agree. I seen it today and while I liked it, overall found it pretty underwhelming and not the vibe I was expecting at all. I loved the opening and the alley way scene. Everything after that kind of went downhill or below my expectations.
When I first saw X I had a feeling tha the father was going to be prominent if they ever made a sequel. When the trailers for Maxxxine dropped I told my girlfriend I bet you a buck its going to bethe dad. I sawthe film yesterday and In the first 2 minutes I felt secure in my thoughts that yes it was going to be the dad. Aside from that I enjoyed the film immensely. The film was funny and dark. Kevin Bacon was very good. So overall Im glad there was a conclusion to the series. The last few minutes could gave been stronger.
I just don't understand the frequent mentioning of the night stalker for absolutely nothing. And the ending I didn't feel any tension or fear from any of the cult. Plus Maxine taking nobody out in the end, not even her own father was disappointing. The detective did most of the work shooting him. Movie just went nowhere in between either. The aesthetic was the best part, but that's not enough for me to give it much praise.
It was ok to me. It looked good, on par with the previous films. I was just expecting a bit more of a sinister portrayal of the killer. The intro definitely set it up that way. Pearl is still at the top spot for me
My ranking: Pearl X Maxxxine Killer was a let down. Even though it was set in the 80's, it really didn't feel like an 80's style movie. The other 2 movies felt like their specific time periods Would've been interesting if the killer was related to Pearl and her husband and vowed to get revenge against Maxxxine bringing everything to a head
great recap. loved X and Pearl and had high expectations for Maxxxine. Yes, didn't fear for her at all - that helps explains some of my lack of enthusiasm. And a shootout? so disappointingly lazy.
I figured it out. The reason Maxxxine doesn’t hit right is because it isn’t as confined & intimate of a film. It’s too big, too many moving parts. The writing isn’t strong enough to support such a big playing field.
So i saw maxxxine today and with a chill theater with all seats filled, anyway thats beside the point, im with you Lee my level of expectations and being my most anticipated movie it didnt reach it BUT i still had a blast with it, i felt the last 15 minutes with the "killer reveal" was a bit lackluster and anticlimactic, i say that because it was too obvious. The gore is good when its there, maxine as a character is fun to watch and seeing her journey acheive fame by the end was satisfying. Wish they kind of delved deep with her ptsd from X but i think they did well enough, will buy this on blu ray when it comes out, finally a trilogy of horror without a single bad movie. My rankings: 1. Pearl 2. X 3. Maxxxine
I agree with most of what you said. It starts of really strong, but I think this movie felt a little too much like a Hollywood production compared to the other ones and the final twist/reveal is terrible. The whole cult thing reminded me of Halloween 6. I also think some of the characters are a bit too cartoonish.
@@Trill_Tour I was wondering if Maxines encounters with pearl had an impact on her psychological state and if it at all played a factor in this film. Maybe some influences, I kinda felt like they were heading in that direction
@@profileone5655You see a scene where she freaks out while having her head covered in plaster and gets flashbacks to X with Pearl touching her. And she imagines that Pearl is in the room touching her. The makeup artist is played by Sophie Thatcher.
X is the strongest entry to this series. There was some great moments. The ball trauma and bacon's death were highlights but the reveal of the killer was too obvious. It just felt way too uneven as a whole
You found out the preacher was her father at the end of X.......lmao This movie was an ode to Giallo, which is known for being a genre full of style over substance films. They nailed in my opinion, and this was the second best film in the franchise.
I watched this trilogy in less than 24 hours, so I have to go back and watch your reviews, again. I agree with everything you’re saying. It’s my least favorite of the 3, but I don’t think it’s “bad.” It’s just a lost opportunity.
The scene of Maxine stomping on the guys testicles was a crowd-pleaser, but it hurt the story structure, because it made Maxine look scarier than anybody in the movie, including the masked killer.
I think one way they could have resolved the problem, in a way that would make Maxine tough but also vulnerable, would have been to lean into more of the implications that Maxine is suffering from PTSD. Ti West had a great visual language for depicting the PTSD, by putting flashbacks on grainy 1970s-style film stock, but he could have easily done more.
I actually liked that. It makes her stand out from other female protagonists even more
That scene occuring so early in the film made the film disappointing for me because I expected more of the same and nothing even came close.
Facts
I loved the nut stomp. Great scene.
Pearl is still the best one
Easily
Agreed
💯 agree!!! Obsessed with that film - especially Goth’s performance
X
By a mile. Pearl is brilliant, X is good and Maxxxine is alright
It was obvious going in who the killer was if you closely watched X and figured what's the most Hollywood thing this sequel could do
Yeah gotta agree
Anyone who didn't watch X could spot the killer in the opening scene of Maxxxine. I was stunned at how obvious the killer was right off the bat.
Pearl had that amazing 10 mn dialogue scene with maybe 2 cuts.And that tracking shot with the Axe was epic.NUFF Said.
That scene was amazing.
I really disliked the killer "reveal", it was so predictable which is fine and you can make it interesting but once you involve the cult it was just ridiculous. What really made me upset was the fact that Maxine doesn't save Molly and that, to me, minimizes her story in the film of her kinda having survivors guilt and being selfish, not wanting to help others, it would've brought her story full circle. There isn't much character development for her and she gets what she wants, which is great, that's what we wanted for her but it doesn't feel meaningful or deserved. It feels like they didn't really know what to do with the story, doesn't mean it doesn't have it's moments but pretty weak compared to the last two
Completely agree with this.
I mean to me, she was pretty selfish and an asshole in the first movie, so i'm not surprised she didn't bother to care about others except for herself and her success
@@vladutfrasincar6262 Didn't she go inside the house to save Jenna's character in the first movie?
@@xcedtrickx Correct me if i'm wrong, but I don't think she knew Jenna's character was in there when she entered the house
@vladutfrasincar6262 Didn't she hear her scream? I don't remember honestly.
It just was a very inconsistent experience, real moments of brilliance but felt like it was afraid to fully commit. The final act just did not work for me.
Felt too safe tbh
That’s what the first movie was for me, and Pearl was just bad.
I can understand people liking Pearl, because of the style and weirdness, but I just didn’t think he pulled off what he was trying to get across, very well.
@@CorbCorbin agree his scripts can always use a bit of revision before they are put on film.
Agreed. I was actually enjoying everything until the last act. That’s where it just completely fell apart. I was almost expecting another 20 minutes and then it just wrapped up and I was head scratching, not in a good way.
Mannnn. After that beautiful shot in the dark hallway with the red neon sign as the killer is walking towards it, then seeing him clad in all black with the focus on his gloves while watching the peep show I was just thinking "oh fuck yeah, we're getting a Giallo!" Then when that didn't materialize, we got the Bacon stuff which was fun and bordering on campy which I rolled with. But the killer reveal and the outdoor scene kind of killed the vibe for me. I still liked it, a solid 7/10. As others have mentioned I think Ti needed to just choose a consistent tone which I feel like Ti accomplished in both X and Pearl. I do feel like he nailed the seedy atmosphere of LA in '85 which I feel a lot of films with much higher budgets fall to fully immerse you in. That and Goth's performance were probably the highlights.
All of this.
I completely agree with everything you said. This one just didn’t have the magic like the first one did, so much was going on at once and the third act just seemed so rushed. I didn’t hate this either but I had very high expectations for this and when it was over, I was like wait that’s it? As soon as I saw the trailers, I immediately knew it was gonna be her Dad.
The killer reveal was absolutely ridiculous. It turned the killer from someone with a personal vendetta to a complete clown show. It lessens the impact of the rest of the movie
Made perfect sense to me based upon her past and that it reflected the time period and the horror movie that she was making. All about art imitating life and vice versa. At least that’s my take.
@@explodingheadshorrormoviepod Making sense isn't the same as being good
@@Trill_Tour that may be true. To me though, not making sense equals bad so I kind of try to stay consistent in my views. But I do appreciate what they did here.
That was my exact same reaction, the reveal was just a letdown for me and it’s so looney tunes all of a sudden..
Still I had a blast with the film but there’s no doubt in my mind that Maxxxine is the weakest in the trilogy.
Agreed. Everything that happened in the film amounted to nothing. Classic final act letdown and I enjoyed the other two films. It starts strong and just goes completely down hill from there when it’s all said and done.
Thanks for the review; to me, the worst is when a movie just doesn’t live up to the high expectations you had for it! Hopefully, you will eventually love it more and at some point make a video ranking the trilogy.
Exactly.
Ranking is Pearl, X and then Maxxxine in last place
I’m right with you on this one, Lee. Ty West was kind of throwing everything in there including the kitchen sink! Ramirez, Satanic panic, a film director trying to make her mark in the industry, an actress willing to do anything to become a star, a clownish PI, and a pissed off, mentally unstable dad! I also agree with the fact that it should have been darker, like Seven. I also expected a more badass Maxine! She had two awesome moments; but we needed more! The third act reveal took me right out of it for a few moments; but I guess it did make sense that he came looking for her. I truly thought , though, that the dad and PI in particular were cartoonish. Holy cow, did Kevin Bacon ever chew the scenery!
One last thing, did you catch the Easter eggs ?!? I don’t mean the obvious references to X, I mean the subtle visual nods in a couple of scenes! You know, I still had fun, though!
Completely agree. This movie needed to pick a lane. Too many flavors at once. Yes there were some nice Easter eggs for sure.
Giancarlo being the most dangerous man in even this movie really says something about his presence.
you should see him in do the right thing, he's the reason sal's pizza burned to the ground.
I just watched this movie for the first time yesterday. I had seen both X and Pearl prior, but it had been about a year since I’ve seen either. My expectations going in were somewhere in the middle. I think I’m in the same boat as you as far as the beginning and middle of the movie being pretty solid and keeping me interested. I was at about a 7/10 for this movie going into the final act. I was hoping it would push the movie to an 8/10. However, the final act didn’t bring it home for me. I was all excited for this great killer reveal. I’ll be honest with you, when they revealed the killer, I was like who is that. It actually took me a few minutes to make the connection of it being Maxine’s father. I think you nailed it perfectly when you said it was “cartoonish.” I just didn’t really like the killer’s motive or the way the character went about things once he was revealed. I also didn’t like Kevin Bacon’s character. He just felt really annoying to me. Decent movie until the final act. I was hoping somebody from X that we thought died was going to be the killer or a relative of Pearl. I just didn’t feel satisfied with the way this series wrapped up.
I really liked the film. I lived in Los Angeles back in 1985 and the movie got that vibe correct.
That’s awesome!
Yeah I’d say the move has some good and a few bad. And one of the great things is that it got the 80s very well. Enjoyed that a lot along with the music
I don't know why she's running from Bacon other than to make use of the Bates Motel location. And yeah I thought using coke was supposed to make her more maniac and erupt quicker to violence
Considering not long before this scene she beat the crap out of him with her keys, I don’t think she would’ve run from him outside of yeah the obvious Universal backlot usage.
And yeah I get the ‘80s was the era of cocaine/War on Drugs, but it didn’t seem to do anything to Maxine outside of being nose candy and she’s obviously an addict at this point. But huge missed opportunity
Giancarlo Esposito is in a ton of movies, dating all the way back to the 80s. I mostly remember him from School Daze. If you haven't seen that, check it out, it was Spike Lee's second film and had an all-star cast, including Laurence Fishburne. I did some extra work years ago on Homicide, and was in a scene right next to Giancarlo haha! Ahh memories......🎬
He’s a legend!
I didn’t realize it but he was also in Maximum Overdrive as well
Late Night With The Devil is still my top film of 2024!
Mine too 😊
Civil war and kinds of kindness are mine
But I cannot wait for longlegs!
@@Johnnylikeshorror mine is Furiosa, but LNwtD was excellent!
Not a big fan of that movie tbh.
@@001spring I think it just spoke to me on a different level. It gave me some Halloween III vibes as well, which made it better for me.
I didn't have a problem with the reveal so much as how it got there. MaXXXine was style over substance like a mf.
Hi Lee! I enjoyed this movie but couldnt quite figure out what the things were that held it back for me and it turns out its the same stuff you mentioned! The dangerousness and kills I felt werent fully there but Mia Goth was amazing. I loved when Bette Davis plays in the credits, I wanted to cheer for maxine at that moment
Loved the Betty Davis reference too!
I completely agree with you this movie was not what I was expecting
It was very well made. But I wanted a horror movie and that's not what we got.
What was it then?
@@gatheringleaves a drama/suspense
I was cool with the shift in genre and tone. But the story and the writing were garbage.
Totally agree. I didn’t hate it by any means but it relied too heavy on the nostalgia. The beginning I felt started off strong and I remember saying this is going to live up to the hype. Then it just spiraled to where I kept asking myself “is something going to happen?” I remember it feeling like a long movie and it wasn’t at all.
It was presented to us that the night stalker would be a big part of the movie and he really has pretty much zero part in it. I think I would have preferred the night stalker or copy cat yo have been killing off people in the movie maxxxine is in, and she takes things into her own hands bc she’s not going to let anyone or anything stand in her way of becoming a star.
Yes your idea sounds sooooo much better.
It would have been too gruesome to show the kind of things that Ramirez did. Especially as some of the people who managed to survive are still alive.
@@pobstrelit doesn’t have to be factually accurate though, it’s just a movie. Inglorious basterds is a perfect example of using characters from history combined with events that didn’t actually occur the way they did in real life.
Besides the obvious movie references- like Giallo, there were a lot of cool movie nods- Kevin Bacon looking like Jack Nicholson in Chinatown, a couple Nightmare references- the guy on fire jumping in the pool, like Freddy pool party, the car junkyard scene like Nightmare 3.
I just came from watching it And yes even though it’s a decent movie on its own, it just didn’t feel that it had (X) vibes. The kills weren’t that gruesome It just felt too commercial like u said. The final act with the shoot out was silly. I wanted to see gruesome scenes and Mia Goth be a bad ass through the whole movie and i didn’t get that
@seaners1133 yea pretty much had one true slasher kill...the rest were kills at the end...it ended like a typical action film...no slashing at all
I agree with a lot of what you said. They could've done a lot more with the kills. I loved the car crusher scene!! She didn't even care who hired the detective...she didn't question him or had any intention of stopping it short and not killing him. I don't know if it's just the scenes from the strip but when I saw the trailer all I could think about was the film Angel. I really wish they could've come up with a better ending but really where were they going to go with it. No one else from X survived.
I think if we saw the actual deaths scenes of maxxxine’s friends it would have made the film better. Because it happens off screen it feels like we were cheated character deaths
Very much agreed.
And her male friend's death was kinda weak. And didn't fit her father's crazy narrative. He wasn't doing porn so why was he a target?
I enjoyed it, not loved it.
I was expecting more suffering and rejection towards her, just because of the Bette Davis quote at the beginning.
On things i loved; the beginning with ZZ Top and that shot of Pearl in the window of the Bates Motel.
I will definitely gonna re-watch it but, it's my least favorite of the trilogy.
Also, the killer was so obvious from the beginning.
All of this!
I was stunned at how obvious the killer was. It just got released on MAX today. Liked it but didn't love it.
love your reviews!!
I had a problem with the movie and I really wanted to like it After X and Pearl. It felt like the director didn’t know what they were doing.
Do you think Ti West might have had trouble with the MPAA, which is why you don't see how Halsey's character is killed? In addition, I wonder if the acting budget drastically reduced the budget for effects.
I honestly doubt it. There were some quick grizzly shots.
I doubt it as we see Leon’s death in pretty grisly detail and the final headshot of Maxine’s dad being executed by Maxine. I think Ti West misunderstood how gialli films worked which was gratuitous violence
I watched it tonight and left the theater feeling confused about my feelings for the film. But I may have to agree with everything you said.
I was severely disappointed in this. Liked it but man I was looking forward to an all out giallo slasher. When I heard it was a whodunnit back when they were making it I feel like it never went that route. You never felt like you had to guess who was killing who. The kills were somewhat tame and the finale being a goofy cop shoot out took me out a bit.
Yeah I would have preferred a different killer.
I was not a fan. I don’t think I’m a Ti West fan. I feel that Maxxxine underdelivered. I wanted a lot more of the 80s horror film ingredients, and I feel like this movie was an “80s horror film - light.”
I was in the high 8 range until the killer was revealed then it just got kinda dumb . Overall it’s a solid 7.5 for me not as good as the other 2 .
I have the same impression. Movie was great until that out of nowhere conclusion
Just watched it tonight, and it was good.
kind of reminded me of the movie ‘Vice squad’ and ‘Angel’ , I love those movies.. 🍿
Great review 👍🏼
Happy 4th of July 🩵
Angel is so underrated! Good call on the comparison, that’s why this feels a little familiar to that film.
I was expecting to see much more!
I pretty much agree with you good sir I expected so much because this was my most anticipated movie of the year as well and although it was good it just still fell a little short
@@vanderhoff66fu Yep. Damn. I’m happy with what we got, but disappointed with what could have been.
Giancarlo Espisito plays the thief in Maximum Overdrive who's in the video arcade LOL
Wow!
Great Review! Plan on ever doing a review on Long legs?
@@BillyMontgomery-z9q Oh for sure.
Completely agree with you. I'm still "unsure" that I liked it more than I initially did. Loved the setting, music, references, etc. But, yeah, could've gone a bit further. She should have been more confident and in control as she was at times. The kills off screen, meh. Maybe we'll see that in a director's cut?? Probably not.
Really hoping for a director’s cut.
What I hate most is that I predicted how the ending would play out long before they started filming this movie. Fingers crossed for LongLegs next week which I've heard nothing but great things about.
I can’t wait.
thank you for your review lee ! i really want to see your review of the crow he he :)
I actually watched this as I wanted to hear what you were meaning about not being a huge fan of the final act, I haven’t seen this yet and I might not until it hits showtime like the other two have and then I will watch the entire trilogy of which I have only seen X once and really enjoyed it.
Plus slasher movies like this especially ones I’m not super invested in of which there aren’t many but, this series is one of them honestly and I must say even seeing X once when you mentioned the father being the killer at the end of this movie wasn’t a huge surprise or spoiler for me because, much like you stated, story wise it makes sense for it to be the father who was the killer, weirdly enough, I’m actually more interested in checking this out now that I know a bit of spoilers than I was without because, with just your non spoiler review I was kind of like “meh….I’ll check it out eventually.”
However, this spoiler review kind of grabbed me a bit more and made me want to see it more which usually spoilers just piss me off and make me not want to give the movie money anymore but this is the opposite in a weird way
Yeah check it out for yourself Jordan.
It’s not a movie mystery it’s not a slasher film it’s a endcap to a great trilogy that each film had its own genre. The beginning of pearl when she goes to a pharmacy you see a man on the street with a sign on his back saying “we will not accept a life we do not deserve”… and also in x he’s very prominent in the beginning end and on the television in pearls house. The ties from each movie is amazing and gets better on rewatches
Yup the reveal is where it fell off for me. I was rolling my eyes HARD. Before that I was so having so much fun ☹️. Didn’t ruin my overall experience of it TOO much but wish it went another direction.
Absolutely love Maxine as a horror icon! Still a solid trilogy I will be revisiting often I think. ❤
0:36 I’m only at the beginning of the video and I just got done seeing it in theaters… it wasn’t a terrible movie. It was good. However, the ending was a little bit expected and because of how they set up the movie X and the movie Pearl, it made me feel very hyped up to see this movie and I feel like it didn’t fulfill what it was intended to do.. unless there is a fourth movie or even if there isn’t, the story is good at its conclusion however, I felt that everything was rushed at the end
6:31 I am so happy that you have the opinion I didn’t hate the movie, not at all, but it felt like I was let down based on the first two movies that had previously come out before it. if there’s a fourth movie, I’ll be happy and I will be willing to see it how to put it“millennial “terms or younger terms it didn’t have the same “ vibe” as the other movies did
I loved the movie up until she got to the house. It was just a jarring tonal shift that was not consistent at all with the trilogy as a whole. It turned into a scream movie in the last 20 minutes. The Scream franchise is my favorite horror franchise but thats not what i wanted in the final act of this trilogy. Those last 20 minutes dropped the movie 2 whole points for me. 6/10
It was very....alright.
Overall, I liked Maxxxine, but I agree with you about the final act. My big problem was with the killer. Anyway, I had fun with it and I liked the references to Bette Davis.
I called the reveal about halfway in but I figured I was just being a little over the top in expectation. Then I remembered what movie I was watching lol
Lee, I finally watched Maxxxine and agree with you 💯. It was stylistically amazing with a great soundtrack. The 3rd act totally lost me. Did all that happen or was it her movie?
Does anyone know the post credits scene? My friend wasn’t feeling well and we had to leave right at the credits but everyone was still sitting down so I’m guessing there was something at the end? Maxine Minx has made it to my top three favourite movie characters but I agree something about Maxxxine felt a little empty. But in a way that’s exactly how 80s movies were! I don’t even think I remember any of the side characters names and didn’t really care when they died. When Bobbi-Lynn, Jackson and crew died I was sad, this time I was like ‘oh Halsey died 🥱’ Bobby Cannavale did a fantastic job in this one too! I felt like there was a big disconnect between the more realistic characters like him and then Kevin Bacon and the dad hamming it up like crazy. I didn’t know if it wanted to be campy or noir. Also Lily Cole’s accent got the UK crowd tittering a bit 😂 absolutely awful especially as her father is English!
At the end of the credits it just says “Be Kind Rewind”
Not worth staying for in my opinion.
@@Joseph-og7yg thank you! ☺️
@@Joseph-og7yg brooo what?? This movie is like nonstop disappointment
I just realized that I've been neglecting this video. While I see where you're coming from, I happily gave this film an 8/10, saw it three times, and had a ball each time (get it?), even if I too saw the twist coming. Heck, I knew it was going to be her father the moment the film opened with its flashback, and this was confirmed in her peepshow. That said, I like that this plays more like an ode to the violent thrillers I used to see late at night on cable, with a rocking soundtrack and plenty of threads to X and Pearl alike. Perhaps the fantasy part at the end before she kills her father was a bit cliché, but the violence and thematics of the climax made up for it, as did the pan up to the stars to show that Maxine ultimately succeeded where Pearl failed. Even if this one wasn't as graphic as X, I still had fun with every kill, especially the car crush. All up, this is definitely going to be in my top 10 this year.
I'm looking forward to watching it again.
I was disappointed with it..i was so looking forward to it! I think the father being the killer was silly and the ending was so rushed! Love Mia Goth though,and X is the best movie in my opinion. Great review Lee 😊
For me, I was kinda wanting like "Once Upon A Time In Hollywood" ending with "Maxxxine". I think the way they center it around the night stalker, I would've loved it more!!!
I went in completely blind, I thought that's what they were working toward. I was really disappointed, and flat out insulted by the cult reveal, so I left.
Awesome video Drumdums hope you're well my awesome friend . yeah I like the first two films better .
Summed up perfectly how I felt.
I wanted more from this movie. I wish this movie was 2hour and 30 mins. I was vibing but there is just something missing about the movie that i couldnt point out
I agree Lee, Giancarlo Esposito is a phenomenal actor in anything he’s in, funny enough, I just saw him last week, in The Boys Season 4, when Butcher and Mother’s Milk break his character Stan Edgar out of prison to help them with a particular problem, and I won’t say what that problem is in case people haven’t been keeping up with season 4, but if they have they know what problem I’m speaking of.
I still have yet to watch episode 6 of this season that dropped yesterday, I definitely need to soon, I might do that tomorrow night honestly
Yes I watched The latest episode the other. God I love The Boys.
I think they took the safe route with the plot. I knew her dad was the killer, but I thought there would be a twist. And that the Night Stalker would be involved in the killings.
Maxxxine was my most highly anticipated movie of 2024 as well. I watched it yesterday and throughly enjoyed it but I had some of the same issues as you with this movie. I have watched 21 new movie releases this year and this is in my top five favorite movies of 2024 thus far along with Dune 2, Bad Boys 4 Ride or Die, Horizon: An American Saga Chapter 1 and A Quiet Place Day One. It’s my favorite of the trilogy but I think Pearl is the best of the trilogy mainly because of Mia Goth’s stellar performance in that movie. This was another good movie review Lee. ❤❤❤❤
Only problem I had with the movie was the license plate. Theres only 7 spaces on a license plate.
It sort of disappointed me the fact that Maxine became a pseudo-criminal in this one. Of course she was stalked and still suffered from PTSD from the previous film but most of her fellonies were unnecesary. I appreciated the nods to Michael Mann, Lucio Fulci, Dario Argento and even Brian DePalma, but it came pretty unbalanced at the end with so many tropes and wasted potential.
Agreed 100%. I liked the film a lot until the killer reveal. It disappointed me and got into 'jump the shark' type territory with that. I do agree with you though that it WAS at least set up sort of in the previous installments, so I guess I can't harp on it too much. I'd just have preferred something else. Despite all of that, I still enjoyed the film a lot. The killer reveal and the way he acted gave me '90s Heaven's Gate cult vibes more so that some kind of Christian fundamentalist extremism. Oh, and I knew Bette Davis Eyes was going to be featured at some point the second the film started with a Bette Davis quote 😂😂...
Maxxxine is easily my personal favorite of the trilogy. Absolutely loved the Giallo elements.
The first omen is definitely a day one purchase on blu ray absolutely right about that
Agree on the issues with the weaker aspects of the film, for sure. My overall takeaway is very positive after having a few days to consider my thoughts after hyping it up so much for so long in my head. I'm going to see it again just to enjoy it more without so many expectations.
Would still say that Late Night with the Devil and The First Omen are my top two horrors so far this year, with Abigail and MaXXXine in close proximity.
I’m definitely seeing it again too.
I feel exactly the same way about this movie. I liked it but I was hoping it was going in another direction.
It felt like there were 3 or 4 movies that got mixed together. Some parts worked and were interesting, but some parts just made the movie overly convoluted and took away focus from the good bits.
Ti: Do you want a strawberry milkshake?
Me: Yes, I love strawberry ice cream.
Ti: I'm going to add some bananas too.
Me: That's even better.
Ti: Now we'll throw in some aged salami.
Me: Well... I do really enjoy salami but maybe not in a milkshake.
Ti: And lastly, we sprinkle in black licorice.
Me: Nooooo.
Ti West is a director that wants to do something different every film. I love House of the Devil and Pearl, but I love the Sacrament. That’s my favorite film from Ti West
Awesome!
Can someone tell me if Lily Collins' character died?
She does.
I still can’t wait for longlegs next weekend so I’m staying away from everything
It was an odd choice to have Maxine be almost entirely mute in the third act. Overall she becomes a sort of sleepy bystander in the latter half of the movie.
MaXXXine> Halloween Ends...
I love the Giallo feel to the movie . I wish we would have seen more.
Nice Review
Mr. Lee
I fully agree. I seen it today and while I liked it, overall found it pretty underwhelming and not the vibe I was expecting at all.
I loved the opening and the alley way scene. Everything after that kind of went downhill or below my expectations.
Couldn’t agree more Amanda!
What kind of cereal was killed?
When I first saw X I had a feeling tha the father was going to be prominent if they ever made a sequel. When the trailers for Maxxxine dropped I told my girlfriend I bet you a buck its going to bethe dad. I sawthe film yesterday and In the first 2 minutes I felt secure in my thoughts that yes it was going to be the dad.
Aside from that I enjoyed the film immensely. The film was funny and dark. Kevin Bacon was very good. So overall Im glad there was a conclusion to the series. The last few minutes could gave been stronger.
Awesome! So glad you enjoyed it
So was it In A Violent Nature?
I just don't understand the frequent mentioning of the night stalker for absolutely nothing. And the ending I didn't feel any tension or fear from any of the cult. Plus Maxine taking nobody out in the end, not even her own father was disappointing. The detective did most of the work shooting him. Movie just went nowhere in between either. The aesthetic was the best part, but that's not enough for me to give it much praise.
Yeah it was weird for the Nightstalker to not somehow have a connection.
Great review! I liked X but I didn't love it like most everybody else. I did enjoy Pearl more. I will be watching this movie as soon as I can.
It was ok to me. It looked good, on par with the previous films. I was just expecting a bit more of a sinister portrayal of the killer. The intro definitely set it up that way. Pearl is still at the top spot for me
This is one of the best trilogies in awhile tho
My ranking:
Pearl
X
Maxxxine
Killer was a let down.
Even though it was set in the 80's, it really didn't feel like an 80's style movie.
The other 2 movies felt like their specific time periods
Would've been interesting if the killer was related to Pearl and her husband and vowed to get revenge against Maxxxine bringing everything to a head
I agree about the killer.
Sin City review. Please 😎🎬📽
Mia Goth Is what makes the trilogy as a whole! In my eyes
great recap. loved X and Pearl and had high expectations for Maxxxine. Yes, didn't fear for her at all - that helps explains some of my lack of enthusiasm. And a shootout? so disappointingly lazy.
I know right? All the cult members was packing heat and shooting at two cops. It was absurd.
I figured it out. The reason Maxxxine doesn’t hit right is because it isn’t as confined & intimate of a film. It’s too big, too many moving parts. The writing isn’t strong enough to support such a big playing field.
So i saw maxxxine today and with a chill theater with all seats filled, anyway thats beside the point, im with you Lee my level of expectations and being my most anticipated movie it didnt reach it BUT i still had a blast with it, i felt the last 15 minutes with the "killer reveal" was a bit lackluster and anticlimactic, i say that because it was too obvious. The gore is good when its there, maxine as a character is fun to watch and seeing her journey acheive fame by the end was satisfying. Wish they kind of delved deep with her ptsd from X but i think they did well enough, will buy this on blu ray when it comes out, finally a trilogy of horror without a single bad movie. My rankings:
1. Pearl
2. X
3. Maxxxine
Most of what I'm seeing is pretty much what you're saying. A lot of fans are disappointed.
Did Maxine's friend tabby die
Love this movie one of my faves
Nice!
Saw it last night and still not sure what I think of it.
I agree with most of what you said. It starts of really strong, but I think this movie felt a little too much like a Hollywood production compared to the other ones and the final twist/reveal is terrible. The whole cult thing reminded me of Halloween 6. I also think some of the characters are a bit too cartoonish.
Does pearl at all play into this film?
@@profileone5655 Pearl the movie? Nope. Pearl the character? Literally just a few quick flashbacks from X
@@Trill_Tour I was wondering if Maxines encounters with pearl had an impact on her psychological state and if it at all played a factor in this film. Maybe some influences, I kinda felt like they were heading in that direction
@@profileone5655 The big theme is that Maxine has survivor's guilt and we do see her plagues by visions of Pearl but it doesn't go that deep
@@Trill_Tour yeah that’s kinda what I got from this review. Alright well I’ll still check the film out. Thanks for the responses
@@profileone5655You see a scene where she freaks out while having her head covered in plaster and gets flashbacks to X with Pearl touching her. And she imagines that Pearl is in the room touching her. The makeup artist is played by Sophie Thatcher.
X is the strongest entry to this series. There was some great moments. The ball trauma and bacon's death were highlights but the reveal of the killer was too obvious. It just felt way too uneven as a whole
I love X and Pearl. We saw this one tonight and I was disappointed. I knew the killer was her father from his first scene.
You found out the preacher was her father at the end of X.......lmao
This movie was an ode to Giallo, which is known for being a genre full of style over substance films. They nailed in my opinion, and this was the second best film in the franchise.
I’m a giallo nut. I loved that it was an homage.
I watched this trilogy in less than 24 hours, so I have to go back and watch your reviews, again. I agree with everything you’re saying. It’s my least favorite of the 3, but I don’t think it’s “bad.” It’s just a lost opportunity.
@@lianabevyrage yes it could have been so much more. I recently gave it a fresh watch and did have more fun with it, so definitely do the same Liana.
Finally, the spoilers!