Rating: 3.5/5
With X, Ti West showed us he could follow genre conventions. With Pearl, he proved that, given the right actor, he could play with genre in exciting ways. Here, with MaXXXine, he shows us Pearl was not a fluke.
Is this film more pastiche than genre? Perhaps, but that fits into the design. While the film has obvious 80s touches, like VHS noise and a synthpop soundtrack, it also invests in the small touches that would make Tarantino cream his jeans. And they aren’t just for, “Hey, this is the 80s.” They play into the plot, the characters’ development, and how Maxine sees herself.
This movie won’t be for everyone, but if you enjoyed X and Pearl, I see no reason you won’t appreciate this. Pearl is still the best film of the three, but I can’t deny the fun of watching such a lovingly made action slasher.