Maxxxine Wastes Its “The Night Stalker” Premise
I think it’s fair to say Ti West and Mia Goth have officially solidified their spots as horror icons… but that’s what made Maxxxine all the more disappointing. The third film in the trilogy takes place in 1980s Hollywood, a climate that could’ve made for a badass premise as far as a possible re-write of historic events utilizing “The Night Stalker,” much in the likes of Once Upon a Time In Hollywood. But, West took the film in a much bumpier, confusing, and anticlimactic direction.
Usually, I’d say the 1980s has become a tired setting in film and TV. But I was excited that West was going to intentionally and carefully use the timeframe of the 80s to his advantage — playing on real, historic figures and twisting them into the history we all wish would’ve happened. Being that “The Night Stalker” is one of the most prolific serial killers of our time, it was a missed opportunity to not have him and Maxine Minx ultimately battle it out and have her win, which would be a true testament to how far that character is willing to go all the while congealing her unhinged and crazed personality. What could have been the iconic Maxine going against one of the most infamous serial killers in modern history ultimately wound up feeling like a cheap reference. Nonetheless, the fictionalized “Night Stalker” felt like a stutter-step for West, as though he was holding back what he truly wanted to convey in this film.
It was also disheartening to see that West had fallen victim to Hollywood’s ruse of employing big names such as singer Halsey and Lily Collins in their promos, only for said big names to have not even two minutes of screen time. It took away from the gritty, indie feel Pearl and X encapsulated so well as their respective names and talent didn’t necessarily serve their characters in the film. With that being said, the cast absolutely crushed it. Goth portrays a disturbed woman almost too well, while putting her own, deranged twist on the character. Given Goth’s preceding character, Pearl has notorious and iconic lines in West’s second film in the trilogy, I wish Maxxxine had the same effect. None of the dialogue stuck out to me or felt all that important in the end. The character of Maxine could’ve been a classic horror character for years to come, but she ended up being just that — a character who had potential. All in all, the script didn’t lend itself to giving us more of the character we so badly wanted to become close with.
They say all bad things occur in threes, and this film proved that superstition correct. With two innovative and raw precursors, the finale to West’s trilogy was far too safe. X and Pearl deservedly gained the needed momentum and traction to make a killer anticipated third installment, but it didn’t stick the landing. West’s latest outing may have been too big for it’s own good.
Maxxxine is out in theaters now.
