Maxxxine (2024): The Price of Stardom Is Far Too High

Lights! Camera! Chaos! If there's one thing we know about Hollywood, it's that the stars shine brightest when they're burning up. But in Ti West's latest masterpiece, Maxxxine, the price of fame is more than a dazzling smile and a red carpet walk - it's your soul.

Maxxxine (2024) Movie Poster

Hollywood is full of glitz, glamour, and promises of endless fame, but Maxxxine—the latest collaboration between Ti West, A24, and the hauntingly talented Mia Goth—reminds us that for every glittering star, there’s a darkness lurking beneath the surface. If you’ve been following Ti West’s X trilogy, you know things never come easy for his characters, and Maxxxine is no exception. But this time, the price of fame is the real horror, and it’s more terrifying than anything you could imagine.

I’ll be honest—I had high expectations going into this one, and trust me, Maxxxine does not disappoint. From the moment the neon lights of 1980s Hollywood hit the screen, you can practically smell the excess, the beauty, and the danger all in the air. But beneath the sequins and slick camera work is a stark reminder: chasing stardom comes at a cost, and for Maxine, that cost might be more than she bargained for.

Maxine Minx - Mia Goth

Maxxxine picks up right where X left off, but this time, our girl is after something bigger—she’s on a mission to conquer Hollywood. And what better time than the 80s, when everything was about excess? The movie is a slick love letter to the era, filled with neon colours, big hair, and even bigger dreams. But the more Maxine climbs, the more we see how truly dangerous this world is. The adult film industry, which once seemed like a stepping stone to fame, turns out to be a brutal battleground, and Maxine is learning the hard way that you can’t climb the ladder of success without stepping on a few necks - literally.

As Maxine navigates the heights of fame, we see the gradual transformation of the character—what started as a girl trying to escape her past morphs into someone willing to sacrifice anything, even herself, to stay in the spotlight. It’s chilling, yet mesmerising, to watch her journey unfold.

Mia Goth

Ti West is the director behind this chilling masterpiece, and let me tell you, he’s in rare form here. If you loved X and Pearl for their slow-burn tension and horror that’s as much psychological as it is physical, you’re going to adore Maxxxine. West’s direction is spot-on, bringing the glitter of 80s Hollywood to life in a way that feels almost too real—like you could step into the screen and smell the hairspray and cigarette smoke yourself. It’s like a love letter to the glitz of the era, but with an edge that’s sharp enough to cut you.

And, of course, we can’t talk about Maxxxine without mentioning A24, the powerhouse indie studio that’s made a name for itself with films that are as thought-provoking as they are terrifying. If you know A24’s work, you know they’re all about pushing boundaries, and this film does just that. It’s not your typical slasher film—it’s a meditation on fame, self-worth, and the cost of success. And A24’s signature style is everywhere: from the eerie lighting to the unexpected moments of horror, you can feel their mark all over it.

Maxine Minx Audition

But let’s get to the real star of the show—Mia Goth. This woman has become a genre-defining force, and in Maxxxine, she shows us why she’s one of the most captivating actresses working today. She plays Maxine with a mix of fragility and raw power that will keep you on the edge of your seat the entire time. Maxine’s a woman who knows exactly what she wants, and she’ll stop at nothing to get it. Goth’s portrayal is haunting, her performance rich with subtlety—her every movement, every expression, is a piece of a puzzle that you can’t help but want to solve.

As Maxine rises to the top of the adult film world, Goth shows us the toll that success takes on her. There’s a scene, I won’t spoil it for you, but let’s just say: the way she looks into a mirror? It’s a haunting moment of self-realisation. You see this woman on the edge of her ambition, teetering between the image she’s created and the person she’s losing along the way. It’s both heartbreaking and mesmerising to watch, and Goth nails it. She doesn’t just play Maxine—she is Maxine.

Kevin Bacon as John Labat

At the heart of Maxxxine is the idea of fame as a double-edged sword, a theme that resonates through every frame of the movie. Hollywood promises everything: wealth, power, admiration. But the more you chase it, the more you lose yourself. Maxine starts off as a woman determined to escape her troubled past, but along the way, she becomes something—or someone—else entirely. The person she once was is swallowed up by the machine that is Hollywood, and as she climbs the ladder of success, she leaves behind pieces of herself, one by one.

The film is so much more than a slasher; it’s a brutal commentary on the price of fame. The 80s backdrop works beautifully here—not just as a setting, but as a symbol for the era’s obsession with image, beauty, and power. Maxine is a reflection of this culture, obsessed with perfection at any cost. And as she rises to the top, the darker side of fame reveals itself—what looks like glitter and gold is really a house of mirrors, each reflecting a version of yourself you can’t escape from.

Maxine Minx on the Red Carpet

So, what does it all mean? Is fame worth it if you lose yourself along the way? That’s the question Maxxxine asks, and it’s a question we can’t help but ponder long after the credits roll. The movie is a thrilling ride through the heart of Hollywood, showing us both its glamour and its darkness. Maxine is both a product of her time and a symbol of what happens when you push too hard for success.

The collaboration between Ti West, A24, and Mia Goth feels like destiny. Together, they’ve created something unforgettable—an homage to the 80s, a critique of fame, and a horror movie that stays with you long after you’ve left the theatre. Maxxxine isn’t just a film. It’s an experience. And trust me, darling, it’s one you’ll want to take—just be careful, because the price of admission might be more than you’re willing to pay.

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Behind the Scenes: A24's Unique Touch & Crafting a Signature Film Experience

A24’s involvement in Maxxxine is a perfect example of the studio’s approach to blending artistry with the genre. Known for its commitment to pushing the boundaries of traditional filmmaking, A24 consistently challenges conventions, and Maxxxine is no exception. The studio's imprint is unmistakable in its ability to create a film that isn’t just about horror, but about the larger, psychological impact of the genre. In this case, the film uses fame and ambition as its driving forces, all while maintaining an eerie, unsettling atmosphere. A24’s emphasis on creating films that provoke thought while simultaneously delivering visceral, emotional experiences is evident throughout Maxxxine, as it expertly blends horror with social commentary.

In terms of Maxxxine’s visual and narrative style, A24 allowed Ti West to maintain his signature pacing and mood, something not all studios would allow. West’s films are known for their slow-burn tension, and A24’s hands-off approach to the director’s style provided the freedom to explore deeper themes, such as the hollow pursuit of fame, with subtlety. This allows the film to not just shock the audience with gore, but to consistently build suspense through carefully crafted atmosphere and character-driven storytelling. A24’s understanding that silence, lingering shots, and tension are as much a part of horror as jump scares or blood allows Maxxxine to transcend the genre, becoming a psychological exploration as much as a thriller.

Moreover, A24's expertise in visual storytelling plays a crucial role in Maxxxine. The film’s striking use of colour, composition, and lighting feels intentional, creating a dreamlike, almost surreal quality that reflects the distorted reality Maxine creates for herself. The neon-infused palette, a hallmark of the 1980s aesthetic, is used not just for nostalgia’s sake but as a metaphor for the artificial, manufactured nature of Hollywood stardom. A24’s understanding of visual metaphors enables the film to critique the very industry it represents—Hollywood, where the bright lights often mask the darkness beneath. The cinematography, paired with the stylised lighting choices, becomes an extension of the characters’ internal conflict, especially Maxine's internal war between ambition and self-destruction.

Lastly, A24’s sound design deserves mention as part of its signature filmmaking process. The studio’s commitment to creating immersive audio landscapes is on full display in Maxxxine, where sound serves as an integral part of the film’s atmosphere. The film uses silence to create tension, allowing moments of quiet to heighten the audience’s anticipation. When paired with a minimalist yet haunting score, the audio design envelops the viewer in an experience that is both visceral and cerebral. It’s this attention to auditory detail that elevates Maxxxine beyond mere spectacle, turning it into a sensory experience that engages not just the eyes, but the mind as well, underscoring A24’s knack for marrying the technical and the emotional in the art of filmmaking.