Summary
The third and final entry in Ti West’sXtrilogy,MaXXXine, finally hit theaters, but the movie’s Rotten Tomatoes score hints that its predecessors are better. Since 2022, theXtrilogy has been a well-lauded and highly anticipated horror film series. Scream queenMia Goth leads the films as Maxine Minx (and Pearl), meanwhile, Ti West writes, directs, and produces the movies. Previously, Ti West has worked on horror projects likeThe House of the Devil, The Innkeepers,andThe Sacrament.Considering the success of the otherXfilms,MaXXXineseemed like an automatic hit, yet that isn’t the case.
After being released in July 2024,MaXXXinehas garnered a 75% critics' score on Rotten Tomatoes, along with an 81% audience score. At first glance, this is a strong set of scores.MaXXXinehas plenty of good reviews. Critics have calledMaXXXinea solid finale toTi West’s horror movieseries, with yet another outstanding performance from Mia Goth, and a sleazy 1980s atmosphere that is easy to get sucked into. Unfortunately, though,these good reviews are not the only ones filling upMaXXXine’sRotten Tomatoes page.
MaXXXine Ending Explained
The ending of MaXXXine serves as a fitting if quietly ambiguous finale to the X trilogy, even while leaving room open for further sequel expansion.
How MaXXXine’s Rotten Tomatoes Score Compares To X & Pearl
MaXXXine Is 20% Lower Than X & Pearl
On its own,MaXXXine’s75% Rotten Tomatoes score seems good, but when compared to the previous two movies in theXtrilogy, it leaves a much different taste. WhereMaXXXineearned a 75% critics' score,Xhas a 94% andPearlhas a 92%. Ultimately, this is a 20% difference between the first two films and the finale. Clearly,MaXXXinefell flat somewhere, losing part of what made its predecessors so good.By no means isMaXXXinea bad movie, but it definitely has room for improvement. It failed where its forebears did not.
MaXXXinenegatively affects theXtrilogy, but it still upholds the general standards of quality and entertainment that the film series previously set.
On the bright side,MaXXXineisn’t all bad in comparison to its siblings. AlthoughXcompletely outdoesMaXXXinein terms of critics' scores,MaXXXine’saudience score is 81%, whereX’sis only a 76%.Pearl’sis the highest with an 82%. Furthermore,MaXXXine’sRotten Tomatoes scoremay have had a significant drop, but it is still considered Certified Fresh by the review site. In this way,MaXXXinenegatively affects theXtrilogy, but it still upholds the general standards of quality and entertainment that the film series previously set.
Why MaXXXine’s Rotten Tomatoes Score Is Lower Than X & Pearl
MaXXXine’s Plot Wasn’t As Gripping
Based onMaXXXine’sRotten Tomatoes score, the movie clearly went wrong somewhere. According toRotten Tomatoes, the film’s problems lay in its plot. Though Ti West built a steamy L.A. ambiance,viewers felt thatMaXXXine’sstory was not as interestingas the plots of the previousXmovies. On top of that,MaXXXine’scast of charactersand the film’s story felt more shallow and undeveloped.XandPearldid not suffer from these problems.
Mia Goth’s next project is Guillermo Del Toro’sFrankenstein.She is slated to play The Bride.
Overall, opinions onMaXXXinemay be a narrow split. Where some felt that the movie was a worthwhile ending to the film franchise, others were left feeling disappointed, and worse, not scared. Perhaps with time, audiences will be able to see the entire trilogy a bit more clearly, however for now,MaXXXineremains the worst-reviewed film of theXhorror trilogy.
MaXXXine
Cast
In 1980s Hollywood, adult film star and aspiring actress Maxine Minx lands her big break, but her rise to stardom is jeopardized by a mysterious killer targeting starlets. As the body count rises, secrets from Maxine’s past threaten to surface, intertwining her quest for fame with a deadly game of survival.
