Today marks the start of the finale of a brilliant horror trilogy that far too few people have on their radar

Usually, Hollywood film series planned long in advanceCreative minds get together and create a plan for how the characters and the story can develop in further sequels and spin-offs – especially in an age of cinematic universes like Marvel and Co. But there are exceptions.

One of these exceptions is X. The declaration of love to the genre classic The Texas Chainsaw Massacre came to cinemas in spring 2022 and became a surprise successJust six months later, the prequel Pearl hit the cinemas and paved the way for another chapter in the X-Saga: MaXXXine, the brilliant finale.

A disturbing fever dream of Hollywood: MaXXXine is a really strong finale of the X-trilogy

After the prequel Pearl, MaXXXine is a classic sequel to the original. The story takes us to Los Angeles in 1985, where Maxine Minx (Mia Goth), the only survivor of the Texas Pornhouse Massacrepursued her acting career with great enthusiasm. But success was slow to come.

You can watch the trailer for MaXXXine here:

So far, Maxine can only point to various appearances in porn films. She is far from the big Hollywood premieres. It was only when she auditioned for the controversial horror sequel The Puritan II When she lands the lead role, her career takes off. But Los Angeles is obsessed with another sensation.

The Night Stalker is terrorizing the city. Some of Maxine’s friends have also been killed by the mysterious serial killer But she doesn’t want to cooperate with the police under any circumstances. Before Maxine knows it, she finds herself in a bloodthirsty Hollywood fever dream.

Serial killer in Hollywood: Ti West ventures into one of the most iconic horror locations in MaXXXine

MaXXXine was directed by Ti West, who had already brought the first two parts of the X-Saga to the cinema. After bowing to the slasher cinema of the 1970s in X and creating a secret Technicolor musical à la The Wizard of Oz, he now ventures into the next decade and tells a serial killer paranoia film.

West also adds a bit of Satanic Panic and the black gloves from the Giallo are not missing either. MaXXXine is rich in cinematic references and, just like its predecessors, a Film about filmmakingWhen she arrives in Hollywood, Maxine quickly realizes that this is not a dream factory.

Instead, she is chased through the sets of Western films, stumbles through the streets of a New York set and finally ends up right in front of the steps of the house where Alfred Hitchcock disturbed people back in 1960: Bates Motel. MaXXXine is not just a look back at an old, long-gone horror cinema.

As with his successes The House of the Devil and The Innkeepers, West transforms his unconditional genre love into something extremely exciting and playful that is only familiar up to a certain point. Last but not least, he has created one of the most astonishing new characters in horror cinema in Maxine.

MaXXXine runs the July 4, 2024 in German cinemas.

Even more impressions of MaXXXine: The horror finale in the detailed podcast review

Our colleagues at FILMSTARTS have already taken a close look at MaXXXine. The latest edition of the podcast Leinwandliebe is all about the conclusion of the X-trilogy.

Is MaXXXine the crowning conclusion of the X-trilogy or a tired follow-up that cannot keep up with the outstanding qualities of the two previous films? Find out in the podcast.