Despite being generally weaker than its predecessors, the conclusion to Ti West’s X Trilogy is a solid end to the decades-spanning story. While not as tongue-and-cheek or stylish as X (despite its 80’s Hollywood setting), or as heavy and cult-classicy as Pearl, it makes up for this with giallo homages and a climax focused less on ending the story on a high note and more on satisfactorily wrapping up the trilogy’s themes.

MaXXXine follows the eponymous Maxine Minx, an adult film star and aspiring actress, after moving to Hollywood and getting her first (non adult) film role, in a horror flick. However, her joy is short-lived when she finds herself and the people around her targeted by a serial killer who brands his victims with pentagrams: the Night Stalker.

Stylistically, the film pays homage to the giallo crime-thrillers of 1960s and ’70s Italian cinema, utilizing tropes in plot and cinematography from the genre that are sometimes obvious, and sometimes subtle. Giallo was a heavy influence on early slashers like Halloween, and with X itself being a slasher, there’s a satisfying feeling of coming full circle.

The pursuit of fame—and navigating its darker side—runs as a thematic through-line across the trilogy, and the events of the lackluster climax are made up for by utilizing Hollywood—the symbol of fame—as a setting that is as much a goal to be reached as it is a bloodthirsty god that demands sacrifice. Mia Goth’s Maxine is more ruthless than ever before, now fully prepared to handle anyone who threatens her. This place is where she belongs: moving between the spotlight and the grimy, violent underworld of Los Angeles. The girl who rounds out X by doing a line of coke and muttering, “Praise the fuckin’ Lord” as she drives away from a masscare remains the anti-final girl. Certainly not “virtuous,” she has pride in her adult-film work, she’s unapologetic and assertive, and does what needs to be done to not only survive, but to achieve her dream.

While the casting was on point—particularly the performances by Goth, Kevin Bacon, Elizabeth Debicki, and Giancarlo Esposito—many of these A-listers didn’t have the amount of screentime to really shine, which makes the story feel shallow. This is complicated by two more strikes against it: a plot that feels like it meanders through the first and second acts (although it does tighten up in the last act) and the reveal of the Night Stalker’s identity being predictable and bland.

The kills are, for the most part, not that intense or gory. This would be disappointing if they weren’t filmed like the old giallos, and thus are another part of the homage. However, this is at the cost of the memorable blood-drenched slaughterfests of X and Pearl, and so it feels less restrained than it does tamed.

MaXXXine is definitely worth a watch for fans of the series, but with tempered expectations.

Photo Credit: IMDB