Do you need to watch Pearl and X to enjoy MaXXXine?

October 22, 2024

As a connoisseur of chilling cinematography and a dedicated fan of Ti West’s horror masterpieces, I can confidently say that the trilogy’s latest addition, MaXXXine, is a must-watch for any aficionado of the genre. Having immersed myself in the eerie world of X and the gripping tale of Pearl, I can attest to the fact that each film offers a unique yet cohesive narrative experience that only enhances when viewed in order.

Maxine Minx makes her return and is raring to go in ‘MaXXXine’, the third installment of Ti West’s highly-acclaimed horror trilogy, which hit theaters in July. This new collaboration between West and Mia Goth can now be streamed from home via Max. Given the positive reception and enduring popularity of the previous films, ‘X’ and ‘Pearl’, which were released two years ago, ‘MaXXXine’ had high expectations to meet and has since become the most divisive film in the trilogy.

In essence, after six years since the Texas homestead massacre where Maxine was the lone survivor among her friends, the movie “MaXXXine” takes place in 1985, with Maxine starring in a horror film role. Given that “MaXXXine” is a follow-up to the original character of Maxine introduced in X, it would be best to watch it prior to using your Max app.

You need to watch X before MaXXXine, and you should watch Pearl anyway

In essence, it’s essential to watch the movie “X” prior to “MaXXXine“, as “Pearl“, being a prequel, is set in 1918 and occurs before either of them. Although Goth portrays both young Pearl in “Pearl” and older Pearl in “X“, it’s important to note that her characters are not blood relatives to Maxine.

In a different tone, let me say that both X and Pearl are outstanding movies showcasing remarkable acting by Goth. One of the reasons why this trilogy is so enjoyable is that every installment has its distinct flavor. X intentionally echoes the 1974 horror classic The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, while Pearl draws inspiration from technicolor films, particularly The Wizard of Oz. MaXXXine, on the other hand, references Giallo movies. Despite their differences, the trilogy remains unified due to Goth’s exceptional performances in each film.

In the series or film titled “X“, we delve into Maxine’s background and her reasons for being in Los Angeles. Clues from “X” are later developed in the sequel, “MaXXXine“. Although you could still appreciate “MaXXXine” without watching “X“, experiencing “X” first will greatly enrich your understanding and enjoyment of the storyline.

Pearl is also excellent and I recommend watching the trilogy in release order: X -> Pearl -> MaXXXine. But you don’t have to watch Pearl, since it’s the prequel of an antagonist in X who isn’t in MaXXXine. Still, thematically, the movies are built as a trilogy for a reason, so you might feel like you’re missing a piece if you jump into MaXXXine without having watched both previous films.

MaXXXine and X are both currently streaming on Max, Pearl is on Netflix.

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2024-10-22 00:25