Now streaming and on DVD: Stars add to 'MaXXXine's' credits, not quality

Horror film producers love to retrace their steps. That’s why there are so many “Elm Streets” and “Halloweens.”

But the folks behind “X” have taken a different path and come up with sequels that aren’t necessarily playing in the same wheelhouse.

In “MaXXXine,” the third film in Ti West’s trilogy, we’re deep in the world of Hollywood.

Occurring six years after “X” (the one about gonzo filmmakers shooting a porno in the country), it doesn’t quite have the surprise element of the first or its prequel, “Pearl.” Instead, it rides the wave of “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood,” recapturing a specific period in filmmaking and leaning in on the threat of a serial killer. In this one, it’s the Night Stalker offing women on the streets of Los Angeles.

There’s a suggestion that Maxine (Mia Goth) might be involved but, first, there’s a movie to be made. It’s “The Puritan 2” and it’s directed by a real stickler (played by Elizabeth Debicki) who insists it’s a “B movie with A ideas.” Maxine is game, but she has others to worry about – including an investigator (Kevin Bacon), two cops (Bobby Cannavale and Michelle Monaghan) and a Buster Keaton impressionist who doesn’t remain silent once the actress gets ahold of him.

As Maxine weighs her options, the ranks close in and, soon, she’s forced to walk the mean streets alone.

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West conjures plenty of ‘80s horror and manages to reference everything from “Psycho” to “Chinatown” until his day pass on the Universal lot is up. Then, it’s a lot of dark alleys and soundstages to walk by. Goth may have perfected the disconnected porn star guise, but it’s of little value to something like this – a film that would love to be seen as an homage to some of the greats.

She underplays everything and doesn’t quite understand the vibes Debicki is giving. If West wanted to up the value of his trilogy, he should have encouraged Goth to do more than show up.

When Bacon finds the sizzle, she’s hiding out in the “Psycho” house, oblivious to his Jack Nicholson tribute.

West’s details, however, rival Tarantino’s. He captures many of the era’s hallmarks and manages to make the Universal Studios Tour look like something you might want to revisit. When the Hollywood sign becomes a player, you realize this isn’t in the same league as Ryan Murphy’s “Hollywood.” He got the sign’s dimensions right and managed to send up the industry without picking at its bones.

"MaXXXine" brings the woman's story full circle and helps explain why various things happened but it's of little consequence without the other films as context. See it alone and you'll wonder why the fuss.