Mia Goth, left, returns in “MaXXXine,” the third and final installment of the “X” series. (photo courtesy of A24)

Mia Goth is a star, to paraphrase Maxine Minx, save a naughty expletive. Now if you’re worried about a rogue F-bomb here or there, “MaXXXine,” the final chapter in the “X” horror series, might be a bit much. Like its predecessors, mood and style trump jolts, but gore rains down upon a 1980s Hollywood landscape.

First, 2022’s “X” explored horror cinema’s oft association with porn. Maxine (Goth) and a production crew attempt to create a hardcore film in a remote cabin, unaware of their landlords’ murderous proclivities, which would then be explored in prequel “Pearl.”

Several years later in the 1980s, sole survivor Maxine rules the adult entertainment industry, but hopes to leave that all behind. She gets a shot, new hope found in a horror film. Is that on the nose? A horror flick shaking its own hand? Maybe, but consider all the stars whose careers began in horror, like Kevin Bacon, a campy private investigator in this meta-slasher.

Alas, Maxine’s chance at the limelight hits a snag. Someone seems obsessed with her. Is it the Night Stalker or someone trying to make a series of murders look like his work? Friends die, cops take notice and a mysterious, well-funded antagonist gets closer to his goal. That reveal is a satisfying one three films in the making.

Eventually, the body count adds up, but not before a slew of unexpected familiar faces grace the screen, including Giancarlo Esposito, as Maxine’s entertainment lawyer Teddy Night, Esq., and Elizabeth Debicki, as the director of “The Puritan II,” a film mired in controversy for both its religious content and casting an adult film star in a leading role. (Side note: Look up “MaXXXine’s” viral marketing stunt with protesters. It’s a fun tactic.)

These films are an actor’s sandbox. First, Goth plays both final girl Maxine and killer Pearl at the end of the 1970s. Then Goth fully embraces Pearl’s madness in a solo venture set nearly 60 years earlier. Now, Maxine takes center stage. She has some substance problems, but she remains focused on a singular goal: fame. Her performance doesn’t reach the memorable heights of “Pearl,” but it still allows Goth to do some remarkable acting.

In previous decades, Maxine would be an easy target, a horror character violently discarded, punished for her sexual appetite and vain dreams. (Historically, horror films often elate in conservative morality that favors virginal survivors, after all.) Not so in “MaXXXine”, a film more interested in poking fun at the film industry, challenging horror norms.

This is yet another example of A24’s dominance in horror cinema. “Hereditary,” “Bodies, Bodies, Bodies” this year’s “I Saw the TV Glow” – the studio keeps racking up eerie, disturbing, clever contributions to one of the longest-running film genres. “MaXXXine” resides somewhere in the middle, poking fun at a slew of genres and tones while it tells a polished story as well.

For a third time, horror auteur Ti West (“House of the Devil,” “The Innkeepers”) reminds us that horror is a ripe locale for creative exploration. Quentin Tarantino has known this for some time, and “MaXXXine” drives that home once more. It’s the most visually stunning “X” entry, overexposing its 1980s setting.

Think about perfect trilogies: “Back to the Future,” the original “Star Wars,” “The Lord of the Rings.” Add the “X” trilogy to that list. It’s a solid film, especially considering how many third entries cave to the pressure. The “X” films aren’t scary, but they know how to embrace style. “MaXXXine” ends the trilogy on a memorable note, exploring the peculiar connections between horror and porn and exploitation.

“MaXXXine,” starring Mia Goth, shows the horror genre remains a hotbed of creativity. (photo courtesy of A24)