The Maxx (1995) User Reviews

Truly disturbing

[Nephilim-6 · 9/10 · 24 October 2000]

Where do I start.. Maybe with the fact that The Maxx is purple? No that doesn't do it justice because that is but a small speck of a detail in the complete and utter psychological nightmare that is The Maxx.

I have seen this movie many times and still I feel utter despair when it's over. I mean it made me depressed for 2 days last weekend. One of my friends had to turn it off because it was too close to his own life.

But the story.. Well that's well dark. We have Maxx. He's this muscular guy in a purple suit with a rather strange mask with big teeth. He keeps shifting between the world of 'the city' and the 'real australia'("but not he Australia they teach you about in school etc...") as he puts it. He has no memory of his past.

Then there's Julie Winters. A Freelance social worker. She has a dark secret.

Then we have Mr. Gone. A Magician/serial murderer/rapist. All time bad guy. Somehow tho he knows something about Maxx and Julie's past. Something very important. "do you remember spirit-animals Julie?"

Then we have Sarah(she's my fave) a teenager who wants to become a writer. Outcast as she is she has some rather serious emotional problems. "luckily I don't get hurt anymore... yeah.. lucky me..."

these are a few of the basics for the story. It gets WAY more confusing as the movie progresses. And yet the story works. It's hypnotic, partly due to the very fitting animation, and completely sucks you in and gives your brain a thrashing and spits it out again at the end.

Dark, brooding and very depressing this is the perfect way to spend a dark evening. One word of advice though. As I have noticed with myself, do NOT watch this if you're very depressed. It will make it worse. MUCH worse.

One comment I'd like to make about the video release. They left out a few pieces that were shown on MTV because otherwise the video would be too long or something like that. The director didn't feel the parts they left out were fitting to the storyline. On some level this is true but they also left out some stuff about the Leopard-Queen which IS important to the story. Therefore I advice you to try to get a hold of the comic as well so you know what I'm talking about.

Okay I'm done for today. Needless to say I find The Maxx brilliant as it taught me a few things about my own personality and I hope others will also find it inspiring.

Pretty great

[tpindustries · 8/10 · 27 May 2019]

I've only read bits and pieces of the comic and seen only a few episodes of the show but I liked what I saw.

My best find of 2023.

[MatthewOfDuncan · 9/10 · 18 September 2023]

I discovered this mini-series on a whim after I came across a clip from it on TikTok. Although the clip was just 8 seconds or so, I was instantly pulled in by the art style and the animation. I don't know why studios in the US today continue to shy away from animation like this because I must say, American animators were cooking in the 90's/early 2000's.

I feel like this is one of those shows where people will either "get it" or "not really get it." But no matter which side I think you'd fall on. This show is an absolute must-watch for fans of animation or fans of art in general.

At the time I viewed this, I was really going through some things, and I continue to go through things, but this show made "going through it" seem okay, and in fact almost necessary.

If I had to describe this show in one word, it would be "real". This show keeps it real. It's a show about broken people going through broken people things, simple as that. While there have been many pieces of media that explore the concept of "brokenness" none have spoken to me like this one has.

an animated masterpiece

[Jaime N. Christley · 1 August 1999]

This is some of the best animation I have yet seen come out of this country. "The Maxx" is, after its two hours have passed: scary, very funny, thoughtful, intelligent, profound, disturbing, highly imaginative, and ultimately quite moving.

Part of the charm of "The Maxx" is that it's clear that the directors of the series are familiar with how people read the comics; how all the elements and dialogue reach the eye. In this way "The Maxx" is far more imaginative than live-action stuff, because it's loose of the bounds of physics laws and a clear-eyed camera. It makes other films based on comic books, "Batman," "Blade," etc., seem clunky and artificial by comparison.

The plot, though drawn from a mish-mash of dream interpretation stuff, pop psychology stuff, Freudian stuff, and miscellaneous mythological references, matters little in the end -- when all is explained, it's a little disappointing because the confusion that "The Maxx" envelops around the viewer was part of what was so good about it. It's the confusion, the intricate layers of reality and unreality, that helps make this show so special.

When you get down to it, it works anyway, thanks to a number of really magnificent things. First, the characters of The Maxx, Julie, and Sarah are multi-faceted and very endearing. Despite the exhilarating cascade of visuals, this is ultimately a character-driven fantasy/drama. That's not all that "The Maxx" ought to be treasured for, though. Sam Keith has created a world (heck, a number of worlds) that are so fiercely original, so imaginative, that nothing short of a complete lack of sympathetic characters would be able to ruin his visionary achievement. To his credit, Keith gives us everything that we've been missing in Hollywood's interpretation of the comics: not just strong visuals, but great writing, a mass of original ideas, and memorable characters.

One of the best Adaptations of one of the best Comics Ever

[gavin6942 · 10/10 · 14 September 2006]

The Internet Database lists this as a TV show. And yes, it was a series on MTV shown on the "Oddities" program, after "The Head" and before "Aeon Flux" if I recall correctly. But the version I watched this time was a VHS tape with all the episodes run together into a film without annoying credits in between or having to wait a week for the next fifteen minutes.

You have the story of the Maxx, Julie Winters, Sarah and Mr. Gone. The Maxx is a super-hero or a bum, Julie a social worker or a leopard queen, Sarah a girl who should listen to less of The Smiths and Mr. Gone a guy who can't seem to keep his head on. And then there's the other weird creatures...

I use "or" with Maxx and Julie, because part of the fun is trying to figure out which parts of the story are real and which are dreams. Maybe they're all real or dreams. Maybe one of the characters doesn't exist. Maybe only one exists and dreams of the others. You'll have to wait and find out.

I had the comic books before the show came out, and it was one of my favorites. The artwork was spectacular and the story was original -- unlike anything you'll find in Superman or Batman. It will bend your mind, and has strong adult overtones without being obscene or offensive. And the show used basically the same exact artwork (only now it moves) and the same story... guaranteeing that the beauty intrinsically found in the comic would be faithfully reproduced. This was the best show to appear on "Oddities", hands down.

If you like comics of a darker nature or need a good mind trip, this is a show to check out. It's "Donnie Darko" before there was ever such a thing.

The most astonishing thing is that this never went on to become another movie or television series, but I don't say this in disappointment. By keeping it simple, they have sealed this movie in gold and kept it free from the blemishes brought on by successive failures.

The Maxx

[Rectangular_businessman · 10/10 · 23 March 2007]

"Most of us inhabit at least two worlds: The real world, where we're at the mercy of circumstance... and the world within, the unconscious, a safe place, where we can escape..."

With those words, the "villain" of the series, Mr. Gone introduces inside the viewers into the world of "The Maxx", a fascinating world where the line between the fantasy and the reality isn't very clear and most things aren't what they seem at first glance.

"The Maxx" is a very faithful adaptation of the Sam Kieth comic in which it was inspired: Though abbreviated, this animation equals the original comic book in quality, helped, no doubt by the heavy involvement of the original creator. Additionally, some story lines from the original comic were also expanded for the better (Like for example Sarah's introduction) Even when it was very-short lived (Like many other good animated shows) "The Maxx" is still one of the most interesting series ever done in the history of television, being another perfect example of the potential that animation has a medium for more mature, complex and original stories.

Every single episode of "The Maxx" is a marvelous experience, and it certainly left me wishing to see more of the plot and characters. Is a superhero-animation like no others, and in those times where everything seems to be done and told, shows like this are the perfect example of how much could be with apparently "normal" concepts from fiction, such as masked heroes and alternate realities. After all those years, the only series to be remotely similar in quality and mystery to "The Maxx" was the excellent and underrated motion-comic "Broken Saints", which even when it doesn't seem to have many things in common with "The Maxx" at first sight, manages to be equally deep and fascinating in what concerns to the exploration of the inner world of the main characters, alternating it with the harsh reality.

One of the best shows from MTV ever

[Quinoa1984 · 10/10 · 19 March 2000]

Sam Keith's The Maxx is a twisted animated journey into the subconscious. And on MTV no less. True, MTV is not a great place for good shows (besides Beavis and Butt-head), but this is one of those few exceptions.

The Show is about an odd superhero called Maxx who goes back and forth from the real world and the dream world called the Outback (not the Australia one). The plot gets a little confusing as episodes go on, but for someone who isn't a teenie bopper watching MTV, it's heaven none the less. Great animation, great drama, and great entertainment. A++

The most underrated animation/cartoon on the planet

[morkulv_athferion · 10/10 · 10 February 2009]

For starters, I didn't even know about this show since a year or so because of the internet. I have not once seen it on TV before in my country, and a lot of people do not usually know about this show. It is a pity though, because this is easily the most original and clever animation I have witnessed in years.

I don't hand out 10 points a lot, but this is one show that truly deserves all 10 points. Even though at first glance this might seem like a typical cartoon but keep in mind that this is not a kids-show though. When the complete story unfolds itself, you know that this is a real deep storyline, with a spiritual message. This spiritual part of the story is largely based off spirit-animals, a old Indian believe that has been preserved for many years. This gives the show a original twist that you can't often find in animated shows.

The overall design is also something very different. At times it resembles Spawn a bit in terms of gritty design, and other times it takes on a more cartoony approach. I believe David Feiss who also created and directed Cow and Chicken animated a segment in the show (as he also drew that segment in the comic).

If you are looking for a mind-twisting show, a show that takes on various subjects such as reality, suicide, spirituality, life, then this is something you should not miss. Once you begin watching, you are probably going to watch it to the end. One minor fact may be that the show takes on less material from the comic, but this is not too annoying. The only question remains though, where is the DVD?!

dark, trippy graphic novel meets the screen

[jimbosworldorg · 10/10 · 24 September 2006]

The Maxx is a deep psychological introspective lightly camouflaged as a weird-out superhero story. Julie Winters is a "freelance social worker" in an unnamed filthy city, ridden with crime, and she and everyone she knows has a lot of issues to work through. The Maxx is her friend and client, a street bum who thinks he's a costumed superhero - or is it the other way around?

The Maxx is not to be missed for the artwork, the story itself, or the excellent voice work - particularly the late Barry Stigler's deliciously urbane, drippingly evil voicing of the main villain, Mr. Gone.

If you get the chance to see this, don't miss it.

Why can't they make more of these?

[La Gremlin · 17 January 2002]

I knew I was going to need something good and strong to wash off "Snowed in at the House of Mouse" today, so I rented "the Maxx". I saw bits of it when Mtv aired it as a mini-series and was taken in by the excellent visuals and believable -almost pitiable- cast of characters. But before I gush, a little history is needed here.

Some time in the mid-90's, Mtv actually had a few good shows. No kidding. At the time it pained them to interrupt the music videos (!!!???!!!) for a while to show them, but that's another rant in itself. They had an animated mini-series block called "Oddities". One of these was the grotesque, overplayed "the Head" and the other was "the Maxx".

So what would you say if I told you now that this cartoon is darker, more complicated, and better written than any of the live-action movies in the new release shelves the past three weeks?

Go rent it tonight. This is going to stay with you for a long time.

what is wrong with MTV?

[brutalpink · 6 May 2001]

it truly seems like every time MTV nails something, they throw it away. I fully attribute this to the ever sickening growth of pop culture, and the way that MTV as well as many networks, feel a need to bathe in the conformity of "cuddly" entertainment. in my experience most things being "cuddly" are in actuality extremely non-entertaining. this series/film is a beautifully disturbing piece of art. even as an animation, it is much more a reality then half the rubbish being churned out today. where did it all go?

Wow...

[R-O-N-I-N · 17 December 2002]

One of the best animated series of all time.

Here's why...

The writing is some of the best I've ever seen when it comes to animation. It is, at times, utterly confusing and that's the point. You, the viewer, are thrown into the world of "The Maxx." It is as bizarre as the Maxx's psyche and will leave you wondering what you just watched. The amazing cinematography amidst the complexity of storyline make "The Maxx" appealing to the eye as well as the mind.

The most intelligent animation ever

[D Airey · 21 September 2000]

The Maxx is the most intelligently written story every to hit the genre of animation. The story -- a psychological thriller -- is complimented with a haunting, other-worldly style of animation. It's a shame that this movie hasn't had a chance to collect a larger audience. Perhaps if MTV replayed it's "Oddities" series instead of endless repeats of "Real Life", there might be more postings for this series. I think I got the last copy that Amazon had to sell. Hopefully, someday, the movie will make it back to the airways. Don't miss it if you ever get a chance.

Shame on MTV

[gerie · 16 August 2001]

I tried watching one of MTV's newer....TV shows...if they can even be considered that. MTV had some awesome TV shows, Aeon Flux, Liquid TV, Beavis & Butt-Head, and The Maxx: a dark twisted trip into the psyche of a tortured girl trapped in the body of a woman. It was an original piece of work, and I absolutely loved it. MTV used to be about music and TV shows that were actually tolerable. Shame on you MTV!

Most unforgettable animated story I have ever seen

[A_Different_Drummer · 10 March 2014]

At the end of the day when the mobile devices and other toys go back into their boxes (remember, AT THE END OF THE GAME THE PAWN AND THE KING GO BACK TOGETHER) what sets brilliant apart from prosaic is simply whether or not it haunts you and makes you yearn to see it again. And that is the case here. When I originally saw this on MTV I was simply fascinated. When it was over, I sorta felt bad. Years later, I was swapping the top DVDs from my collection to get a copy, and I watched it start to finish. It is more than animation, it is poetry. The voice-over burns into your frontal lobes. The characters are both more heroic and more sinister than anything Ian Fleming ever thought of. The Outback is as much a metaphor as the Maxtrix. This is bloody great.

Fight back ,we scream!!!

[Snoogins · 20 May 2000]

I loved this series! Having been a huge comic book fan, I had heard about Sam Keith's Maxx characters several months before they premiered on MTV's Oddities series. I was very impressed with the performances of the voice actors, especially Barry Stigler as Mr. Gone. Kudos to everyone involved, this cartoon got me so interested that I had to read the rest of the series in comic book format, and I was very disappointed that the second season never made it onto television. Hopefully, someday in the future, the first season will arrive on DVD or some other collectible format because this show deserves better than to just fade into obscurity.

the most comprehensive and intelligent animated series ever made

[Lyrao · 25 February 2005]

From beginning to end this series is deep and involving.. every line spoken can be taken in two ways and have two possible meanings just as the city and outback each have their dual constituents.. if you've ever been interested in shamanism, the astral plain, or are even remotely interested in the human psyche then this you'd find interesting. Of all of MTV's former "Oddities" line-up(Aeon Flux, The Head,The Maxx, Liquid Television) this stands alone as unique and one of a kind. there are no similar or rip-off versions of this series. there are only 13 episodes which all come from the comic and are nearly identical in artwork and dialogue. Don't let anyone spoil the final 3 episodes or tell you they don't make sense.. if you understand the premise of the astral plain being the contents of the human mind you will see that this an absolute masterpiece.. though not for everyone as it could be offensive to religious types. I've watched the series from beginning to end in one sitting at least 15 times, and i suggest you do the same.

10 out of 10 Da Vinci himself could not improve upon this phenomenal story

Psych 490 Overcoming Personal Demons

[sketchyninja · 24 May 2003]

Fantastic all-around..and unsettling. Deep characters with their own sets of problems and circumstances set up around superb animation. I even drew the Mr. Gonn half portrait for art class. A thesis could be written on the emotional turmoil going on in these peoples lives, and yet it will engross you from the beginning. It is long to sit through in one sitting (the half hour spots on Mtv, back when it had its edge, made it easier to watch) though still very excellent. Julie is making sense of her life after a very traumatic past and comes across the would-be hero in Maxx who can't even remember things half the time. I fully recommend this movie for an in-depth soul searching experience. And please don't watch this when depressed :)

MAXX-imum Pleasure

[slvrquee · 19 April 1999]

Sam Keith's dark epic about the struggles of a hurting young woman told in the brilliance of little creatures, alternate planes, and a purple clad alter-eog hero who she called the Maxx. Her name is Julie Winters, a freelance social worker and also the jungle queen of a land call Pangea. Maxx, nevermind how, is trapped in her soul and drifts between the real world and her spirit world where he battles the villian Mr. Gone and his armies of dark and light Isz.

Beautifully told, this is one of those DEEP stories. It takes several times through to understand what is really happened. But its one heck of a ride. The voices and art are fab, and so are some of the lines. I personally like the Isz myself. This is definitely worth checking out.

this show is awesome

[vaticanknight23 · 19 May 2004]

While it might be a little hard to come by these days, this shortlived MTV animated series based on the comic book of the same name is a real treat. The animation is brilliant and looks like a comic book come to life. The voice acting is top notch and the dialogue is unlike any other I have experienced in a comic to screen adaptation. The story is a little confusing at times, but bear with it and all will be explained. The Maxx was a show ahead of it's time and hopefully someone will be inspired enough by it to attempt another comic to screen adaptation with as much edge and grit. If you cant find these episodes in a video store, then go try kazaa or bit torrent sites

comic book to movie

[servingwench_666 · 19 December 2005]

the episodes on shows up to comic book 13.. there are 35. so to get any real grasp on the show it is probably a good idea to read them all

this is the best thing MTV ever did in my opinion.. beavis and butthead is interesting but does not have the same depth as this..i loved watching this and since seeing went and bought all of the merch:D

mr gonne is a very scary piece of work.. you need to read the comic books to understand how nasty he is...

i think that maxx is something we all have to make us feel safe.. as obviously maxx's name is dave? it all still kinda confuses me

totally worth a watch though.. is over 3 and a half hours so make yourself comfy

The show seemed promising,but the final episode was a joke

[Fire_Seraph · 27 January 2003]

I first saw this show in 1995,thinking it was great.It centered around a ecentric character called The Maxx,who dons a purple suit and wears a weired looking mask.He's supposed to be a super hero,trying to stop bad guys,this is shown at the beginning.When a woman is kidnapped on the streets by a couple of sickos,and they try to rape her;he suddenly appears.He then beats them to a pulp,but the cops never see this.They assume he's a trouble maker,and arrest him.They never see the bad guy's bodies,or the poor helpless victim.She is taken away by Mr gone,the psychotic rapist and murderer;never to be seen again.Maxx is introduced to Julie Winters,a social worker;so she can help him.She dosen't belive that he is a hero,or that he's from Australia with bizarre creatures.This a parallel universe, if you should know.She is actually the jungle queen,who rules the creatures with her pet leopard.Things get out of hand when Mr gone unleashes an army of black, shapeshifting Izes,to do his dirty work.*warning,contains spoilers*We are soon mislead,to belive that there is a surprise ending,which sad to say,there isn't.Mr gone is revealed to be Sarahs dad, after discovering his decapitated head.They made it seem like Maxx was going to be revealed as either Julies rabbit, or another creature.This doesn't happen.Julie acts really snobby,about the truth,and doesn't care if the jungle queen dies.Mr gone some how knew them before.This is never explained.The part Sarah finding out that Mr Gone was her dad,was not the shocking we ending we waited for,it had nothing to do with the Maxx and Julie.All in all the show was a let down,making The Maxx seem like an ordinary guy in the end.What about the spirit animals,what importance was this?So many Questions,so few answers.The show had great animation and story line,but a crappy ending.Don't watch, if you hate bad endings.Not for children.Watch the other episodes,ignore the last two.

more like the minn

[acornco · 20 September 2011]

in a word, disembowelment. i watched this a long time ago. i just watched the royal tannenbaums and it brought up bad memories. let me share them with you.

but first, on the upside, the art style is great but the animation is limited for the most part.

but thats about as up as it gets. its okay for the first 20 minutes, but the characters end up spending the rest of the "series" spewing monologues about how depressed they are and how messed up the world is. every now and then the maxx trips out and plays tarzan in his day dream world, but its only a rare escape. he quickly returns to reality and most likely clips someones toenails while they, again, whine about how bad everything is.

after they introduced the fourth character, some whiny and depressed goth kid(go figure) or maybe it was when the chick engaged in pseudo intellectual combat with the villain, i ejected the cassette from the VHS player and promptly broke it across my knee. justice had been served and i slept well.