Cinemax Review
Pros and Cons
Pros
Can be purchased as an add-on. Being able to purchase Cinemax as an extra service to expand the range of titles with a subscription such as Amazon Prime Video is convenient.
Compatible with a range of devices. Will generally work with the devices that are compatible with the parent platform - from set-top boxes to smartphones.
Offers sought-after movies. Cinemax is known for specialising in movies, so offers popular titles that did well in the box office during their theatrical runs.
Cons
Some titles overlap with other services. Cinemax has some movies which can also be found with services such as Starz and HBO, making it difficult for the platform to stand out.
Lots of competitors offering similar content. It can be difficult to choose one add-on service when the content offering looks similar across the board.
No more original series being produced. With the release of HBO Max, it was announced that the focus would be taken away from producing original series for Cinemax and instead go towards making new content for Max.
Types of content available
There are feature films, original action series, adult programs and behind the scenes features available with Cinemax. The content can be streamed in either standard or high definition.
There is also a service called Max Go, which is available at no additional price for select Cinemax subscribers. This platform features movies, documentaries and late night adult shows which are shown on the Cinemax After Dark block. This service is available for subscribers from AT&T U-verse, Cox Communications, Dish Network, Suddenlink Communications, DirecTV and Charter Communications.
Top Cinemax TV shows and movies
Crazy Rich Asians – Nick Young and his girlfriend, Rachel Chu, travel to Singapore for his best friends’ wedding. In Singapore, Rachel visits her college friend, and they are shocked when she tells them who she is dating. They reveal Nick’s family is very wealthy and famous.
The Hate U Give – Starr Carter lives in Garden Heights, which is a predominantly black neighbourhood, and attends the mainly white private school Williamson Prep. When her childhood best friend Khalil is shot, she struggles to juggle her two worlds.
Deadpool 2 – Wade Wilson has been fighting organised crime as Deadpool for two years, but he fails to kill a target during an anniversary with his girlfriend Vanessa. When the target kills Vanessa in retaliation, Wilson joins the X-Men.
Uncle Drew – The background focus is on a basketball legend who was meant to play in the Rucker Classic, but he and his team disappeared. Meanwhile, Dax Winslow struggles to keep the star player, Casper, on his team happy, as well as his girlfriend. He ends up losing his team and goes to look for Uncle Drew.
The Meg – Jonas Taylor is a rescue diver who is trying to save those onboard a damaged nuclear submarine when he sees the submarine being attacked by a huge creature. The submarine explodes, and fellow survivor Dr Heller won’t believe his story.
Warrior – An action-drama TV series set during the Tong Wars in San Francisco, California, in the late 1870s. Ah Sahm is a martial arts prodigy who moves to San Francisco from China to look for his sister, but he is sold to one of the most powerful tongs in Chinatown.
The Knick – A series set in New York City in 1900 which focuses on the Knickerbocker Hospital. Dr John Thackery has a cocaine and opium addiction he is battling. Meanwhile, Dr Algernon Edwards is a black surgeon who is much more qualified than most and fights for respect both at work and in the city.
C.B Strike – A British crime drama series based on detective novels written by JK Rowling under the pseudonym Robert Galbraith. Cormoran Strike is a war veteran who has become a private detective and solves complicated cases which have eluded police.
Strike Back – An action adventure spy drama series based on the novel by former SAS soldier Chris Ryan. It focuses on Section 20, a mysterious arm of the British Defence Intelligence service. They undertake a number of high-risk missions across the world.
Banshee – When a man is released from prison after 15 years for stealing $15 million in diamonds for a Ukrainian mob boss called Rabbit, he goes to the small town of Banshee where his former lover and accomplice Ana is living under an alias.
User interface
The user interface for Cinemax will vary depending on the service used. For example, when signed up to Cinemax as an on demand premium channel with Amazon Prime Video, the interface will be integrated into the Amazon platform. This means that there will be rows of options categorised with sub headings such as ‘Recently added’, ‘Popular shows’, ‘Originals & Exclusives’ or ‘Comedy and romance movies’.
How to watch
Cinemax can be accessed in a variety of ways. The providers include Cox, Xfinity, Fios, Hulu, Apple TV, The Roku Channel and Prime Video Channels. These platforms allow users to purchase Cinemax as an add-on to supplement their existing video streaming services.
Cinemax is compatible with a full range of devices. Whichever devices work with the platform used to subscribe can be used for Cinemax. These include Apple TV, Google Chromecast, Fire TV, Nvidia Shield, Roku, Fire TV, LG, Philips, Roku TV, Samsung, Panasonic, Sharp, Sony, Vizio, Sanyo, PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Android phones and tablets, iPhone, iPad, Windows Phone, PC and laptop.
What setup do I need?
It’s generally recommended that a broadband connection of at least 1.5 megabits per second, or Mbps, is in place for streaming any video service, which includes Cinemax. This speed will provide a standard streaming quality. For HD quality, 2.8 Mbps is required. Some streams may require a minimum of 3 Mbps for standard streaming, or 5 Mbps for HD quality.
How to cancel Cinemax
Within Amazon Prime Video, follow these steps to cancel your Cinemax subscription.
- Go to the Account and Settings menu.
- Select Channels from the top menu.
- Find the subscription you want to cancel under the Your Channels section.
- Select Cancel Channel and confirm this option.
Plans, trials and subscription options
Cinemax costs $5.99 a month as a Hulu add-on, and $9.99 a month on Amazon Prime Video. This is generally cheaper than competing add-on packages such as HBO. There is typically a free trial in place, which can last seven days.
Competitors
The main competitors for Cinemax are HBO and Starz, although this market is becoming increasingly saturated with other options such as giants like Netflix and Disney Plus. As an add-on, many recommend getting either Cinemax or HBO as opposed to both, as the titles will generally overlap and not provide good value for money. Cinemax will offer some original series that Netflix and Disney Plus don’t have, but no new ones are being made.
See our full list of the best streaming services to find the right streaming service for you.
Is Cinemax worth it?
Cinemax is a worthwhile option for those who want to expand their movie and TV series options by purchasing an add-on as part of an existing main subscription from a provider such as Amazon Prime Video. The movie options can be better than those found with giants such as Disney and Netflix, but they can also overlap with competitors like HBO.
See our full list of the best streaming services to find the right streaming service for you.
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