199 reviews
Manical
Updated for the internet dating era and given a first person point-of-view treatment that forces us to view everything from the title character's perspective a la 'Enter the Void', this contemporary take on William Lustig's 'Maniac' is more innovative than your average genre remake. While Elijah Wood's face is often obscured due to the way the film is shot, the film also benefits greatly from his casting as, with big blue eyes and milquetoast mannerisms, he seems like anything but your average serial killer. There is also more attempt to explore his damaged childhood and his desire for a girlfriend. This time round, his love interest mistakes him for a gay platonic friend due to his obsession with "dolls" (mannequins) and reluctance to hit on her. The mannequins also figure better into the plot here with Wood actually owning a mannequin store. The film does, however, disappointingly ditch Joe Spinell's curious obsession with photographs as a form of preservation from the first film, which in turn renders his dressing up of the mannequins a tad random. The violence, while quite graphic, also does not have the same shock value this time round, and while the film maintains the original's semi-supernatural ending, the effect is not quite the same knowing that it is coming. Overall though, the 2012 'Maniac' offers some substantial improvements on the original, the point-of-view cinematography is frequently breathtaking and the incorporation of 'Cabinet of Dr. Caligari' footage is excellent. The music is at least as atmospheric, if not more so, and Wood is really quite creepy.
Could have been a origin story for Kevin
Now this movie isn't for the weak of heart or for people that have weak stomachs. The kills in this movie is realistic and very gruesome looking. Although it lacks tension, it's better than a lot of the redundant slasher movies that go straight to DVD. What is unique about this movie is that it put you in the view point of the killer and for the most part goes in a first person view direction. And just with that this movie can get difficult to watch at points. Watching this movie was liked watching a slasher version of "Enter the Void" except instead of a wandering spirit, it's in the view point of the killer. Elijah Wood is really good at playing this obsessive, creepy or mentally unstable psycho killer roles. And he really nails it in this one as well. Although it lacks in tension it makes up for it with the visuals and the psychological aspect of things. Now I haven't seen the original and while this is a remake, I think it's a stand alone film. It's a disturbing film from start to finish and will have most people's attention that can handle it, all the way through. Psycho slasher movie fans will most definitely enjoy this one.
7.6/10
7.6/10
- KineticSeoul
- Jul 7, 2013
- Permalink
Well done but stomach-churning
This is a very gory and bloody film and unless you don't mind watching these types of films you won't like it.
I've not seen the original so I can't compare the two. Elijah Wood is an actor I like and he is excellent in this as the serial killing maniac. I found it hard to get into the film but this is one film that gradually improves as it goes along rather than fades away.
Along with the bloody horror there are a number of really tense scenes. It is the most unsettling film I've seen in a while. Maniac is well filmed and uses some very interesting filming techniques. I can't say I enjoyed watching it too much was a bit too sadistic for my taste. However for it's type this is a very good effort.
I've not seen the original so I can't compare the two. Elijah Wood is an actor I like and he is excellent in this as the serial killing maniac. I found it hard to get into the film but this is one film that gradually improves as it goes along rather than fades away.
Along with the bloody horror there are a number of really tense scenes. It is the most unsettling film I've seen in a while. Maniac is well filmed and uses some very interesting filming techniques. I can't say I enjoyed watching it too much was a bit too sadistic for my taste. However for it's type this is a very good effort.
- MattyGibbs
- Nov 21, 2013
- Permalink
Creepfest
This movie is disturbing and disgusting but if you're watching it that's the point. It had a lot of points that made me feel -- for lack of a better word -- plain icky.
Elijah Wood does a great job dialing up the creep factor -- he is incredibly believable as an unadulterated psychopath. Maniac recently got banned in some locales because of its content, so that alone says that it does well in the horror genre.
It's unsettling, creepy, gross. It does what it sets out to do pretty well. The direction is good in this film as is the cinematography; for a remake it was exceptional!
Elijah Wood does a great job dialing up the creep factor -- he is incredibly believable as an unadulterated psychopath. Maniac recently got banned in some locales because of its content, so that alone says that it does well in the horror genre.
It's unsettling, creepy, gross. It does what it sets out to do pretty well. The direction is good in this film as is the cinematography; for a remake it was exceptional!
- manateegrey
- Aug 8, 2013
- Permalink
Unusual and interesting
A psychopath on the loose. Or should I just say, a young boy with unresolved mother issues as a result of which others (girls, in particular) have to suffer?
Once he sets his eyes on the next target, nothing gets in the way. Very cunningly he establishes where the victims live and like a skilled craftsman carries out his hideous crimes, without remorse, second thoughts or hesitation.
Pivotal to the story is the appearance of an artist who has an acute interests in these plastic mannequins something that appeals greatly to the disturbed young man. Much as his instincts are ever present she somehow causes him to not be himself which is no little thing.
Great job has been done to bring intensity on the screen. We follow the troubled man, we agonise as he prepares his next murder, we feel sorrow when he indulges his animal instincts. Elijah wood is outstanding as the loner with a dark secret.
Another plus would have to be how the director gives it a very 80's look and feel without ever misleading us from the fact that it is a very modern day story.
Ultimately, although the direction by a Frenchman has its obvious advantages it remains a Hollywood movie. Hyperbole, gory scenes for the sake of it and a sense of stretched reality deprive this appealing story from further deserved points.
Once he sets his eyes on the next target, nothing gets in the way. Very cunningly he establishes where the victims live and like a skilled craftsman carries out his hideous crimes, without remorse, second thoughts or hesitation.
Pivotal to the story is the appearance of an artist who has an acute interests in these plastic mannequins something that appeals greatly to the disturbed young man. Much as his instincts are ever present she somehow causes him to not be himself which is no little thing.
Great job has been done to bring intensity on the screen. We follow the troubled man, we agonise as he prepares his next murder, we feel sorrow when he indulges his animal instincts. Elijah wood is outstanding as the loner with a dark secret.
Another plus would have to be how the director gives it a very 80's look and feel without ever misleading us from the fact that it is a very modern day story.
Ultimately, although the direction by a Frenchman has its obvious advantages it remains a Hollywood movie. Hyperbole, gory scenes for the sake of it and a sense of stretched reality deprive this appealing story from further deserved points.
- cinematic_aficionado
- Mar 22, 2013
- Permalink
Very Different from the Original
Incredibly well shot, with an inventive first hand P.O.V. gimmick that actually works and brings enough originality to the plate to give it a reason for a reboot. It's about as unpleasant as the original film, but with a little less grit and sleaziness. I definitely cringed and had to close my eyes a few times. It's nice to "see" Elijah Wood in a role like this. We don't really get very many glimpses of him since it's all shot from his P.O.V., but he turns in a great performance.
- glenmatisse
- Jul 14, 2020
- Permalink
Shock factor yes, good movie no.
The original film is very disturbing, creepy, and was the stuff of nightmares, this remake is the latter, but for different reasons. I hated the direction of it, they literally copied the early eighties style, the storytelling was distracting, slow and totally disengaging for the viewer.
They literally just sent for sick and shock factor, that's all this movie is, a stomach churning series of events, designed to distract you from how bad the movie actually is.
Lacking in both style and substance, Elijah Wood did as well with the script as he possibly could, but it's impossible for him, in what is essentially a trashy gore fest. 3/10
They literally just sent for sick and shock factor, that's all this movie is, a stomach churning series of events, designed to distract you from how bad the movie actually is.
Lacking in both style and substance, Elijah Wood did as well with the script as he possibly could, but it's impossible for him, in what is essentially a trashy gore fest. 3/10
- Sleepin_Dragon
- Mar 31, 2019
- Permalink
Misunderstood
I am not writing a review because unlike the others (not pointing fingers and i apologize if i offend) i don't want to spoil anything and don't want to say anything majorly about the story I see that people rate it for something the movie doesn't give itself out to be.
I have not watched the original but what i have understood is that people seemed irritated that some "proffesional" reviewers wrote it off as a women hating, violent movie nasty, instead of focusing on the themes of the film.
Now that i have read some of the reviews for this film, it seems that a lot of reviews say the same thing. Just a violent nasty and judges/rates it on that. IT Isn't. I think its wrong to say that it isn't violent. It has violence that makes you want to turn away. But its not about that. It doesn't rely on violence. The main character is a troubled man that tries to live his life, dealing with his issues. He doesn't have anyone and doesn't know how to deal with them alone.
Its a 1st person psycho-drama with a sad but beautiful techno music to blend in with the neon lighted feel of this movie.
The acting of Elijah wood is brilliant in that he mostly needs to act with his voice. The story is sad and i cant help but feel sad for the main character. Much like The Voices staring Ryan Reynolds, the movie focuses so much on there psychological problems that it just comes of as tragic and sad.
This isn't a horror movie with no story and disposable characters. This is a character built, character driven sad movie that is beautiful both visual and story wise.
I have not watched the original but what i have understood is that people seemed irritated that some "proffesional" reviewers wrote it off as a women hating, violent movie nasty, instead of focusing on the themes of the film.
Now that i have read some of the reviews for this film, it seems that a lot of reviews say the same thing. Just a violent nasty and judges/rates it on that. IT Isn't. I think its wrong to say that it isn't violent. It has violence that makes you want to turn away. But its not about that. It doesn't rely on violence. The main character is a troubled man that tries to live his life, dealing with his issues. He doesn't have anyone and doesn't know how to deal with them alone.
Its a 1st person psycho-drama with a sad but beautiful techno music to blend in with the neon lighted feel of this movie.
The acting of Elijah wood is brilliant in that he mostly needs to act with his voice. The story is sad and i cant help but feel sad for the main character. Much like The Voices staring Ryan Reynolds, the movie focuses so much on there psychological problems that it just comes of as tragic and sad.
This isn't a horror movie with no story and disposable characters. This is a character built, character driven sad movie that is beautiful both visual and story wise.
- edwardvincentv
- Jul 1, 2016
- Permalink
This is definitely worth the watch.
This movie has a relatively "classic" plot, serial killer and all that jazz but what makes this movie unique and definitely worth the watch is the fact that 99% of the movie is in first person view. This adds a creative twist into what exactly a serial killer sees and achieves something that so few films can pull off. Elijah Wood does an incredible job portraying a messed up man and really gets into the role. All in all the acting was really good, the plot was basic yet somehow very interesting and the filming was incredibly well done. If you have an extra hour and a half this is 100% worth watching.
- Sarhorrorlove
- Dec 20, 2022
- Permalink
Beautifully Shot ... But sooooo boring
- boydwalters
- Apr 27, 2013
- Permalink
A Remake that exceeds the original.
Interesting throwback to the 70s
What was the point? 2/10
Review: This movie seemed like a cheap horror which was mostly filmed through the eyes of a serial killer who definitely has some issues. I don't think that Elijah Wood was the perfect choice for this role and I didn't like way that the movie was filmed through the killers eyes. I also found the movie quite boring and the music got on my nerves throughout the film. The ending was a bit over the top, along with the storyline which I found quite uninteresting. You do end up sticking with the movie to see what exactly happens to Elijah Woods character, but as I'm not a big fan of horrors, its not a film that I will be watching again in a hurry. Boring!
Round-Up: What ever did happen to Elijah Woods career? After being the main star in The Lord Of The Rings franchise, he hasn't really come out with anything to reboot his career. The director of this film must have a warped mind, judging by some of the gory scenes in this film. As for the other characters, they all seemed very Z class, but I don't think that it would have made a big difference to the movie if they were any better. There is a very seedy feel to the film which I didn't like from the beginning and there are quite a few question marks with the storyline.
I recommend this movie to people who are into there thriller/horror movie, but don't expect anything amazing. 2/10
Round-Up: What ever did happen to Elijah Woods career? After being the main star in The Lord Of The Rings franchise, he hasn't really come out with anything to reboot his career. The director of this film must have a warped mind, judging by some of the gory scenes in this film. As for the other characters, they all seemed very Z class, but I don't think that it would have made a big difference to the movie if they were any better. There is a very seedy feel to the film which I didn't like from the beginning and there are quite a few question marks with the storyline.
I recommend this movie to people who are into there thriller/horror movie, but don't expect anything amazing. 2/10
- leonblackwood
- Jul 6, 2013
- Permalink
Surprisingly okay!
- laymonite-2
- Jul 15, 2013
- Permalink
Nasty Elijah
- Leofwine_draca
- Sep 18, 2015
- Permalink
Great film!
I take offence to the reviewer who described people as mentally ill who enjoy movies like this!!!!! It's an extremely harsh remark and totally unnecessary to undermine a person who enjoys escapism movies.
Keep your low minded opinions to yourself n you know who you are!!!!! Disgraceful n get of a true movie site where we share views on films we see n do not call us mentally ill!!!!!!!! Shameful!!!!!!!!!
I finally finished watching maniac n it is very unnerving but it is a horror film which is escapism n would never happen in the real world. It's cleverly written n meant to entertain horror fans n if you don't like horror then why choose to watch it?
Hats off to Elija Wood for a first class creepy performance.
- jhmoondance
- Apr 14, 2019
- Permalink
Terrible Movie
The restorer Frank (Elijah Wood) is the owner of a mannequin store that belonged to his mother. Frank was abused by his mother when he was a child and now he is a psychopath serial-killer with a fetish for scalps. When he meets the French photographer Anna (Nora Arnezeder), she loves his work of restoration of mannequins and they become friends. Anna borrows mannequins to an exhibition that she is promoting and Frank helps her. Franks goes to the opening night and stalks and kills Anna's agent Rita (Jan Broberg). Anna calls Frank to tell what happened to Rita and he goes to her apartment. Soon she suspects that Frank might be a serial-killer, but he is in her apartment.
"Maniac" is a terrible movie and remake of the 1980 "Maniac". The flawed story uses the stupid cliché of the victim running to a desert area. Los Angeles seems to be a ghost town. One woman in the subway flees to an empty parking area. Anna cries, there are fights in her apartment but the noise does not disturb the neighbors that do not take any attitude. The camera is also awful. The best part is the totally unexpected first death of a woman in the front door of her apartment. My vote is three.
Title (Brazil): "Maníaco" ("Maniac")
"Maniac" is a terrible movie and remake of the 1980 "Maniac". The flawed story uses the stupid cliché of the victim running to a desert area. Los Angeles seems to be a ghost town. One woman in the subway flees to an empty parking area. Anna cries, there are fights in her apartment but the noise does not disturb the neighbors that do not take any attitude. The camera is also awful. The best part is the totally unexpected first death of a woman in the front door of her apartment. My vote is three.
Title (Brazil): "Maníaco" ("Maniac")
- claudio_carvalho
- Apr 13, 2015
- Permalink
Impressive remake of one of the nastiest, violent and utterly scummy slasher films of the 1980's
- kentuckyfriedpanda42
- Aug 19, 2012
- Permalink
Sick and disturbing
In what is probably the sickest movie I've seen since A Serbian Film, Elijah Wood gives a haunting and tortured performance as a mannequin-loving serial killer with mommy issues. It is a noted improvement over the 1980 original, but the film's main innovation, viewing almost everything through the killer's eyes, takes it past being a voyeuristic experience and makes the viewer essentially a participant in the brutal acts portrayed on screen. It's mesmerizing, yet nauseating to watch at the same time. I also liked the soundtrack, which had shades of A CLOCKWORK ORANGE, SCARFACE and CANDYMAN, and in a similar style to the soundtracks for Nicholas Winding Refn's most recent two films. I thought the film was excellently shot, with creative use of lighting and atmosphere. Certain sequences were rather disorienting, although that was probably the intended goal. Still, the genre tropes remain and although it's dressed up and presented in a new way it still doesn't break much new ground as far as slashers are concerned. Recommended only if you can stomach it.
- brchthethird
- Nov 13, 2014
- Permalink
You Can't Duplicate Heart and Soul
First, I can't understand why the original had to be remade. What made that film special wasn't the direction from William Lustig, or the gore effects from Tom Savini (although they did do a top notch job), but rather the world created by Joe Spinell. He is the true heart and soul of the original movie, and like anyone's heart and soul, it could never be duplicated. He had as much to do with the film's direction as Lustig did, and even poured much of his own money into it. Once you strip Spinell from the original, it just becomes a generic slasher film, so I ask again, why was this remade? Just make a similar movie with a different title and character names. Its not like the title "Maniac" has a lot of name value...
This movie is exactly what you expect from someone trying to duplicate something unique. A generic modernized version of a classic, with a few gimmicks thrown in so they could at least say they tried. The POV gimmick is just terrible. There's a reason why you don't see films being made this way (besides found-footage garbage). I guess it's an attempt to put us into Frank's head, but its truly unnecessary and doesn't work cinematically. It just comes off as a hokey and desperate attempt to stand-out. If you want to stand-out, do so by making a good movie, not by changing the camera angle. Good film-making requires much more than that.
Elijah Wood as Frank is a true testament to modern filmmaking- Use a pretty face on a killer to create irony OR to cash in on that actor's name value. Joe Spinell wasn't a household name when he did Maniac. Probably due to his appearance. He most definitely didn't have a pretty face. He was over-weight and someone you could imagine having trouble making friends in school. When I watch the original, I see an "ugly" man who struggles with social stress as a result. He makes that role completely believable. Elijah Wood does not. I can't even go into Wood's acting because it's absolutely minimal in this film, since nearly all of the movie is POV.
Another huge gripe for me was the CGI. The first death scene of the film is supposed to set the tone for the rest of the film. But what do we get? A hokey CGI death. Although the rest of the film does in fact have practical effects, they're CGI enhanced. Compare this scene with the opening death scene of the original Maniac and tell me which looks more realistic and less hokey.
Despite how much I disliked this movie, and how much of an atrocity it is compared to the original, I did find that music absolutely perfect for a Maniac-type film. It's just a real shame it was wasted on such trash.
Whats truly disturbing are all the good reviews here on IMDb. A few have even said this film was better than the original. Some have said they haven't seen the original so they couldn't compare. But I say DO compare, you may be shocked to realize how much better the original film is! Regardless, reviews do not make a movie good, so I'm hoping that as the film becomes more commercially available, the true face of this film will come through from the new reviews...or maybe not.
I was once at a screening of the original Maniac in NYC at the Sunshine Theater, of which William Lustig was attending to do a Q and A (he only lives blocks away from the theater). When asked about selling the rights for a remake, he stated, and I quote exactly: "I'm a whore for money." Another sad day in horror. Spinell would've been saddened by this...
This movie is exactly what you expect from someone trying to duplicate something unique. A generic modernized version of a classic, with a few gimmicks thrown in so they could at least say they tried. The POV gimmick is just terrible. There's a reason why you don't see films being made this way (besides found-footage garbage). I guess it's an attempt to put us into Frank's head, but its truly unnecessary and doesn't work cinematically. It just comes off as a hokey and desperate attempt to stand-out. If you want to stand-out, do so by making a good movie, not by changing the camera angle. Good film-making requires much more than that.
Elijah Wood as Frank is a true testament to modern filmmaking- Use a pretty face on a killer to create irony OR to cash in on that actor's name value. Joe Spinell wasn't a household name when he did Maniac. Probably due to his appearance. He most definitely didn't have a pretty face. He was over-weight and someone you could imagine having trouble making friends in school. When I watch the original, I see an "ugly" man who struggles with social stress as a result. He makes that role completely believable. Elijah Wood does not. I can't even go into Wood's acting because it's absolutely minimal in this film, since nearly all of the movie is POV.
Another huge gripe for me was the CGI. The first death scene of the film is supposed to set the tone for the rest of the film. But what do we get? A hokey CGI death. Although the rest of the film does in fact have practical effects, they're CGI enhanced. Compare this scene with the opening death scene of the original Maniac and tell me which looks more realistic and less hokey.
Despite how much I disliked this movie, and how much of an atrocity it is compared to the original, I did find that music absolutely perfect for a Maniac-type film. It's just a real shame it was wasted on such trash.
Whats truly disturbing are all the good reviews here on IMDb. A few have even said this film was better than the original. Some have said they haven't seen the original so they couldn't compare. But I say DO compare, you may be shocked to realize how much better the original film is! Regardless, reviews do not make a movie good, so I'm hoping that as the film becomes more commercially available, the true face of this film will come through from the new reviews...or maybe not.
I was once at a screening of the original Maniac in NYC at the Sunshine Theater, of which William Lustig was attending to do a Q and A (he only lives blocks away from the theater). When asked about selling the rights for a remake, he stated, and I quote exactly: "I'm a whore for money." Another sad day in horror. Spinell would've been saddened by this...
- Chainsaw Slasher
- Jun 24, 2013
- Permalink
Brilliant and creepy
I had no idea what to expect from 'Maniac' i had never seen or heard of the original movie, i came across this remake whilst checking out other users watch lists and the title alone had my interest.
Honestly though i had my doubts about this movie because when i see Elijah Wood i instantly think of Lord of The Rings i was intrigued to see if he could pull off the role of a psychopathic killer.
So what did i think?
Epic!
Firstly the music throughout the movie is awesome, there are moments when the soundtrack sounds like something from 'A Clockwork Orange' its dark and really creates an atmosphere of sinisterness.
Elijah Wood is perfect for this role his voice and delivery of the script is great. The movie is shot from the killers point of view (POV) but the moments when you actually see Elijah Wood he looks perfect for this role, strange, disturbed out of place and mentally unstable.
The violence is not excessive in its amount but it is extremely brutal in its detail, it wasn't easy to watch the scalping without cringing and i have a strong threshold for movie gore, this was just brutal and in your face, it was great because very few films get to me in this way.
If you like psycho movies and brutal gore then you'll love this movie like i did.
'Maniac' is easily one of my favorite psycho killer movies of all time, my girlfriend (who actually loves horror and can handle gore) has vowed never to watch 'Maniac' again because it made her feel so uncomfortable... aw!
Honestly though i had my doubts about this movie because when i see Elijah Wood i instantly think of Lord of The Rings i was intrigued to see if he could pull off the role of a psychopathic killer.
So what did i think?
Epic!
Firstly the music throughout the movie is awesome, there are moments when the soundtrack sounds like something from 'A Clockwork Orange' its dark and really creates an atmosphere of sinisterness.
Elijah Wood is perfect for this role his voice and delivery of the script is great. The movie is shot from the killers point of view (POV) but the moments when you actually see Elijah Wood he looks perfect for this role, strange, disturbed out of place and mentally unstable.
The violence is not excessive in its amount but it is extremely brutal in its detail, it wasn't easy to watch the scalping without cringing and i have a strong threshold for movie gore, this was just brutal and in your face, it was great because very few films get to me in this way.
If you like psycho movies and brutal gore then you'll love this movie like i did.
'Maniac' is easily one of my favorite psycho killer movies of all time, my girlfriend (who actually loves horror and can handle gore) has vowed never to watch 'Maniac' again because it made her feel so uncomfortable... aw!
- Hippie-Hudson
- May 15, 2013
- Permalink
An admirable effort.
Left severely messed in the head by his mother's questionable parenting, antique mannequin restorer Frank Zito (Elijah Wood) longs to form a loving relationship with a woman but finds his urge to brutally kill and scalp the dirty whores something of a hindrance.
Even though this remake didn't impress me to quite the degree I had hoped it would (my expectations were running EXTREMELY high; I wanted it to be flawless), I cannot help but admire all involved for taking such a gutsy approach with such an unlikely project: not only does the film turn Frodo Baggins (Elijah Wood) into a mentally deranged killer, but it does so with plenty of style and an eagerness to offend. Director Franck Khalfoun (P2) certainly goes all out to shock, using a POV technique that allows the viewer to 'become' the maniac (a risky move that positively invites criticism from the pro-censorship lobby) while having his star perform some unspeakably vile acts that, although unlikely to do lasting damage to Wood's career, probably won't impress the majority of his female admirers very much.
Rather unsurprisingly, my main issues with the film do not stem from the excessively brutal violence and misogyny—I actually would have liked it to have been even more mean-spirited (they should definitely have squeezed in a shotgun blast to the head to keep fans of the original happy). Where I found myself struggling the most was with Nora Arnezeder as Anna, the girl who befriends Frank, who I found to be rather irritating (she's no Caroline Munro, that's for sure!), and the clumsy handling of the scene in which Anna realises that her new friend is the killer, the girl coming to her shocking conclusion far too easily thereby robbing a pivotal moment of much of its tension.
That said, I still consider Maniac to be one of the more impressive horror remakes of the past few years, a beautifully shot, impeccably scored, and undeniably unsettling study of a deeply disturbed individual that should be welcomed by anyone who enjoys their cinema to take a few risks.
Even though this remake didn't impress me to quite the degree I had hoped it would (my expectations were running EXTREMELY high; I wanted it to be flawless), I cannot help but admire all involved for taking such a gutsy approach with such an unlikely project: not only does the film turn Frodo Baggins (Elijah Wood) into a mentally deranged killer, but it does so with plenty of style and an eagerness to offend. Director Franck Khalfoun (P2) certainly goes all out to shock, using a POV technique that allows the viewer to 'become' the maniac (a risky move that positively invites criticism from the pro-censorship lobby) while having his star perform some unspeakably vile acts that, although unlikely to do lasting damage to Wood's career, probably won't impress the majority of his female admirers very much.
Rather unsurprisingly, my main issues with the film do not stem from the excessively brutal violence and misogyny—I actually would have liked it to have been even more mean-spirited (they should definitely have squeezed in a shotgun blast to the head to keep fans of the original happy). Where I found myself struggling the most was with Nora Arnezeder as Anna, the girl who befriends Frank, who I found to be rather irritating (she's no Caroline Munro, that's for sure!), and the clumsy handling of the scene in which Anna realises that her new friend is the killer, the girl coming to her shocking conclusion far too easily thereby robbing a pivotal moment of much of its tension.
That said, I still consider Maniac to be one of the more impressive horror remakes of the past few years, a beautifully shot, impeccably scored, and undeniably unsettling study of a deeply disturbed individual that should be welcomed by anyone who enjoys their cinema to take a few risks.
- BA_Harrison
- May 2, 2013
- Permalink
Rubbish
Almost brilliant.
This movie deserves a decent review just because of the cinematography. It truly felt as if you were seeing from his eyes. I'm not quite sure how they did it, but it looked amazing seeing Franks reflection in mirrors with no camera to be seen, especially when the shot pans away to something else. As for the narrative, my title says it all. I'm not quite sure what the film was missing. The POV perspective was interesting. It makes you feel as if you're trapped in the character's body, as he seems to be trapped in it in a weird way. It feels like he doesn't want to be doing the things he does, and the first person perspective really enhances that. I felt that parts of the movie were amazing. My problem was that during parts of the murder scenes, the film lost it's intelligence, and just felt like another slasher movie. The main character is clearly a deeply disturbed man, and the psychological angle to the film was excellent. But the murder scenes felt like they just added in random crap to make it creepier. And at parts it focused to much on gore. Overall, I'd say this was a good movie. It did a few things wrong, and there's just something about it that I can't really put my finger on as to what was wrong with it. If there had been a few changes, I think this movie could have been an easy 10/10. But lastly, Elijah Wood can really do a creepy character well.
- lt-dan-zsu
- Jul 26, 2014
- Permalink
A staggeringly powerful horror film, one that stays with the viewer for quite some time.
- NicolasHunter500
- Nov 19, 2012
- Permalink