MOVIE REVIEW: MANIAC

Elijah Wood steps into the role made iconic by Joe Spinell in this reboot of the 1980 cult classic featuring an artistic style that takes you into the killer's POV. When a mannequin store owner (Wood) meets an attractive artist (Megan Duffy), his psychotic impulses are awakened and soon he starts a murderous rampage across L.A. Piranha 3D's screenwriting duo of Alexandre Aja and Gregory Levasseur provide the script, with P2's Franck Khalfoun handling directing duties. ~ Jeremy Wheeler, Rovi

Director: Franck Khalfoun

Cast: Elijah Wood, Nora Arnezeder, Megan Duffy

Runtime: 89 min

Rating: Not Rated

Release Date: Jun 21, 2013

Genres: Horror

Review:

The original Maniac is one of those grindhouse nasties that really captured New York in the late 70’s early 80’s. It had a tangible sense of the grime and nastiness wrapped in its cheap yet disturbing dissection of a serial killer. I’d never say it’s a classic but it’s one of the better grindhouse films from that era. The remake, stylishly directed by Frank Khalfoun, is mesmerizing unsettling walk into the mind of a self loathing killer. Khalfoun’s decision to shoot the film from the killers POV works incredibly well. We hear his thoughts yet rarely see his face as he tracks his victims; the voyeuristic nature of it all is terribly unsettling. The kills themselves are incredibly gory and not for the squeamish at all. Elijah Wood is fully committed to the role even if it amounts to narration for the better part of the film. The film has a strong bit of polish but it does borrow heavily from horror classic but beats the mommy issues into the ground with its heavy handed approach. Some subtly would have worked in the film’s favor. Still it’s probably the most disturbing serial killer film I’ve seen since Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer.

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