Maniac Cop

For some reason there is just something oddly entertaining about "Maniac Cop". And I do believe it is based on the fact that I used to have this movie on VHS back in the day when it was released, and I do have fond memories of it being a fairly good movie back then.

Then I got a chance to revisit Matt Cordell and the rest of the people in "Maniac Cop" in 2017. And my fond memories of the movie were slowly starting to vaporize into mist. The movie is quite campy and cheesy actually, and it really had that late 1980's and early 1990's horror movie feel to it.

The story in "Maniac Cop" is quite straight forward and very easy to keep up with. A deranged killer is stalking the innocent people on the streets of New York. And as the death toll rise, police officer Jack Forrest finds himself arrested for a murder he didn't commit. Determined to bring the real perpetrator to justice, Jack seeks out to track down the killer.

"Maniac Cop" is labeled as an action/crime/horror, so it spans over a wide array of genres with very different contents. And to some extend it does deliver on these accounts. The action, well it was there, just don't expect it to be anything grand or jaw-dropping. The crime, well that was actually the focal point of the movie. The horror, again not overwhelmingly a factor for the movie. It wasn't even scary back in 1988.

This movie actually has some interesting enough actors and actresses on the cast list. Most memorable for me was Bruce Campbell, of course, and it is still a wonderful treat to watch him in this movie. However, it should be said that Tom Atkins was also good in this movie, and he is one of those faces that you instantly recognize and remember from that era. And then there is also Robert Z'Dar who brought life to Matt Cordell, and he was nicely cast for the role.

All in all, then "Maniac Cop" is a mediocre movie, but still proves to be entertaining and watchable given how cheesy and campy it actually is. And true to the horror movies of the late 1980's, the ending was just quite predictable, and of course laid grounds for a potential sequel.

"Maniac Cop" is not an overly impressive movie if you sit down to watch it today and compare it to the movies readily available and released today, especially so if you weren't already familiar with the movie from back in the day.

'Maniac Cop' is the most enjoyable of William Lustig's movies for me. If I was being objective I'd have to admit that it's stupid trash, but I love it just the same, and never tire of watching it. The team of Lustig ('Maniac', 'Vigilante') as director and the legendary Larry Cohen ('Q', 'The Stuff') as writer really worked well here. Each sequel is slightly worse than the one before - though still entertaining enough - and their latter day attempt to start a similar franchise with the overlooked 'Uncle Sam' wasn't as successful, though that movie was a lot of fun for me. Facially challenged b-grade regular Robert Z'Dar ('Cherry 2000', 'Tango And Cash') "stars" as Matt Cordell the Maniac Cop, but the real drawing card here are cult favourites Tom Atkins ('The Fog', 'Escape From New York') and Bruce Campbell ('Evil Dead', 'Crimewave'), who are both always cool to watch. The supporting cast includes the legendary William Smith ('Run, Angel, Run', 'The Ultimate Warrior'), original Shaft Richard Roundtree, and Laurene Landon and Frank Pesce, both regulars of Lustig and/or Cohen. Lustig himself pops up in a cameo, as does his Uncle 'Raging Bull' Jake LaMotta, director pal Sam Raimi, and the ubiquitous 'Buck' Flower. I love 'Maniac Cop', an 80s trash classic that I enjoy every time I watch it. Highly recommended fun!

I have to admit that I was pleasantly surprised with 'Maniac cop'. Having seen the posters and video years and years ago and heard it mentioned numerous time, I finally got around to, ahem, 'acquiring' it for myself. First off the setting and pace of the film are spot on and fit perfectly into the horror genre so prevalent in the late 80s. This film is really a blend of cop and horror genres and scores well on both counts. There is ample gore and some genuinely chilling scenes which are well backed up by sturdy performances from genre favourites Bruce Campbell, Tom Atkins and even 'Shaft' himself - Richard Roundtree. I recognised many of the other actors from other 80s films like the sleazy mayor, crippled policewoman and others and this all helps the film along. Make no mistake about it, this film still packs a punch, despite the somewhat jokey killings and the air of invulnerability of the eponymous 'Maniac' is reminiscent of 'Manhunter' and especially 'The Hitcher'. If you love 80s trash films then this is a real treat.

7 out of 10 - very enjoyable.

This movie is almost completely incredible. The first twenty minutes or so are incredible, with tons of killings. Then, as the plot unfolds, the film turns into more of a detective story, and it loses a little of its punch. BUT, there are glimmers of B movie greatness that make this worth checking out. I viewed it as a William Lustig film, and as a Lustig film, this one lacks a little bit of his signature extremism. 6/10

When I saw this movie on the market I thought 'what the hell' and bought it. I was so surprised by this movie that now i'm on the search for the sequels. The storyline is good and the action with the horror is great. Watch out for 'Tango and Cash' big jawed baddie Robert Z'Dar and surprise cameos from Sam Raimi and Boxing champ JAKE LaMOTTA. There are loads of killings, plenty of low-budget action and another SURPRISE moment involving Tom Atkins. Don't miss this before you die or go blind. 9 out of 10.