|
Written by Mandroid3000
|
|
MANIAC COP
**1/2 out of *****
Genres 1988
Directed by
William Lustig
Written by
Larry Cohen
Cast
Tom Atkins .... Frank McCrae
Bruce Campbell .... Jack Forrest
Laurene Landon .... Theresa Mallory
Richard Roundtree .... Commissioner Pike
William Smith .... Capt. Ripley
Robert Z'Dar .... Matt Cordell
Sheree North .... Sally Noland
Maniac Cop. What a title for a movie. It just states it right out there. Maniac Cop. Say it, it’s fun. I honestly enjoyed asking for it at the video store (it was in a special storage area for seldom-rented films). The title’s not just fun to say, it’s also a fair description of the movie. Unlike some movies with misleading titles (such as the ghostless Ghosts on the Loose) it does indeed have a maniac cop in it. It also stars Bruce Campbell, Tom Atkins, and Richard Roundtree. Throw in a script by Larry Cohen, and it’s a miracle how forgettable it is.
The Maniac Cop is stalking the streets of New York, killing innocent people. The public has grown afraid of the cops, and understandably the department wants to bring him down. But they arrest the wrong man. Cop Jack Forrest (Bruce Campbell) has been sneaking out at night to cheat on his wife with a fellow cop. When his wife catches him she pulls a gun and the cops are called. Jack doesn’t want to reveal the name of the cop he’s having an affair with (it’s Theresa Mallory played by Laurene Landon).
With no alibi he’s locked up. But Theresa knows the real killer is still loose, though initially no one else believes her. She sets out to clear Jack’s name and find the real killer. She soon finds an ally in fellow cop Frank McCrae (Tom Atkins) and they work out who the killer is. However, stopping the almost supernaturally strong Maniac Cop is another matter.
There is some cool stuff in this movie. One scene of a nervous motorist who’s pulled over by a cop and shoots him is brutal, and really works to underline the paranoia in the city. And there are some funny touches, such as one of the Maniac Cop’s victims who he drowned in wet cement whose corpse has to be jackhammered out the next day. Not to mention three damn cool actors.
But Bruce Campbell’s character is pretty far from Evil Dead’s Ash. He’s still likeable, but the role isn’t as exciting or iconic. Richard Roundtree’s (a.k.a. Shaft) role is pretty small. Tom Atkins had a decent role and is great to watch, as usual. But there’s a huge acting negative in Laurene Landon. She’s like a third-rate soap actress, and has hideous 80s big hair that seems more than a little out of place in a gritty NY cop thriller. Every time she tries to convince Commissioner Pike, or someone else, that Jack is innocent it’s pretty clear why they don’t believe her. Though she doesn’t say it, the dopey way she talks makes it sound like “That maniac cop is like totally groady. Jack is, like, so innocent. And Dakota is having an affair with Lord Bellamy.”
Still, this isn’t a groan-inducing bad movie. It kills 85 minutes easily enough. It’s just 85 minutes you’ll think about when you’re on your death bed and ask “What did I do with my life?”. Your loved ones will tell you that you watched Maniac Cop, you’ll shrug your shoulders and say “Maniac Cop. Great title for a movie” as you drift off into the Maniac Cop-less void.
Discuss this article on the forums. (0 posts) |
