The Maniac (Blu-ray)

Wooowww!!! How in the hell did I sleep on this one for so many years? I recently picked up a copy of the 2012 remake of the cult classic 1980 slasher Maniac, and decided to actually pull it out and watch rather than allow it to languish in the backlog for another decade. I’m glad I did! This was an unnerving, super gnarly, all around excellent slasher experience. I loved how they filmed it from the pseudo first person perspective, with the incredibly creepy Elijah Wood making appearances primarily through reflections and while performing certain actions... it was a clever gimmick and well executed. The soundtrack was fantastic as well, synth driven and pulsing, adding to the 80’s throwback atmosphere while not literally being an 80’s set feature. Another highlight was the kills, and while they weren’t particularly special in staging or uniqueness, due to the first person perspective they felt up close and personal, a little extra vicious, and very, very authentic. I thought that they all had much more impact than the average slasher kill. I have never seen the original, so I can’t make any comparisons, but I absolutely loved Maniac! How did you all like this one? How about compared to the original? Is this a decent remake by your reckoning? Let’s chat below!