Review of Maniac (2012) by Eytan D — 15 Oct 2013
Horror remakes are getting better each time. "Maniac" is next on the list. Compared to the gritty NYC slasher movie from 1980, this "Maniac" is much better. Are the kills brutal as hell? Absolutely.
They're painful to watch, but at the same time, they look great and ultra-realistic. Nora Arnezeder is a hugely likeable heroine. As for Elijah Wood, no one's going to think the same way about him again.
This performance is career-altering, shocking, and ultimately, a great surprise. Written by the terrific remake team of Alexandre Aja and Gregory Levasseur, "Maniac" creates a smart look at a serial killer by basing the movie completely through Frank's eyes, camera-wise and story-wise.
Some may find being in the place of the killer far more unsettling then the jaw-dropping kills, but basically, "Maniac" is certainly not for everyone. But for a guy who's seen the original, I can appreciate how ballsy, inventive, and truly disturbing this remake is.
It's a rare film that sticks loosely to the original, but tries some new things also and succeeds.
This review of Maniac (2012) was written by Eytan D on 15 Oct 2013.
Maniac has generally received mixed reviews.
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