Saturday 6 September 2014

Review: Maniac (2012)

Maniac
IMDB rate: 6,1
Genre: Serial Killer

I've wanted to watch this movie for quite some time already, but I never got around watching it. By coincidence I stumbled across it on Netflix which made my decide to finally watch it. I'm not really sure what made me wanted to see this movie, but I think that seeing Elijah Wood playing a psycho might be interesting. Also, the thing with the mannequins was very freaky so I thought it might be an interesting movie.

The movie I watched is a remake of the 1980's version of Maniac and according to many people the original is a lot better compared with the remake. I haven't seen it yet, but I think it might give it a shot sometime soon.


Just when the streets seemed safe, a serial killer with a fetish for scalps is back and on the hunt. Frank is the withdrawn owner of a mannequin store, but his life changes when young artist Anna appears asking for his help with her new exhibition. As their friendship develops and Frank's obsession escalates, it becomes clear that she has unleashed a long-repressed compulsion to stalk and kill.

Although I liked the idea of a mannequin store owner with some weird fetishes and mommy issues, I wasn't much of a fan of this movie. The movie was very slow and just not very interesting. The guy had an obsession and starts killing pretty much right at the start of the movie, he develops another obsession with a girl who he really seems to like and although I wanted him to succeed somehow with gaining a relationship with this woman, you immediately know that she would find out somehow about what he does and things would get messed up. You just knew that there wouldn't be any hope for every good thing that happened with her.

I think that this character had a lot in common with Buffalo Bill from Silence of the Lambs and I thought it was very suiting to hear Goodbye Horses from Q Lazzarus in a scene. But all the music in this movie is very fitting, it's pretty dark and somewhat sinister. The camera perspective is what I think was most outstanding in this movie, although I wasn't a fan of it. It's a bit of a first person perspective, meaning you saw everything out of Elijah Wood's characters eyes. It was pretty annoying and eventually you only see Elijah Wood a couple of times when he looks inside the mirror. Or when the movie seems to mess up the perspective and looks at him from a different angle (this actually happens a couple of times, weirdly enough).


We know Elijah Wood especially from his role as Frodo from Lord of the Rings of course, which might make you question if he would be able to pull off a maniac role. Personally, I was sure he would be good in such a role. I think this is especially because of his small role in Sin City. It's also a bit of a freaky role, and he pulled that one off amazingly. The moments we actually did see him in Maniac he performed very good. Other than that, when we only heard his voice it sounded believable too.

The way the movie is made is great. Good music and great acting. I think it's was especially the point of view that made me not like this movie as much, also the storyline development was very slow and predictable. Other than that, it is somewhat interesting, although I expected more from it.

My personal rate: 6/10

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