Director: Franck Khalfoun
MPAA Rating: NR
Film Pulse Score: 7/10
When the original Maniac was unleashed into the world in 1980, viewers were met with a grimy brutality that was seldom seen in films before it. The low budget look and great makeup effects by Tom Savini made it easily one of the most unnerving films of the time, and watching it today it’s easy to see why it became something of a cult classic. Trying to recapture this in a remake was certainly a tall order, however director Franck Khalfoun and writer/producer Alexandre Aja succeeded in nearly every aspect.
This Maniac is not the same as that Maniac. It shares the key elements from the original, but differs in style. This actually works to the remake’s benefit, as it doesn’t feel like a cheap moneymaker; it stands on its own. For those that haven’t seen the original, they can easily dive into this one and appreciate it on the same level as those who have. The broad strokes are here with the film focusing on the killer, Frank (Elijah Wood), rather than the victims, and the majority of the film is exploring what makes this man do the things he does.
The most overt change is that this film gets inside the killer’s head way more literally than in the original, meaning the movie is done entirely from his point of view. Making an entire movie a POV shot is a risky venture, and while some may find it gimmicky, it actually works in this case. The film is as much about the psychology of this man as it is about the violent acts he’s committing, so it seems fitting that the viewer experiences the world through his eyes. The really interesting thing, is that the camera pulls away from him every time he murders someone, almost as if he’s having an out of body experience. This worked not only to reinforce Frank’s insanity, but to also give the viewer a nice shot of the carnage that was taking place.
Though this is a much glossier film than the original, it pertains to visual quality only. The kills in this film are much more horrific and brutal and the effects look even more real. From the opening scene involving a woman having a knife shoved through her jaw before being scalped, we know we’re in for a hell of a ride. CG is used very sparingly, and most of the effects are practical, which only add to the realism of the violence that’s transpiring before our eyes. This isn’t the fun kind of horror violence; this is the cringe-worthy uncomfortable kind that we simply don’t see a lot of in horror movies these days.
Elijah Wood being cast as Frank was certainly an interesting choice as well, especially since he seems like the polar opposite of Joe Spinell, who played Frank in the original. This was another gamble that paid off, as Wood brings a soft kind of psychosis to the table here. He’s likable and doesn’t seem threatening, the perfect guise for a crazed killer.
Maniac is one of those few horror titles to come out every year that attempts to do something new and break away from the formulaic humdrum slashers that we’re all used to. With its distinct visuals and gruesome, nasty, violence, this is one of the best horror films of the year.
