Maniac (2012)

As I was planning out my movies for the weekend, I decided to find something darker and more violent to follow last night’s journey into the supernatural. While those movies can be hit or miss, there are some that come out and leave an imprint. That was the case for the original version of Maniac, which came out early in my youth. The question is, will the 2012 interpretation do the same thing?

Plot/ 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 Frank is the withdrawn owner of a mannequin store, but his life changes when young artist Anna appears asking for his help with her new exhibition.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.

I was not sure what I should expect from this remake. The original from 1980 was a solid movie, and too many times, the modern versions fail to come close to capturing what the original film accomplished. In this case, this may have actually created the same type of lasting impression of the original. Dark and incoherent, this one may take you deeper into the mind of a maniac, shooting the majority of the flick from his perspective. The acting, especially Elijah Wood, is amazing, the visuals are spot on, the effects are good and the overall feel of the movie does not disappoint. Yes, there are some slow parts, and some of the storyline is choppy, but all-in-all, these flaws do not detract from the flick. In the end, this is definitely one of the better remakes to come out in some time, and a flick that definitely takes you on a downward spiral into some dark places. Check it out!