Maniac Cop 2 is by no means great, but still has some entertainment value with some decent stunt work even if the story doesn’t make a whole lot of sense.
Maniac Cop 2
(1990)
Genre(s): Horror, Fantasy
Blue Underground | R – 87 min. – $49.95 | November 16, 2021
Date Published: 11/23/2021 | Author: The Movieman
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Blue Underground provided me with a free copy of the Blu-ray I reviewed in this Blog Post.
The opinions I share are my own.
Note: The screen captures were taken from the included Blu-ray disc.
THE MOVIE — 3/5 |
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Plot Synopsis: The “Maniac Cop” (ROBERT Z’DAR) is back from the dead and stalking the streets of New York once more. Officer Matt Cordell was once a hero, but after being framed by corrupt superiors and brutally assaulted in prison, he sets out on a macabre mission of vengeance, teaming up with a vicious serial killer to track down those that wronged him and make them pay… with their lives! Quick Hit Review: Maniac Cop 2 is a cheesy B-monster movie that doesn’t always click and does drag a bit and really doesn’t make a whole lot of sense even with a supernatural element thrown into the mix. Still, some of the action wasn’t half bad including a finale that was pretty damn incredible and almost makes up for some of the film’s shortcomings. It’s also fairly impressive as a man is fully lit on fire as he exacts revenge on those who wronged him; knowing this was all practical makes it all the more fun to watch. |
SPECIAL FEATURES – 4/5 |
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This release comes with a title-embossed slip cover. Audio Commentary – Producer/Director William Lustig and Filmmaker Nicolas Winding Refn (Drive) as they discuss Maniac Cop 2 and all of its intricacies, problems and other tid-bits. Nothing outstanding but it’s an enjoyable track nonetheless. (Also on 4K UHD disc) Back on the Beat: The Making of Maniac Cop 2 (46:52) is an extensive behind-the-scenes retrospective, produced by Blue Underground, including new interviews with the people involved (director William Lustig, writer Larry Cohen, actors Robert Davi and Claudia Christian, et al) in the project. There aren’t many new movies which get this kind of treatment… Cinefamily Q&A with Director William Lustig (28:36) – Filmed at some small theater, fans of Maniac Cop 2 asked questions of Lustig following a screening. Lustig for his part provides some interesting and compelling stories. Deleted Scene (1:31) is a throwaway scene with newscast interviews. Also included at four Theatrical Trailers (International, UK, French, German) and a Poster and Still Gallery. |
VIDEO – 4½/5 |
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Maniac Cop 2 is presented in the original 1.85 widescreen aspect ratio and with a 2160p high-definition transfer which was a 4K scan from the original camera negative, which was supervised by director of photography James Lemmo. The picture here looks good, detail is sharp and it does appear the natural film grain is intact. Colors are well balanced, nothing overly vibrant which is in keeping with the darker nature of the story though some parts shine through. |
AUDIO – 4½/5 |
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The Blu-ray from 2013 came with a DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 track which has been upgraded to Dolby Atmos. Honestly, the original track already sounded quite good and this one pretty much is on par if only a tad better. Dialogue comes across with good clarity and there is some fair depth although I really didn’t notice the LFE channel kicking on all that much. |
OVERALL — 3½/5 |
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Overall, Maniac Cop 2 is by no means great, but still has some entertainment value with some decent stunt work even if the story doesn’t make a whole lot of sense. As for this release by Blue Underground, the audio and video transfers are both well done and there’s a fair amount of bonus features although all were ported over from the previous Blu-ray release. |