#26 - Maniac (2012)
Elijah Wood stars as Frank, a mannequin-shop owner with some serious psychosexual issues. Most of the film is shot from a first-person perspective, meaning we get to look through Frank's eyes as he stalks and murders his victims. The effect is disturbing, both because of the viciousness of the violence and because Elijah Wood plays a really good creep. By putting us directly into Frank's head, we are allowed to hear his thoughts as he struggles with the killer inside him.
I've never seen the original Maniac, so I can't compare the two, but this film definitely has the look and feel of a sleazy 80's slasher. The soundtrack especially is incredible, with a synth score that would be right at home in an early Michael Mann film. The first-person view makes for lot of interesting shots, and despite the ugly violence, this is a pretty good looking film. The synth music combined with a vaguely 80's aesthetic reminds me of Drive is a lot of ways, although the similarities end there.
As far as creepy serial killer films go, this is a pretty good one. As far as psychological character studies go, this one isn't breaking any new ground, as Frank is basically just another Norman Bates clone. It does make for a pretty interesting take on the slasher genre, though, and I think horror fans will find a lot to like here. Recommended - check it out on Netflix.
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