This is probably why people don’t trust the police. Well maybe not the sole reason, but then again this little kick ass slasher/horror movie certainly made some people paranoid about a renegade maniac cop on the loose, taking the law into his super strong hands. It’s a perfect slasher film that is fun as hell to watch especially when you stars like Bruce Campbell, Tom Atkins and the prolific Robert Z’Dar.
A maniacal murderer is stalking New York City cops in this urban crime thriller. Jack Forrest (Bruce Campbell) is suspected of being the killer until Lieutenant McCrae (Tom Atkins) is found dead. Jack takes over the case after McCrae’s death with help from undercover cop and sweetheart Theresa (Laurene Landon). Commissioner Pike (Richard Roundtree) is under fire to solve the case as more men in blue meet their maker much too soon. ~ Dan Pavlides, Rovi
The movie is a pretty by the numbers slasher film, with some undertones of raging against the establishment so to speak with a maniac cop killer on the loose. He uses that false sense of security people has when cops are around to commit his felonious acts, all the while getting the citizens of New York to turn on the cops at some points in the movie. Never trust the man!
Maniac Cop is pretty damn entertaining when you are just wanting to see some hammy acting, a script that is made all the better with the cast, and great slasher kills. We are talking about people just being manhandled and mutilated by Robert Z’Dar as he goes about town killing everyone. It’s not much of a spoiler cause frankly, who else would Robert Z’Dar play in a movie. He is always typecasted as the villains, henchman, slasher, murderer, or anything else where you need a menacing figure. He does his job very well to say the least as his character just becomes the imposing killer of the film. It’s also cool to see Bruce Campbell in a non-Ash role. Still though, Tom Atkins baby, steals the movie for me for the brief time he is in this. If you didn’t see my review on Night of the Creeps, then you are missing out on some prime time action from Atkins.
I still think this movie holds up after its initial release as the gritty look of the movie makes the action and kills seem a little bit more intense, but also because they just don’t make movies like this anymore. Let me take that back for a second, they ended up making like 3 additional sequels, but the idea of the movie they don’t really make anymore in the slasher genre. Pure schlock, but also a lot of fun to watch. Certainly a must see for the action and acting alone.
