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Maniac (2012) - Franck Khalfoun

Maniac is a remake of the 80's cult classic. This one is brought to us from Alexandre Aja and Franck Khalfoun, the point of this remake is to make you feel like you are actually committing these crimes. An effect that works, really, really well. At times it's nauseating to watch. Elijah Wood does a masterful job of being extremely creepy. He does justice to the Frank Zito name. 

Frank Zito, is in mannequin restoration. He lives and works out of his family's shop in downtown Los Angeles. Zito has some extracurricular activities that include stalking young women, getting alone with them, then killing them. Ultimately, Frank would end up cutting the scalps off of these women and staples them to his personal collection of mannequins.

The movie delves deep into the mind of a psychotic. What would you expect from a movie that's exclusively shot from the killers perspective. The psychology behind the characters is all really well thought out. You get to see what makes a psycho killer like Frank Zito tick. It's a rare look into the brain of a killer. This movie explains a lot more of the Serial Killer mentality than Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer.

When I found out that Alexandre Aja was producing I knew that it would be a decent piece. Aja is responsible for movies like High Tension, The Hills Have Eyes, and P2. I knew that this remake was in good hands. Using Elijah Wood was a good choice too. He is on the cusp of indie cult actor so he fits really well.

I liked this movie about as much as you could like it. I don't think I will be viewing it again. However, I suggest this movie to people that want to see a little bit more. If you're tired of watching the same old, same old. Then this movie is for you. Just be warned... it's pretty graphic. 

"You are totally not what imagined."

  • The movie features the song "Good-bye Horses," by Q. Lazzarus. The song was also featured in The Silence of the Lambs, another movie about a serial killer who skinned people and had issues with his mother.  
  • We don't see Frank's face until 12 minutes into the film.
  • Body count: 9
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