Even though "Maniac Cop 2" can't quite measure up to its predecessor (at least in this viewers' humble opinion), it still shows its audience a pretty good time. It may lack the freshness of the first movie, but it delivers its seedy B movie thrills with great skill. It's extremely well paced and never, ever boring. It begins with a re-edited recap of the climax from "Maniac Cop" 1, and soon gets down to business with your standard-issue convenience store confrontation. The stunts are very impressive, and the cast is just littered with familiar faces, who approach Larry Cohens' story with square-jawed conviction.
Matt Cordell (Robert Z'Dar), naturally, has survived and goes on to commit a new series of murders. Following his trail are a detective played by a cooler-than-cool Robert Davi ("Licence to Kill") and a foxy police psychiatrist played by Claudia Christian ("The Hidden"). Also on the loose is a serial killer of strippers named Turkell. Turkell is a chatty, high energy guy who provides Cordell with a place to stay. The authorities, represented by Michael Lerners' police commissioner, still don't want the truth about Cordell to get out. And everything climaxes with an atmospheric showdown at Sing Sing, where Cordell had spent his jail time.
The cast also includes Clarence Williams III as an inmate facing death, Charles Napier as a talk show host, Robert Earl Jones (father of James Earl Jones) as a news vendor, Cohen repertory player James Dixon as a range officer, Danny Trejo in one of his frequent pre-stardom jailbird parts, Frank Pesce as a strip club MC, and Sam Raimi doing the cameo thing as a newscaster. Fans of "Maniac Cop" 1 will note with pleasure the presence of returnees Bruce Campbell and super sexy Laurene Landon, no matter if their characters are treated in a typical slasher sequel fashion. Rossi is the standout in a role that would have gone to Joe Spinell had Spinell not passed away. (The movie is dedicated to the late actor.)
The script, overall, isn't as good this time around, but William Lustigs' direction is energetic and his movie can boast two major highlights: a police station massacre that outdoes the similar scene in "The Terminator" for sheer viciousness, and a sequence with the imperiled Christian handcuffed to a runaway car. Location work - in Times Square and other places - is excellent. Cordell is even more of a zombie this time around and his makeup is appropriately more ghoulish.
A worthy viewing for horror and action fans.
Seven out of 10.
Matt Cordell (Robert Z'Dar), naturally, has survived and goes on to commit a new series of murders. Following his trail are a detective played by a cooler-than-cool Robert Davi ("Licence to Kill") and a foxy police psychiatrist played by Claudia Christian ("The Hidden"). Also on the loose is a serial killer of strippers named Turkell. Turkell is a chatty, high energy guy who provides Cordell with a place to stay. The authorities, represented by Michael Lerners' police commissioner, still don't want the truth about Cordell to get out. And everything climaxes with an atmospheric showdown at Sing Sing, where Cordell had spent his jail time.
The cast also includes Clarence Williams III as an inmate facing death, Charles Napier as a talk show host, Robert Earl Jones (father of James Earl Jones) as a news vendor, Cohen repertory player James Dixon as a range officer, Danny Trejo in one of his frequent pre-stardom jailbird parts, Frank Pesce as a strip club MC, and Sam Raimi doing the cameo thing as a newscaster. Fans of "Maniac Cop" 1 will note with pleasure the presence of returnees Bruce Campbell and super sexy Laurene Landon, no matter if their characters are treated in a typical slasher sequel fashion. Rossi is the standout in a role that would have gone to Joe Spinell had Spinell not passed away. (The movie is dedicated to the late actor.)
The script, overall, isn't as good this time around, but William Lustigs' direction is energetic and his movie can boast two major highlights: a police station massacre that outdoes the similar scene in "The Terminator" for sheer viciousness, and a sequence with the imperiled Christian handcuffed to a runaway car. Location work - in Times Square and other places - is excellent. Cordell is even more of a zombie this time around and his makeup is appropriately more ghoulish.
A worthy viewing for horror and action fans.
Seven out of 10.