Maniacts (2001)

User Rating:

5.3/10   

Directors:

Curt Cressler
C.W. Cressler

Writer (WGA):

C.W. Cressler (written by)

Genre:

Action | Comedy | Drama | Horror | Romance

Tagline:

Just two crazy kids in love...

Plot:

Two serial killers meet and fall in love in an asylum for the criminally insane. Upon escaping their corrupt captors...

Plot Keywords:

Serial Killer | Skull Crushing | Queen Elizabeth II | Mental Hospital

Cast

Jeff Fahey	...	Joe Spinelli
Kellie Waymire	...	Beth Windsor
John Furlong	...	Prometheus J. Boley
Mel Winkler	...	Mason
Leslie Easterbrook	...	Matron Knull
Jeremiah Birkett	...	Jumpy (as Jeremiah W. Birkett)
Vincent Guastaferro	...	Tapeman
Bob Bancroft	...	Dr. Denton Speck
Simon Brooke	...	Carp
Bob Koherr	...	Bull
Christopher Maleki	...	Simon Burke (as Chris Maleki)
Robyn Reede	...	Therapist
Marion Ramsey	...	Hooker
Anthony Dilio	...	Esai (as Dilio)
John Patrick Patti	...	D.A. Ben Rogers

Also Known As:

ManiaX (USA) (working title)

MPAA:

Rated R for violence/gore and language.

Runtime:

USA:92 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

USA:R

Filming Locations:

Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA

Company:

Meat and Potatoes

Quotes:

Gang Girl: I want to hear you scream.
Beth Windsor: [quietly, sarcastically] Ouch.

Fun, if flawed comic serial killer love story

I've seen this neat, underrated film a couple of times now and though not as good as it could be, it's still a heck of a good time. The plot has two serial killers falling in love in a wildly corrupt insane asylum and then going on the run. Its a good set up and could have been brilliant, especially given the ace performances of the two leads. Jeff Fahey plays it deadpan, slow but witty and is balanced perfectly by Kellie Waymire going for buoyant and bouncy in a really sweet, sympathetic way, even when violently offing people. She really throws herself into the role and it works, and it doesn't hurt that Kellie Waymire was a real pretty, perky looking lady (tragically she died at 36). The film is fast paced and nicely directed, with C.W. Cressler showing a lot of style when violent action is going down and keeping a good off kilter mood in between. The script is full of memorable and funny lines, making the leads really stand out and impress and giving them a crackers sort of likability. The film isn't perfect though, for the film is so focused on the two leads that the world around them isn't so convincing. The institute where they begin is caricatured to the point of inanity, it just doesn't work too well because it isn't believable. Most of the staff are monsters, the staff is ludicrously small for such a big place and the security is ludicrous. The rest of the plotting and characterisation seems to be contrived to get the leads from A to B and if inspected closely, many cracks appear. Still, its a really fun ride while it lasts, with a lot of laughs and romance and a few bits of pretty entertaining gore. Worth a watch but not one to think too deeply about afterwards.