Review: The Sleazy Thrills of 'Maniac Cop 2' Hit 4K Blu-ray
There's a certain energy exuded from the films of William Lustig. They often tend to be dopey fun and relatively slack in the story department, but they're often way more polished, thrilling, and dangerous than the films made by Lustig's peers in the 1980s. Case in point is Lustig's 1990 sequel "Maniac Cop 2." The film makes no concessions about the kind of sleazy thrills it provides, and it's bolstered by a slew of great performances from trustworthy character actors. Moreover, the anger and fury brought out by Robert Z'Dar's titular maniac cop is often Lustig and writer Larry Cohen's way of exemplifying the rage and paranoia inherent in the NYPD's many travails. It all adds up to something that absolutely should not work as well as it should, yet it does.
Blue Underground brings "Maniac Cop 2" to 4K Blu-ray with a 4K restoration from the original camera negative, plus Dolby Vision HDR and Dolby Atmos audio. The result is another incredible showcase for Blue Underground's commitment to showing genre gems in the highest fidelity possible. While the ramshackle budget of "Maniac Cop 2" is definitely more apparent, given the uptick in resolution, that does nothing to mar the film's harebrained thrills. As for special features, all supplements have been carried over from the previous Blu-ray release. While there's nothing new on that front, fans of "Maniac Cop 2" are sure to enjoy the new 4K presentation.
Officer Matt Cordell (Robert Z'Dar) is back from the dead, and stalking the streets of New York City once more. Lieutenant Sean McKinney (Robert Davi) and Officer Susan Riley (Claudia Christian) are on the case, and will do everything within their power to stop this undead cop's reign of terror. But when McKinney discovers the true nature of Cordell's murder in prison, he sets out to make it right in the hopes that Cordell will be satisfied and return to his grave forever.
"Maniac Cop 2" is almost purely a vehicle for various scenes of slaughter. But when you think Lustig will cut away from the violence, he keeps the camera focused on all the talented people carrying out these high-wire stunts. People get lit on fire, eviscerated, thrown on things, and suffer a variety of other killing methods. Coupled with the equally silly script, this creates an almost-perfect formula for genre thrills.
Blue Underground has once again released a terrific 4K Blu-ray edition with "Maniac Cop 2," and I'm certain that fans of the film will find much to love in the new presentation. The addition of Dolby Atmos HDR adds rewarding depth to an already-stellar 4K restoration.
Special features include:
• Audio Commentary with director William Lustig and filmmaker Nicolas Winding Refn
• "Back on the Beat - The Making Of Maniac Cop 2"
• Cinefamily Q&A with Director William Lustig
• Deleted Scene
• Theatrical Trailers
• Poster & Still Gallery
• Isolated Music Track
"Maniac Cop 2" is now available on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray and Blu-ray from Blue Underground.
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