Maniac Cop 2 (1990) User Reviews

Maniac Cop is back on the beat!

[lost-in-limbo · 7/10 · 10 June 2006]

The film starts off with a recap of what happened at the end of the original Maniac Cop and this leads to the police force believing that Matt Cordell drowned and his body got washed away. Well, they are wrong as he is back on the streets of New York doing what he does best, by seeking revenge on his fellow officers, unexpected citizens and on those crooked authorities who framed him. But his not alone on this crusade, as he's joined by a jolly serial killer. So, it's up to detective Sean McKinney and police psychologist Susan Riley to put a stop to this macabre madness.

"Maniac Cop 2" is a pearler of a trashy sequel that's just as dark and entertaining like its predecessor… maybe more so. Although, I probably like the original a tad more. But what makes this one a little more exciting is that it goes for more expansive and quite highly energetic action set-pieces. They seem to up the ante and nihilistic violence within each scene that follows in such a rapid pace. We can thank this winning formula to the pairing up again of director William Lustig and writer / producer Larry Cohen who did a really fine job on "Maniac Cop". The story by Cohen treads the same path as the original, but gladly along the way it adds in some refreshing developments to make it stick out from a usual carbon-copy sequel. He puts forward a lot of the focus on the mysterious back-story and the motive behind all of this chaos that leads Cordell doing bad deeds and taking the criminals' side. Also evident in the script is plenty of black humour and sardonic wit that mixes well with the grungy and dry dialogues. Just like the first there is also a social commentary lurking about on how corrupt and weak the decaying justice system is and the foolishness of these higher superiors, but all of that is overshadowed by its exuberant and quite meaty stunts. And of course it seems to play the terror of this novel idea more for fun and it works out for that reason alone.

Obviously that's the reason for Cordell getting himself a partner. Quite an eccentric and clingy, non-stop chatterer was this serial killer who was played superbly by Leo Rossi. Compared with the silent, brute sized zombie figure of Matt Cordell that emitted such an eerie tone played by the dominating presence of Robert Z'Dar. They were definitely the odd couple! Robert Davi paints an convincing performance as the hard-ass detective Sean McKinney who's on the trail of Cordell and Claudia Christian is equally good as police psychologist Susan Riley. Bruce Campbell and Laurene Landon feature again from the first flick to come up with rather small roles on this outing. Michael Lerner is excellent as the slimy Commissioner Edward Doyle and there's some quick scenes with Charles Napier, Sam Raimi and Danny Trejo.

Director Lustig manages to grab you with some well set-up explosive thrills (like the terminator style slaughter of a police station) and he makes the most out of the very grimy and atmospheric backdrop of New York. The seedy night scenes really creep up on you with what's lurking in the shadows and the lighting composition is handled very well. When the film what's to be creepy the score ranges from a chillingly, whisper with the odd chant and whistling tune, but when it kicks into gear so does the score with an thumping and quite jarring arrangement. It's not a particularly gory film, but there's a big body count and the deaths are extremely violent. The makeup effects are quite superior with Cordell's face looking horrendously, hideous and that's a good thing as he looks dead. In all it mostly delivers on the very important staples that's makes this trash enjoyable.

This is one amusing sequel that's nearly as good as the original and benefits from keeping the same tone if only going one step bigger in the energy levels.

Enjoyable sequel with some stunning set pieces

[HaemovoreRex · 7/10 · 12 July 2006]

Hulking, undead officer Matt Cordell (Robert D'Zar) returns from his apparent watery grave to wreck yet more carnage in this entertaining sequel to the 1988 film.

Whilst in my opinion not quite on par with the original, this one nonetheless certainly ups the action sequences. Of special mention there is a truly superbly staged assault on a police station when Cordell crashes in (literally!) to liberate a deranged serial killer whom he has formed an acquaintanceship with. This scene easily surpasses the very similar sequence from The Terminator when big Arnie performs his own inimitable attack on the police station in that movie.

The spectacular finale here too set a new stunt record for the longest full body burning and it is truly a sight to behold!

It's watchable but is less engaging

[breakdownthatfilm-blogspot-com · 6/10 · 12 May 2016]

Slasher / horror films throughout the 1980s were a big thing in its time. Many popular icons arose from that decade of which many still resonate with fans today. Several moviegoers remember the mainstream villains but there are also groups of people that remember the lesser known ones too. Of those, William Lustig's Maniac Cop (1988) was one of them. Although the concept itself borrowed ideas from past films like Halloween (1978), the idea of having a killer cop on the streets causing hysteria among the citizens of the local police force was rather inventive. The premise of corrupt cops has long been used before in movies, but an undead cop was another story. The other component that made it captivating to watch was that it played out like a mystery thriller. The maniac cop wasn't actually figured out until much later in the movie, which helped build tension to the reveal. And like any other successful movie opening, a franchise was created. Let's see how it holds up.

Larry Cohen (the writer from the original) pens the continuation of the story. William Lustig also returns in the director's chair, yet there are noticeable problems, this time a little more than the first. As it was revealed at the ending of the first movie, Matt Cordell, the maniac cop (Robert Z'Dar) is alive and returns to exact his mission. The only people who still believe he's around are the cop from past events Jack Forrest (Bruce Campbell) and Teresa Mallory (Laurene Landon). Unconvinced of what they say, their captain, Edward Doyle (Michael Lerner) sends them to cop psychiatrist Susan Riley (Claudia Christian). Instead, Forrest and Mallory work to persuade Riley that Cordell exists. The only other person to think their actually telling the truth once he starts to see the puzzle pieces align is Detective Sean McKinney (Robert Davi). This is fine for a premise, but as soon as this is set up Lustig and Cohen add extra unnecessary elements.

Cohen and Lustig's biggest mistake was mixing in an assistant to the maniac cop. Leo Rossi plays a serial killer named Turkell and he ends up teaming up with Cordell; to a point where he can communicate with him (via one-sided conversation). This would have been much more entertaining if Rossi wasn't so over the top in his performance. There's actually more focus put on Turkell than Cordell at certain points. This movie is called Maniac Cop 2 (1990) right? Also at one point, Turkell asks Cordell about his past and viewers are given the exact same flashback from the original Maniac Cop (1988) film. Even another jail mate named Blum (Clarence Williams III) joins Turkell and Cordell, but has very little significance. This is all just padding, it's not story telling. Lastly, there's a rushed subplot about some inside conspiracy dealing with Cordell and his death. The problem is that it comes from nowhere so abruptly; it's confusing as to why Cohen didn't mention it in the original movie script.

Among these problems, everything else is commendable. The cast can all act well together. Bruce Campbell and Laurene Landon are still believable in their roles, Robert Davi and Claudia Christian make nice additions and there are a number of other actors that have small roles. Charles Napier, Danny Trejo, Marco Rodriguez and even Sam Raimi make quick appearances and it's enjoyable to see that. Robert Z'Dar as the title character continues to intimidate with his stature and presence. It's still confusing as to why nobody ever thinks of shooting Cordell in the face though. Everyone aims for the abdomen; not the face, why? For violence, nothing is seriously gore heavy but there are still some good kills. There's even a scene with a chain saw that may catch people off guard due to what's expected. One thing's for sure, the maniac cop loves snapping necks. Cordell's face is much more hideous this time too. There was only one scene though where it looked like a cheap mask.

For cinematography, James Lemmo handled the camera-work. Lemmo was also the cinematographer to director Abel Ferrara's Ms. 45 (1981), Fear City (1984) and also to the original Maniac Cop (1988). Like the first movie however, there are very few (if any) daylight scenes. It's fine to show night time, but it gets a bit difficult to see things when everything is shrouded in the dark city. Nonetheless the camera is always steady and gets what it needs to show. Jay Chattaway returns as well to compose the film score. Much like his previous effort in the franchise, Chattaway thankfully maintains the main theme of the series with synth keyboard and drawn out ominous horns. There are added themes though, which may not have been crucial to include. This involves a church-like choir in the background for some tracks. Yeah, there's always that idea that putting in holy or childlike songs in a minor key sounds creepy but it makes the film feel like it was supposed to have a religious tone. Not sure.

Casting, music and violence all make this sequel watchable. It is disappointing however when majority of the original crew members return and shift the focus from the title character to some other forgettable over the top one. There's also a rushed subplot about Cordell's case and it gets wedged in way too quickly. Still decent though.

Superb, fast paced sequel!

[ChoiBaby · 26 December 1998]

Maniac Cop 2 happens to belong to a small, dying breed of sequels which are far superior to their predecessors! Maniac Cop 2 reunites several of the original Maniac Cop cast members including Bruce "Evil Dead" Campbell, Laurene Landon, and Robert Z'Dar as the main title character.

Officer Matt Cordell, a.k.a. the notorious Maniac Cop (Z'Dar) is back from the dead. His primary targets are Campbell and Landon, two police officers who have thwarted the Maniac Cop's quest for revenge earlier. The Maniac Cop shows no mercy as he dispatches a good number of unfortunate victims who stand in his path of death and destruction...

No one believes the story of the Maniac Cop, except for Detective Sean McKinney (played by a woefully charming Robert Davi). McKinney is the only other Police Detective willing to go into the case of the "Maniac Cop." However, as Cordell continues to remain impervious to bullets and gunfire, his wraith only continues to grow...

Maniac Cop 2 is a superb, fast paced sequel with great car crashes and plenty of intensive action sequences! The shoot-out at the police station is a highlight with lots of mayhem and the climax at Sing Sing is undoubtedly exciting and nail-biting.

The biggest fault with Maniac Cop 2 is the lack of cynicism which helped boost Maniac Cop as a respectable thriller. Still, the rapid fire action in Maniac Cop 2 more than compensates for a dearth of originality or satirism. Maniac Cop 2 is fun, exhilarating, and well paced. A film worth seeing, if you can find it.

RATING: **1/2 out of ****.

A worthy, sleazy sequel...

[MetalGeek · 7/10 · 26 October 2010]

William Lustig's "Maniac Cop 2" is a rare thing - a sequel that surpasses its original. Granted, the original "Maniac Cop" wasn't exactly Shakespeare (though it is a hell of fun trashy B-Movie) so that probably wasn't very hard to do. This direct-to-video follow up still holds up well as one of the better B-films of the early 90s.

We all know the story of how dedicated NYPD officer Matt Cordell became the Maniac Cop after being framed by his superiors and sent off to prison as part of a corruption cover-up. His vengeance against those who wronged him served as the plot of the first film, and as "2" opens, the horribly scarred, hulking Cordell still has a few loose ends to tie up. Bruce Campbell and Laurene Landon return briefly from the first film though neither of them survives very long, and new characters are brought in to deal with the psychotic officer: grizzled NYPD detective Robert D'avi (of the James Bond flick "License to Kill") and police psychologist Claudia Christian (who went on to "Babylon 5" as well as lots of other genre TV/film). The ante is upped this time because the Maniac Cop has hooked up with a partner for this second installment (Leo Rossi of "Halloween II" fame), a serial killer who's been stalking strippers and prostitutes on New York's seedy streets. Cordell shoots up NYPD Headquarters in a hilariously over the top shootout/massacre that simply has to be seen to be believed before he and Rossi (along with a few other criminals freed from police custody) head for the prison where Cordell first met his fate, to take care of the inmates there who were responsible for his beating/coma/"death" in part 1.

OK, so the plot is ridiculous and was probably written on a cocktail napkin. That doesn't take away from the fact that "Maniac Cop 2" works beautifully both as an action flick and a horror/slasher movie. Lustig puts the pedal to the medal virtually from the first scene and doesn't let up through one bloodbath after another. Car crashes, shootouts, throat impalings, explosions -- whatever your taste in carnage, "Maniac Cop 2" will have a scene that satisfies.

The (slightly) larger budget when compared to the first "MC" go-round allows for nastier makeup on the Cordell character (who by this time is basically a hulking, undead Jason Voorhees type in a cop uniform), better set pieces, and improved stunts and pyrotechnics. Say what you want about "Maniac Cop 2," but you can't say it's a boring movie.

Fans of the "MC" series have long acknowledged that this second film is the highlight of the series. Sadly, the only DVD available in the U.S. went out of print almost as quickly as it appeared (and it was in fullscreen besides -- arrrgh!) but if you can get hold of a copy, "Maniac Cop 2" is a worthy night's viewing for action freaks and fans of cop-related carnage.

Good fun, just like the first movie.

[Boba_Fett1138 · 7/10 · 13 February 2010]

Even though this movie is not as great as the first movie, that got released 2 years earlier, it still is a more than worthy sequel that is simply good fun to watch.

The story is not as solid and tense or mysterious as the movie. In the first movie it's still being kept somewhat of a mystery who or what the killer exactly is. In this movie that of course is not the case anymore. It sort of gives the Cordell character even more room to just randomly kill a whole bunch of people, though his anger gets still aimed toward the police force.

But they even threw in another serial killer this time. Guess it's not entirely necessary but it at the same time also prevents the movie from being a typical slasher flick with a standard story.

It's a direct sequel to the first movie and it basically takes place the next day or so after the events of the first movie. It also features Bruce Campbell and Laurene Landon, who were the main leads in the previous movie. The leads in this movie are however still being played by some different actors, I guess to avoid to making this movie a rehash of the first one. Robert Davi and Claudia Christian are the new leads this time. Of course Robert Z'Dar is also back again as Matt Cordell. He's still an awesome main villain. It is true though that Robert Davi and Claudia Christian get somewhat pushed to the background, due to the movie its focus. So the movie is perhaps lacking a good real main 'hero'.

It's not really necessary to watch the first movie. This movie on its one can be perfectly watched as a stand-alone one, also not in the least due to the extensive use of flashback sequences, containing scenes from the first movie, explaining all of the events prior to what happened in this movie its story and even explains Cordell history pretty much all over again.

Bascily what makes this movie mostly so perfectly watchable is the fact that it's being fun. It's not as serious as the standard slasher-flick and it also features some good action once more, which was one of the most surprising things about the first movie as well. It's also directed by the same director, William Lustig, again, who also went on and direct the third movie in the series.

A good and fun sequel to the great first movie!

7/10

http://bobafett1138.blogspot.com/

Passable second sequel with the giant killer cop carrying out an extreme criminal spree

[ma-cortes · 5/10 · 27 September 2018]

A really violent terror action movie about an undead NY police officer proceeding a killing spree . Acceptable followup set in New York about the huge supernatural police man , Matt Cordell, Robert ZDar, who joins forces with another murderer , Leo Rossi, executing various grisly killings. As they go on murdering innocent people on the streets of New York City . At the same time, Cordell executes a relentless vendetta against the nasty criminals who attacked him in prison.There's a monster-like on the loose on the streets of NY and a Police Inspector, Robert Davi, and the police psychiatrist , Claudia Christian , set out in chasing him at whatever cost .

This B movie contains shocks , violence , horror , chills , high body-count and a lot of blood and guts . This is a grim, gory, and disturbing slasher sleace thriller with action-packed, entertainment and amusement .Although may be a little bit cheesy , the movie is full of action , including car chases, pursuits and car leaps. Highlights of the movie are the creepy and eerie appearances by the terrible police officer who pulls off astonishing murders , including slashing and bloody shots in cold blood . Stars Robert ZDar who played the Maniac cop actually worked as a cop . Here Laurene Landon and Bruce Campbell have secondary intervention , in fact Bruce admitted that he only played the movie because he needed money as well as work , and that the picture was not any good .The original film was directed by William Lusting with Bruce Campbell, Laurene Landon , Tom Atkins. This second one was as worthy successor to the superior original and it also has a fine cast as Robert Davi, Leo Rossi , Claudia Christian , Charles Napier ,Michael Lerner , Paula Trickey, Clarence Williams III, among others. And Maniac cop 3 Badge of silence , this third one was a regrettably average entry in the series and also directed by William Lusting with Robert Davi , Paul Gleason, Doug Savant , Robert Foster, Julius Harris. And in production Maniac cop 2018 written by Larry Cohen . I recommended the movie Bruce Campbell fans and people who enjoy low budget pictures .

The motion picture written by Larry Cohen was professionally directed by William Lusting, the film is dedicated to the memory of Joe Spinell , Lusting's friend. This was the first of various cinematic collaborations with fellow maverick independient director Larry Cohen . Lusting is a craftsman who has written , produced and directed violent thrillers as Hit list, Vigilante , Relentless, Maniac cop series and his greatest success Maniac with Joe Spinell . Rating 5.5 out of 10. Acceptable and passable . The flick will appeal to action fans and thriller enthusiasts.

Great combo of action and horror

[Leofwine_draca · 7/10 · 24 August 2016]

After a brief recap of the events in the previous movie, William Lustig's MANIAC COP 2 offers much more of the same violence and mayhem, albeit glossier and slightly less dark than in the original film. In fact this is one of Lustig's most impressive-looking and pacy movies, blessed with a wealth of violent mayhem right from the offset which is a lot more entertaining than many of the so-called slasher movies being released at the time. Gore, explosions, naked strippers, shootings, and an ensemble cast help to make this film the best in the short-lived series and a solid entry for genre fans. Okay, so the story is predictable and barely links together a string of set-pieces, and said set-pieces are also familiar (the police station massacre is almost a direct reprisal from the first movie, but with better action), but it's all done with style thanks to Lustig and is never less than watchable.

Three actors reprise their roles from the original movie: first up is the hulking Robert Z'Dar as the madman of the title, looking more zombie-like than ever this time around - he might as well be Jason (from one of the later Friday the 13th movies) in a uniform. Also back are Bruce Campbell (the ever-great genre stalwart) and Laurene Landon, the two survivors of the original movie. The new "hero" this time is Robert Davi, as a tough (nothing new there) good guy for a change, with female support from Claudia Christian as a police psychologist. Michael Lerner offers strong support as Davi's corrupt boss and there are minor roles for Charles Napier, Danny Trejo (before he achieved "fame" as the vampiric bartender in FROM DUSK TILL DAWN) and even Sam Raimi, in a cameo as a reporter. Also pretty good is Leo Rossi, playing the depraved serial killer Turkell, although his character is more stupid than scary.

The acting is strong enough to carry the film throughout and even in some of the weaker moments, you always know there's going to be a shooting, a car-chase, or a fight in a few moments to relieve the tension. All of the action is well-crafted and prolific, making this movie of an action film than a horror when it comes down to it. Particularly good is the finale, a pyromaniac's dream which makes excellent use of a couple of fire-proof suits as the burning Cordell goes on a rampage of revenge against the prisoners who originally killed him in the shower all those years back. Never have burning people looked so good. Then there's an explosive conclusion, although Lustig can't resist to put in a jokey and rather predictable epilogue which promises more mayhem from the uniformed zombie. MANIAC COP 2 - perfect fare for an action/horror junkie with undemanding tastes, and one of Lustig's best.

Enjoyable B-movie fun.

[paulclaassen · 4/10 · 3 July 2018]

I enjoyed this much more than anticipated, although there are plenty of plot flaws and the Maniac Cop is somewhat passive, leaving much of the killing to a serial killer whom he befriends for whatever reason. Some of the action scenes were great, as well as the climax. A typical B-Movie.

Skippable sequel - a warm up for the superior third outing

[Groverdox · 5/10 · 3 December 2018]

"Maniac Cop 2" is a fairly lucklustre cross between a slasher and an action flick.

The first one was mostly forgettable, but did have an atmosphere, a memorable villain, and the presence of Bruce Campbell.

This sequel is muddled. Campbell is offed almost immediately, and the movie seems unsure about whether the hero is a psychologist lady or Robert Davi.

As a slasher, or a horror movie, it's not scary in the least, and none of the death scenes are memorable. It confuses the issue by having Cordell, the villain played by the legendary Robert Z'Dar, start helping as well as killing. He feels more like a vigilante than a villain, and his quest for revenge against the guys who slashed his face up (with the footage reused in this sequel) is understandable, not fearsome.

As an action movie, it has nothing of note.

The third Maniac Cop is by far the best. This was kind of a warm up for that one, I guess. Davi is properly established as the hero, and the movie works as an action pic. If you want to watch the Maniac Cop series, you could skip this one, and you wouldn't miss out on much.

Great sequel

[Rautus · 10/10 · 19 April 2007]

The first Maniac Cop was a great horror/ thriller about a super cop that was wrongfully in prisoned and was killed by the men he put away but then came to life again as a crazy Maniac Cop killing for revenge. The sequel begins where the first finished with Matt being impaled in the van and falling in the water. It's now Chirstmas time and Matt's still alive.

Jack Forrest has cleared his name and is on the force again with his girlfriend Teresa Mallory who helped him in the first, but they still need to see a police shrink has they still believe that Matt Cordell is still alive.

After having a small argument about whether Matt is still roaming the streets Teresa walks off leaving Jack with the shrink. That night Jack goes off to buy a newspaper when Matt Cordell shows up and kills him.

Det. Sean McKinney Shows Teresa Jack's body and knows who killed him, she has an encounter with Maniac Cop with a car chase, she then confronts him with a Chainsaw but he overpowers her and kills her.

Matt then teams up with another killer and them the two start a plan to enter the prison and recruit an army of criminals to take over the streets but McKinney knows how to stop Matt and that is to prove his innocence for being arrested all those years ago.

Proving that the Maniac Cop is innocent he goes and kills the inmates that killed him then throws himself and the killer out of the prison wall.

Maniac Cop 2 is a great sequel to the first Maniac Cop and has more action to it. 10/10

There's a little piece of Cordell in every cop

[sol-kay · 7/10 · 14 December 2005]

**SPOILERS** More violent then the original "Maniac Cop" with a far higher body count "Maniac Cop II" starts where it's predecessor left off with Matt Cordell,Robert Z'Dar, crashing into the East River on a hijacked police patty-wagon and being according to the official police report swept out to sea, we could only hope.

Out of the night this giant killer policeman is back but this time to take care of some unfinished business, and loose ends, from the first "Maniac Cop" film. Cordell goes on a rampage killing a number of nightclub strippers and exotic dancers and setting up this holdup man,Marco Rodriguez,to be gunned down by the police. Cordell also goes as far as hanging a very eager and gleeful traffic cop,Angel Salazan, who ended up getting hooked on to his own tow-truck and towed away. Cordell then finishes off the two cops who did him, or tried to, in officers Forrest & Mallory, Bruce Campball & Laurene Landon. All this within the first half hour of the movie. Cordell want's justice in his own warped and twisted way and that's to have his name cleared and those in the police department and NYC political hierarchy who set him up and had him convicted and sent to Sing Sing to be brought before the bar of justice.

It's hard to be critical of the rampaging "Maniac Cop" Matt Cordell since he does have a reason for his actions even though a lot of the people that he murders in the film had nothing to do with his being sent to prison an innocent man. The movie brings out, unlike the first "Maniac Cop", that Cordell was getting too close to exposing, like another Frank Serpico, corruption in the police and Mayors office. It's then when those in power framed him and even got a number of Sing Sing convicts to try to murder Cordell in prison.

Having Det. McKinney and police psychiatrist Susan Riley, Robert Davi & Claudia Chrishan, put on the case they soon begin to realize why their superiors, from Asst. Police Commissioner Doyle (Michael Lerner) on down, want to keep the lid on the Matt Cordell case and his possible innocence! They were the ones who framed him. Shrewdly getting sexual pervert Steve Turkell ,Leo Rossi, whom Cordell rescued from the police to go along with his plan in high-jacking a police prison bus. The bus with death-row inmate Blum, Clarence Williams III,as a passenger together with the kidnapped officer Riley Cordell sets off for Sing Sing Prison after Cordell massacred almost everyone in New York's Police One Plaza headquarters. This is Cordell's plan to finally settle the score and get things right about himself and the snow-job that was perpetrated on him by those from high above.

Really wild final with Cordell, with the help of Det. McKinney, getting a scared to death and repented Police Commissioner Doyle to not only have his conviction overturned but have him admit in public that he, not Cordell, was responsible for all the crimes that Cordell was convicted of. Meanwhile inside the prison the vengeful and destructive Matt Cordell went back into "Maniac Cop" mode going after those who mutilated his face and tried to slash him to death while he was imprisoned there. Cordell really let it all hang out with an explosive rage that set the screen, and Cordell and his prison tormentors, on fire.

Offers way more than is to be expected of a sequel to an 80's slasher

[tomgillespie2002 · 5/10 · 26 September 2017]

Picking up immediately where the events of the first film left us, Maniac Cop 2 is one of those rare examples of a sequel surpassing its predecessor in almost every way. Of course, this is hardly The Godfather Part II or Toy Story 2, but, with an increased budget and B-movie maestro Larry Cohen back on writing duties, director William Lustig pulls out all the stops to deliver a hugely entertaining, if formulaic, slasher follow-up. Jack (Bruce Campbell) and Teresa (Laurene Landon) are also back, although they don't last very long, as we are replayed the climax of Maniac Cop, where the seemingly bullet-proof psychopathic ex-cop Matt Cordell (Robert Z'Dar) was last seen in the driver's seat of a van heading straight into the sea.

Naturally, Cordell's body is nowhere to be found and he is soon spreading terror once again across New York City, gunning down an innocent convenience store clerk who was in the process of being robbed. Deputy Police Commissioner Edward Doyle (Michael Lerner) doesn't believe Jack and Teresa's wild claims of the disgraced and heavily-scarred former officer returning from the dead, until they are both brutally murdered and the body count starts to rise once again. Enter tough, chain-smoking detective Sean McKinney (Robert Davi), who is currently undergoing psychiatric evaluation by Susan Riley (Claudia Christian) following the suspicious death of a criminal he was hunting. Meanwhile, serial killer Steven Turkell (Leo Rossi) is murdering strippers. His path soon crosses with the vengeful Cordell, and the two become unlikely roommates.

Maniac Cop 2 offers little in the way of originality. If you've ever seen a slasher film, then you'll likely be able to guess most of what happens next in the story, although it does throw in the surprise of killing off its previous two main characters without batting an eyelid. What it does offer, however, is a number of memorable set-pieces, including a woman handcuffed to the wheel of a moving car whilst she is outside of it, and a pretty astonishing climax involving a prison rampage and a full body burn, which looks as though it must have been tricky to film. Larry Cohen also writes the characters with his trademark quirkiness, with Lerner in particular appearing to be having a blast, and Davi providing a more compelling leading man than Campbell. There is still no explanation to what exactly granted Cordell his superhuman powers, but we are given more insight into his background, despite his rather odd friendship with a scumbag you expect to see hacked apart within seconds of appearing on screen. Maniac Cop 2 offers way more than is expected of a sequel to an 80's slasher.

Exploitation legends William Lustig (director) and Larry Cohen (writer/producer) team up once again for this better than you'd expect sequel to the b-grade classic 'Maniac Cop'.

[Infofreak · 17 April 2004]

I'm a big fan of the first 'Maniac Cop' movie, which has one of THE great exploitation taglines - "You have the right to remain silent. Forever." Once again director William Lustig ('Maniac', 'Vigilante') and writer/producer Larry Cohen ('God Told Me To', 'Q The Winged Serpent') team up for this better than you'd expect sequel. Robert Z'Dar reprises his role as Matt Cordell the "maniac cop", but like the original the supporting cast steals the movie from him, and in this case are the main reason to tune in. B-grade legend Bruce Campbell and Cohen regular Laurene Landon from the first movie put in an appearance, but the rest of the cast is new - Robert Davi (Bond baddie in 'License To Kill'), and Claudia Christian (then best remembered for her bit in 'The Hidden', now for her recurring role in 'Babylon 5') as cops, and Leo Rossi ('The Accused') as a creepy serial killer who befriends Cordell. Michael Lerner ('Barton Fink') plays the Commissioner, Charles Napier ('Supervixens') a TV host and Clarence Williams III ('52 Pick-Up') a prisoner. Also keep an eye out for cameos by Lustig's pal Sam Raimi and Hispanic tough guy Danny Trejo ('From Dusk Til Dawn'). Many people, including William Lustig himself, think 'Maniac Cop 2' is the best in the series, but I still prefer the original. This one's still great fun to watch and I highly recommended it to exploitation fans. The third movie in the series however was a major disappointment. You'd be better off skipping it and watching Lustig and Cohen's overlooked 'Uncle Sam' instead. It isn't their best work but it's a lot of fun.

Solidly entertaining.

[Hey_Sweden · 7/10 · 5 December 2013]

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.

Probably my favourite of the trilogy

[hellholehorror · 7/10 · 5 October 2017]

This just keeps the story alive with more action and more violence. This time the maniac cop teams up with a mass murderer to continue a path of revenge. The best bits are of the maniac cop on fire for ages doing battle with prison inmates. There was another good sequence with a bus driving really fast smashing into cars as it travelled across town. The overall tone was relatively harmless and not stylish enough to be memorable. Never particularly boring and not especially exciting. Just exactly what you would expect from the sequel to Maniac Cop (1988) - more of the same! Probably my favourite of the trilogy.

To serve and to protect...hmmmm

[Coventry · 5/10 · 20 August 2003]

WARNING: The following review contains SPOILERS!!! Not only for Maniac Cop 2 but also a bit for the original from 1988.

Other than most horror villains, I think Matt Cordell a.k.a Maniac Cop had a good reason to come back and avenge himself in this sequel. In the first Maniac Cop was explained how he once was a honorable police man but he got set up by some of the most respected citizens in town like the mayor and even his own corpse chef. He nearly got killed in prison and that's why the terrorized the streets. Bruce Campbell beat him but of course he wasn't dead. In this sequel Matt Cordell comes back to clear his name and to kill as much people as possible...starting with the ones who caught him the last time. Meanwhile, the city is also threatened by a serial killer who slaughters stripper girls. He and Maniac Cop find each other and become sort of friends. Detective McKinney has taken over now and he hunts both of them down. But he keeps in mind to do more than just kill Matt this time... The best things about the original things are gone...the surprise effect, the cruel violence and especially Tom Atkins and Bruce Campbell. Bruce does appear for a while but it just ain't the same. I'm not at all speaking bad about Robert Davi ( the new lead character ) because he's a very underrated B-actor as well...he just isn't Bruce Campbell or Tom Atkins. Furthermore, the good team has remained. Director William Lustig and writer Larry Cohen did a great effort to make a worthy sequel to their surprising original. I suggest you watch them in a row, because your memory on the first has to be pretty fresh. The third one can easily be skipped, though.

The storyline for this picture is very entertaining for a sequel and delivers a very similar feel to the first film

[kevin_robbins · 7/10 · 10 May 2021]

Maniac Cop 2 (1990) is available for free on Tubi and picks up where Maniac Cop left off with Cordell still being alive and he immediately reignites his killing spree. A "renegade" police officer who is a bit of a vigilant reluctantly pursues Cordell because he doesn't believe it's really him. This movie is directed by William Lustig (Maniac) and stars Robert Davi (The Goonies), Claudia Christian (Half Past Dead) and Robert Z'Dar (Tango & Cash). The storyline for this picture is very entertaining for a sequel and delivers a very similar feel to the first film. The action scenes are solid and the characters on both sides are fun to follow. This isn't quite as good as the first film, primarily because Bruce Campbell is awesome and at times Davi was annoying, but you still find yourself glued to the film. Overall this is far from perfect but a must watch film for horror enthusiasts. I'd score this a solid 6-6.5/10.

Poor Sequel

[JoeB131 · 3/10 · 14 June 2021]

This movie takes up directly after the first movie, forgetting that St. Patrick's Day and Christmas are not next to each other. Bruce Campbell and the female lead from the last movie somehow survive the last movie, only to be killed in the beginning of this one, totally taking away any value of the happy ending of the last one.

So for some reason, Robert Z'Dar's Discount Jason in a Cop's Uniform (Hasn't aged well in the BLM era) is still out killing people. The problem is, we never get an idea of why he's killing people. He's supposedly killing for revenge for his wrongful conviction, but he's killing random people and random police officers. For reason.

This movie does have Babylon 5's Claudia Christian and Robert Davi as a police officer investigating the killer cop. Discount Jason teams up with a serial killer, before they team up to stage an attack on the prison where the Maniac Cop was originally murdered.

Davi stops him by getting the people who framed him to confess, and DIscount Jason gets a funeral with honors despite all the people he killed in the last two movies.

As far as Sequels Go, It's Solid

[TwistedContent · 6/10 · 26 September 2021]

The first mayhem run of maniac cop wasn't exactly great, but I still remember it, years down the line. I had very low expectations going into this one, and it turned out quite surprisingly fun! It's a self-serious slasher flick with some cool set pieces, awesome stunt work, good performances and general pacing. For those familiar with William Lustig - this movie might as well been called "Maniac vs. Maniac Cop".

We all know that at the end of a slasher movie, the unfound, assumed dead, killer is just hiding, taking his time to recuperate , you know, for the sequel. More or less, such is the story, Maniac Cop was wronged in his previous life, and he's back to continue doing his brutal bidding. Don't get me wrong, it actually picks up where the first installment left it, not like most slasher sequel examples. The film offers new protagonists, the no-nonsense low-voiced Detective Sean McKinney, and craving-for-truth police psychotherapist Susan Riley, hunting down the menacing Matt Cordell, or Maniac Cop, who has teamed up with Times Square Serial Killer, or a near carbon copy of Joe Spinell's insanely murderous main character in Lustig's 1980's "Maniac". What follows is reasonably predictable, but decently paced plot, kept consistently engaging with action set pieces, and throwback crime flick atmosphere, as if popped in the vhs player.

If it survives development hell, I hope Nicolas Winding Refn's remake brings to the table an upgraded version, also plot-wise, because there's potential in the concept, and it wouldn't be enough with just loads of violence. 6/10.

Terrible sequel

[izzypito · 1/10 · 2 September 2020]

They clearly had no idea what to do with this sequel because they used two scenes from the first movie to ad time to the movie. The plot was so stupid and didn't start making sense until the end. The revenge in the beginning made sense, but then why didn't the maniac cop go straight to the prison after that?? Horrible movie!!

Faintly demented, solid second movie in an impressive series...

[Zombified_660 · 8/10 · 7 July 2005]

Let's get the obvious comparison section of this review out of the way. Is Maniac Cop 2 as good as the original Maniac Cop? Well, no. But it's damn close. And in Terminator 2 fashion, while it's not quite as good, it adds a lot of fun extras to the Maniac Cop pie. In fact Maniac Cop 2 while not being quite as exciting or fresh as the first movie, adds a whole demented spin to things that is wonderful to behold.

Vicious zombie psychopath Matt Cordell is back, he's bigger, he's a lot scarier looking on account of a short sojourn at the bottom of the New York river, and man is he mad. Starting his vendetta anew with a few random victims and the man who put him in the river in the first place, Jack Forrest (played for an alarmingly short period of time by an earnest and confident Bruce Campbell, as in the original film).

Maniac Cop 2 plays up the 'unstoppable zombie SOB' element of the original, turning Cordell into a Voorhees style proper zombie cop as opposed to the disfigured mute from the original, but it works well, given that he's spent a fair while at the bottom of a river, he would have decomposed a bit, and given the increased action quotient of this addition to the series, it makes sense to have him more openly horrifying as he has to spend a lot of time on screen. Given that the scar make-up in the first movie was by all accounts only really good looking from a distance (a fact Lustig knew and exploited by avoiding having his face on screen until right at the end of the movie) this new, more zombified Cordell is a welcome addition.

Again, the movie is also convincingly tense and gritty, often wringing genuine shocks out of you, despite it's restraint and relative lack of gore. That said, Maniac Cop 2 is much more violent than Maniac Cop. The latter half of the movie has one of the most exciting and brutal shoot-outs I've seen in a western film, with Cordell tearing through an entire police station's worth of fellow officers. The increased violence could well be a turn off for those who enjoyed the almost bloodless original, but it sits well with the movie's 'bigger, harder, faster' ethos, and doesn't wreck the atmosphere.

The plot of this first sequel is pretty bonkers. The cast are as convincing as the original cast, and the hangover of Bruce Campbell and Larene Landon from the original movie (though for god's sake don't get attached to them as otherwise you may get really upset by the film, as they don't last too long if you know what I mean) makes the film feel like easing into a nice pair of old slippers. New additions Robert Davi and Claudia Christian are both amiable and fun to watch, both making interesting new leads. The plot line, involving Cordell's return from the supposed grave and eventual team-up with a religious lunatic killer to storm the jail he was convicted in, rips along at an awesome pace, never dragging, making the original seem quite slow and thoughtful in comparison.

If I have any minor criticisms of this movie, it's only that at times some of it seemed a little too over the top to take entirely seriously. While the original was quite Hitchcockian, and more of a whodunnit style plot, this is a slasher flick, albeit a clever one with a fast-pace and impeccable set pieces. While the original would appeal to a variety of audiences, this is an out and out horror movie, and as such would probably only appeal to horror fans and fans of the original Maniac Cop.

That said, this is a damn fine horror movie, and still knocks almost everything else in the genre I've seen in the last four or five months into a cocked hat. A great movie in it's own right, and a worthy addition to the series.

Almost two for the price of one ....

[merklekranz · 7/10 · 23 March 2020]

Double the pleasurable horror, with a nice rehash of "Maniac Cop", and how things got to the starting point of "Maniac Cop 2." There certainly is no shortage of excitement in this movie, with more than just the usual car chases, wrecks, and explosions. Everything about the stunt work and special effects is top notch. The Maniac Cop, Cordell, is a somewhat sympathetic character, despite his overwhelming propensity for violence and gore. This is one of the fastest moving films you will ever see, with little time to recover between Cordell's acts of vengeance. Still it is more a horror movie than anything, and requires the correct audience for full appreciation. Robert Davi, Michael Lerner, and Charles Napier in a smaller role were all top notch. Recommended of it's type. - MERK

There's only that much difference between a cop and a maniac cop...

[paul_haakonsen · 4/10 · 5 May 2017]

I have managed to sit through all three of the "Maniac Cop" movies, despite the fact that the first one was actually just a mediocre movie. But I did remember the first movie fondly from my teenage years, but having returned to the series as an adult, the sparkle has faded and the reality has set in.

"Maniac Cop 2" continues right where the first movie left off, and that is good, because it establishes a great sense of continuation to the movie. However, that was essentially all it had. "Maniac Cop 2" turned out to be even more mundane and boring than the first movie.

The storyline in "Maniac Cop 2" was just downright, and pardon my French here, ridiculous. It was so difficult to take the story serious, and I really wonder what had been going through the mind of writer Larry Cohen when he constructed the script for this sequel. Was it perhaps "let's take everything that part one didn't have, but make it worse"?

If you grew up with watching movies during the 1980s and 1990s, then there are some pretty familiar faces on the cast list, which includes Charles Napier, Robert Davi and, of course, Robert Z'Dar as Matt Cordell. It was also nice to see Bruce Campbell return to the movie, although I was quite surprised with his minor role that he had here.

The effects in "Maniac Cop 2" were pretty bad, and they came off more as being laughable than believable. And it made Matt Cordell look more like a hilarious low-budget puppet than it made him look like a mutilated police officer.

"Maniac Cop 2" pretty much suffers from being a sequel as well, because it doesn't reach the first movie to even mid-level. And let's be honest, the first movie wasn't a masterpiece to begin with.

Matt Cordell manages to haul a mere less than mediocre rating of 4 out of 10 stars from me. And I doubt that I ever will make another return to revisit "Maniac Cop 2".