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Category:    Home > Reviews > Horror > Slasher > 2001 Maniacs (2005/Lionsgate Blu-ray)

2001 Maniacs (2005/Lionsgate Blu-ray)

Picture: C+    Sound: C+    Extras: B-    Film: C


Here we have 2001 Maniacs - Tim Sullivan's remake of the original Two Thousand Maniacs! from 1964.  That after only six years, this new film already feels more dated than the one made by H.G. Lewis nearly 50 years ago, speaks volumes of its poor construction.

The story follows three separate groups of people who follow a detour into the town of Pleasant Valley, Georgia, where they are then seduced and slaughtered in several ghoulish set pieces.  The gore effects are somewhat creative, and are at least well done - providing about the only reason to sit through this film in its entirety.

It isn't even that all the elements of the film are so terribly bad.  The plot is certainly no worse than other movies of its type, and it worked well enough for the original.  Having Robert Englund on hand is a plus, and as stated, the gore proves to be not all that bad.  It ends up boiling down to painfully stupid dialogue and the repetitiveness of the gags.  As with its recent sequel, the movie tries way too hard to be funny, and ends up falling flat on its face - over, and over.

Video quality is decent, but for being a high def. release, it doesn't seem all that much improved over a DVD.  The image is presented in 1080p and is anamorphically enhanced with a 1.78:1 aspect ratio.  Sound seems to be a little subpar, but is free of the problems I had with the audio recording that is on the sequel, Field of Screams.  It is presented in both 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio.

Bonus content includes two audio commentary tracks, a making-of featurette, and deleted scenes, but there wasn't much to hold my interest in these extras.

2001 Maniacs is a movie that is ultimately just too average, too plain.  It left me indifferent, and while I didn't detest it, I expect more from a horror film than what it has to offer.  With so many other movies of this type out there, I don't see it being worth the while of most audiences to spend time checking out this one, unless they are so compelled to see every last one of its kind.

I would highly recommend checking out the original and then feel out if you'd want to proceed from there.  Hopefully we are soon treated to a Blu-ray of that film as well, as it is far more deserving of the upgrade.


 David Milchick


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