Maniacts is an odd little combination of just about every cinematic genre going. This action, horror, drama, comedy, thriller and (dare I mention the word) love story kicks off with the grisly discovery of the remains of the ‘Blue Blood’ killer’s victims, a serial killer named Joe (Jeff Fahey from the Lawnmower Man) who’s slaughter selection criteria is based on how wealthy and, ultimately, just how corrupt these fat cats are. Lawyers, doctors and, most deservedly, politicians all get the blue blood treatment ensuring a one-way ticket to the Edgemare institution for the criminally insane.
Once locked away from society, Joe begins to pull outrageously disruptive stunts to occupy his body and mind in an attempt to avoid going insane (which is rather an odd concept given his situation). After attracting all the wrong kind of attention from the cruel institute guards, he eventually finds solace in the company of Beth (Kellie Waymire who sadly died of a rare heart condition aged an unjust 36), a fellow serial killer who find’s his behaviour refreshing and the two become friends. But after all the trouble the two have caused over their time inside, the evil hospital matron (Leslie Easterbrook or ‘large breasted Sgt. Callahan’ of Police Academy fame) has plans to rid the place of the troublesome two before an official inspection brings the brass to town. When Joe escapes the clutches of the corrupt institute, he leaves poor Beth alone to face the twisted punishment of the matron. But freedom for Joe seem's void of pleasure without Beth and so he returns to the institute to free his sole mate.
In one of his strongest performances to date, Jeff Fahey's portrayal of the charmingly naive serial killer will have you feeling for his character in a way that just doesn't seem ethical given the malevolence this wide eyed killer has dealt. Joe's playful persona is clear as he attempts to pass the time with disturbing attention grabbers like crucifying himself against the wall of the hospital and slicing his stomach open with blood spraying amusement but Fahey keeps a subdued lid on his performance ensuring that, out of all the hospital residence, he is the one who appears to need help the most. Kellie Waymire's character is a different case all together with a disturbing darkness which, on occasions, penetrates through the smiles and playfulness and ends up with somebody winding up dead.
Speaking of dead things, some of the more tactile gru and gore sequences are very entertaining with several bloody moments to capture your primitive instinct including the fabulous death of Leslie Easterbrook's character at the hands of an out of control high pressure water hose and a head crushing scene that never shows the head but has pieces of brains and fleshy pulps falling all over psycho Beth's face. Lovely!
If you pause for a moment and consider the journey Maniacts takes you on, it becomes clear that you have moved perhaps only a few inches from where you started. Although the story contains distractions like death scenes, gun play and amusing character interaction, it never really has a strong direction and fails to satisfy when the rather bizarre ending rolls around. Thankfully though the visual entertainment is high enough to keep you fixed for the full hour and a half meaning that, ultimately, the love story between Joe and Beth is a short journey well worth taking.
