Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Graphic
- gritty
- paranoid
- campy
- late night horror marathon
- cult movie night
What critics said
Critics broadly found the film formulaic and underwritten, though later genre audiences have embraced its goofy premise, gore, and cult exploitation appeal.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
City Hall attempts to suppress the escalating murders, making institutional concealment central to the investigation.
The murders unfold on New York City streets, emphasizing the late-1980s exploitation tradition of dangerous metropolitan spaces.
The killer is a uniformed police officer, weaponizing public trust and police power against innocent people.
Jack Forrest is arrested as the chief suspect after being set up by the real killer and a mysterious caller.
Films like Maniac Cop, and why
The Prowler
urban slasher horror with a masked or imposing killer, graphic violence, and exploitation-film energy
Maniac
1980s slasher conventions, mystery investigation, and heightened low-budget horror spectacle
The New York Ripper
police-centered crime horror, grimy New York atmosphere, and cult exploitation sensibility
The Hidden
supernatural-tinged serial-killer mythology, police investigation, and graphic genre violence
Movie Details
- Director
- William Lustig
- Release Date
- 1988-05-13
- Runtime
- 85 min
- Rating
- 6.1 / 10 (553)
Cast
- Tom Atkins
- Bruce Campbell
- Laurene Landon
- Richard Roundtree
- William Smith
- Robert Z'Dar
- Sheree North
- Nina Arvesen
- Nick Barbaro
- Lou Bonacki
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Amazon Prime Video, Philo, AMC Plus Apple TV channel, AMC+ Amazon Channel, AMC+, Criterion Channel, Shudder, Shudder Amazon Channel, Fandor Amazon Channel, Screambox Amazon Channel, Shudder Apple TV channel, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, Troma NOW, Midnight Pulp Amazon Channel, Cineverse Amazon Channel
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Maniac Cop about?
- A framed young officer and a determined detective race through New York’s institutional shadows to expose a murderous cop before the killings continue.
- What is Maniac Cop like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Maniac Cop as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Maniac Cop violent?
- Yes. Ember rates the violence in Maniac Cop as graphic.
- What did critics think of Maniac Cop?
- Critics broadly found the film formulaic and underwritten, though later genre audiences have embraced its goofy premise, gore, and cult exploitation appeal.
- Which films are like Maniac Cop?
- Films with a similar feel include The Prowler, Maniac, The New York Ripper, and The Hidden.
- How long is Maniac Cop?
- Maniac Cop runs 85 minutes.
- Where can I watch Maniac Cop?
- In United States, Maniac Cop streams on Amazon Prime Video, Philo, AMC Plus Apple TV channel, AMC+ Amazon Channel, AMC+, Criterion Channel, Shudder, Shudder Amazon Channel, Fandor Amazon Channel, Screambox Amazon Channel, Shudder Apple TV channel, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, Troma NOW, Midnight Pulp Amazon Channel, Cineverse Amazon Channel.
