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Maniac on the Loose (2008)



Maniac on
the Loose

 

When the short description of an independent horror film is something like, "Patient escapes from mental hospital; bad things happen," it may make you think you're in for a bad rip-off of Halloween.  While I'll admit that Maniac on the Loose is in some ways similar to Halloween, it is easily different enough to merit having been made.  The film looks very homemade and takes a while to get rolling, but once you get past the setup (which takes a while), the story is quite creative and takes several turns that I didn't see coming.  Steve Hudgins wrote, directed and was one of the lead actors in the film, but unlike many multitasking filmmakers who let each part suffer by trying to do everything themselves, Mr. Hudgins is actually one of the stronger actors in the film and still manages to direct the rest of the cast very well.  The story was quite a bit better than a lot of the crap that the major studios are releasing these days and I suspect that if this film had been made with the backing of a major studio, people would really be talking about it.   


The audio quality, acting, editing and even the gore were all pretty good for a no-budget film.  If you're not used to watching no-budget movies, it may be tough for you to get past the homemade look of Maniac on the Loose, but for those of you who are used to the quality of this kind of film, you'll most likely be impressed with what Mr. Hudgins has managed to pull together.  The movie isn't a gorefest, but there is enough gore to satisfy anyone interested in a bloody movie.  There is essentially no nudity (there is one scene with a little butt showing), so if you're looking for skin, look elsewhere.  To talk much about the plot would essentially ruin the movie, so I'll just say that the story is original and well thought out.

For a homemade, no-budget project, Maniac on the Loose is actually a pretty good film.  If you don't mind the homemade quality of the film, you should really check it out:

bigbitingpigproductions.com


Gore-o-meter rating: 3 out of 5
(There's a fair amount of gore)

Skin-o-meter: 0 out of 5 (no skin)