Tubi : The Horror Movie Thread Review.

Tubi is a streaming service that is free for Playstation and X-Box One customers to use over their consoles. I also believe if you have a computer or phone you can download the app as well free to watch as well. The service is 2nd only to netflix in amount of content streaming its claimed and has support from A&E and other film companies that supply programming as well. To make a profit Tubi runs ads during the TV and films. (Like a Pluto TV).

But what sells Tubi is , the streaming site is basically a GRADE A+ horror film mecca it appears. There are tons of classic low budget horror films modern day audiences have forgotten. From Motel Hell to Attack of Killer Tomatoes ...it seems like Tubi has it. This thread will look at some of the fun horror films and give a brief review of it. The 1st film I started to watch for this review is....


[IMG]https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BMjdkMGU0ZjAtMTIzZC00YjlkLWExZjMtOGE4ZjQyMDFmNmZlXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMTQxNzMzNDI@._V1_.jpg[/IMG]

[B][U]Starring : Bruce Campbell , Michael Lerner , Claudia Christian , Robert Z'Dar and Clarence Williams III . [/U][/B]

Released in 1990 this is the follow up to the classic 1988 film that started the Maniac Cop series. Officer Matthew Cordell (Robert Z'Dar) was a good innocent cop who wrongfully was convicted and soon murdered by a corrupt police force in jail. His soul could not rest and he came back for vengeance to kill and hunt down the very police who did this.

The film quickly does a couple unique things for a sequel then in 1990. They show you the final part of the ending of the 1st film where Officer Jack W. Forrest, Jr. (Bruce Campbell) and Officer Theresa Mallory (Laurene London) manage to somehow beat the Maniac Cop (Cordell) on the pier. People believe this would be killer drowned but Mallory does not believe this to be true.

The next unique thing for this sequel is the film starts right off from the last one. There is no break ; its hours later and Maniac Cop returns and starts working his path through New York. Along the way Cordell murders a number of police officers and more on his mission to kill those corrupt responsible. A new Detective starts on the case like Sean McKinney (Robert Davi) and Officer Susan Riley (Claudia Christian).

The final unique thing is the stars of the 1st film Bruce Campbell and Laurene London are killed off near the start of this film by Cordell. In fact its a 1st where the horror film quickly takes a departure and establishes 2 new stars to take on this Maniac Cop. McKinney soon realizes just who exactly he's facing during the film and that its a cop back from the dead for revenge.

[B][U]
Why Is It Special ? : [/U][/B] The film directed by William Lustig (who did all 3) is his favorite in the series. The one he believes is the best in the series and remarked everyone was firing on all cylinders. A classic B-Grade horror film with lots of shocking murders and explosions.

The film is unique that it starred a number of stars who would go onto long careers in Hollywood. Claudia Christian in this appears as she would go onto Babylon 5 as a series and still do TV and films. Danny Trejo would appear in a cameo non-speaking role and would later become the star of numerous films today.

As a whole the film does this weird 180 and has an insane serial killing hobo type who stalks strippers to kill and becomes a sort of weird ally for Cordell during the film. This character called Turkill (played by character actor Leo Rossi) is one of the silliest roles. Yet somehow he forms this weird brief bond with the Maniac Cop during the film.

Also after playing a bad guy mobster in numerous films and TV shows like The Goonies ; Robert Davi gets to play a good cop who pushes a corrupt police Commissioner to admit his hand in corruption that took Cordell's life. It was refreshing to see that.

The film itself ends with a great teaser that perhaps Cordell would not be resting yet in peace after he's buried with honors.


[B][U]Why Is It Bad ? : [/U][/B] From the start the film swerves you in believing that Campbell and London's characters are the key ones to face this Maniac Cop. Yet in the end they both end up dying fairly quick in order. Both are taken out so quick its with a shock. Perhaps this was to show us that no one is really safe against Cordell. Either way you do kinda wish Campbell got a better death than the quick one he got here.


OVERALL : Maniac Cop 2 is a pretty terrific sequel on a film. Its swerve as I posted and its ability to build to a huge conclusion is pretty epic in scope for a B-Grade horror film. The finish is the perfect ending to see play out and had a decent way to end this movie franchise....for now.

Just to point this out, I believe Tubi is also available for folks that own one of the "Roku" family of products.

I believe things are "Free(W/Ads)..." on Roku products. Not sure if works the same way on the console versions of the service.

Tubi's available all over the place. I watch it over my Sony blu-ray player and I have the app downloaded onto my Kindle Fire. And the thing that really sells the service to me are all the '80s and '90s retro cartoons they have. They have a whole bunch of the Transformers, G.I. Joe and My Little Pony shows as well as DiC cartoons like the old Mario and Zelda shows and Inspector Gadget. Plus, cult favorites like Defenders of the Earth and Cadillacs and Dinosaurs. But I'm glad you found something you like with the whole horror thing too.

Been awhile , time for a review.

[IMG]https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/91GB2o18vWL._SX342_.jpg[/IMG]


[B][U]
Starring : Robert Davi , Caitlin Dulany , Paul Gleason and Jackie Earl Haley
[/U][/B]

The last Maniac Cop film seemingly tied up some loose strings regarding the tormented soul of Matt Cordell. He was laid to rest as Det. Sean McKinney helped clear his name. But his hand burst through the casket and yanked his badge at the very end. It was an omen ...he'd be back. And well he returns in this final sequel as a Priest who is doing a voodoo ritual brings Cordell back from the dead at the start. Then we see Cordell bust his hand through casket to tie it together.

McKinney has grown close to a young officer he seems to idolize in Katie Sullivan (Gretchen Baker). This officer likes using hallow points on the job since well , streets are fucking dangerous. He gives her a watch for her birthday. We learn that Sullivan is nicknamed The Maniac Lady or something to that effect given her way of handling shootouts. And we see a demonstration of that as soon she's called to respond to a robbery at a pharmacy.

Sullivan wounds Frank Jessup (Jackie Earl Haley) who was responsible and kills his young partner who worked there. She's shot and in a coma. During this the Maniac Cop learns about her and her special nickname due to a TV report. The TV station airs a special cut of the shootout painting Sullivan as being in the wrong and are ready to give Jessup whatever he wants. This pisses off McKinney who knows Sullivan is a good cop and wouldn't kill an innocent hostage for no reason.

The film jumps to Maniac Cop stalking the hospital to get to Kate. In one scene we see Sullivan in a dream world where she's at a wedding with lots of older cops who seemingly are dead. There as the groom is an ugly monster face of Matt Cordell as she suddenly starts to spasm n come back. McKinney gets a female doctor named Susan Fowler (Caitlin Dulany) to check on her and she realizes her brain spikes show activity. The city meanwhile want to have Katie's life support cut off so they don't have the mess to deal with.

Fowler and McKinney dig and find the actual real uncut tape that the network got from the men who shot it. Clearing Sullivan's name finally. Its then we see Maniac Cop is putting his plan in motion as he goes to Jessup's room and un-cuffs him. Handing him a hand gun. Jessup and his buddies go on to kill his own lawyer and Mayor's representative who was gonna have Sullivan's life support turned off.

In a cool scene McKinney is wheeled and rolls out on a gurney covered as the 3 killers stare. Suddenly McKinney opens fire and kills 1 , catches the other guy and shoots him dead. Finally shooting Jessup dead in the bathroom stall. He and Fowler look ready to settle down to a romantic evening as she patches his arm up and he learns...Katie is gone ! Maniac Cop took her.

They find the Voodoo Priest (who appeared earlier and told McKinney him and Cordell's fate was to cross paths again) who is performing ...a weird twisted marriage type ceremony with a comatose Sullivan ? WTF ? Anyhow Cordell wants him to finish but McKinney claims he can't curse Kate to his existence. That she deserves better . The Voodoo Priest claims that Katie's soul won't do it as Cordell guns him down in anger. This starts a brief fire fight.

This whole deal sets off a fire as both Cordell and Sullivan are on fire as he carries her. The building explodes due to gas fumes etc as Fowler and McKinney escape. Things seem to be over but Cordell is still angry as a battle on the road happens as he drives a burning police car and they drive an older style ambulance. Finally at the very end McKinney throws a nitro tank into police car as he flips the ambulance. It explodes and destroys Cordell & Sullivan.

At the end he lights his cigarette with Cordell's arm as him and Fowler embrace. At very end in morgue a burnt Cordell places his hand on Katie's.

[B][U]
Why Is It Special ? : [/U][/B] The film attempts to humanize Maniac Cop some what by introducing a possible reason he wants Katie Sullivan. Someone who also shares his Maniac nickname he learns about. Also he realizes the city is doing her wrong as well.

Robert Davi rarely plays good guys and he returned for this made for cable TV sequel. Unlike where Bruce Campbell & Laurene Landon were killed off to start the sequel ; Davi is the star of this one.


[B][U]Why Is It Bad ? :[/U][/B] Sometimes a 3rd sequel should not be done. Its called the curse of the 3rd sequel (Spider-Man 3 , Aliens 3 , X-Men 3 etc). Here in this case the entire film was just a bad comical idea.

For an unstoppable killing machine Cordell doesn't do much Maniac Cop business. In fact the opening scenes are so cheesy silly as he stands looking menacing in grave yard your shaking your head. Also given that his name was cleared why the hell is he back for ? Why did the Voodoo Priest do a ceremony bringing him back to start the film ? What motivation beyond wanting him and McKinney to cross paths again ?

Also the Voodoo Priest has seemingly came back from the dead given his throat being cut all the way around. So he's an undead ? We never get anything else from this because the film doesn't explain him at all. After this we go to Katie Sullivan who is introduced and soon after 1 dream sequence were thinking ; maybe she will play a big role in the finale of this and help stop Matt Cordell.

NOPE. In fact we don't get anything more from this sub plot at all. Its quickly shown and dropped to go back to concentrating on McKinney and Fowler being a couple out of nowhere. Where she literally was not happy with his actions in a scene with Jessup earlier. The Sullivan character is best known as some coma woman Maniac Cop wants .

Also being straight to cable TV killed the budget on a lot of things. One silly scene has Maniac Cop throw a guy into the air and shoot him like he was a plate he had tossed. Another was a scene where he stalked a doctor with a set of paddles to electro shock someone.


OVERALL : Its not a good final film at all. The entire film is a set of silly plot holes and the low budget ruins it. Avoid Maniac Cop III. The series ended at 2. With talk of a horror TV series coming , it should be interesting what core ideas they use from the original movies. Hopefully they avoid any from #3.

I love Tubi! Get it thru Roku. Lots of B movies and old shows. Lots of family movies and shows as well. I watched the movie "Murphy's Law" with Charles Bronson last weekend for the first time and really liked it. They also have plenty of B action movies.

Tubi works though my Firestick.

I had no idea there was a third Maniac Cop movie.