History Film / ManiacCop

* HandbagOfHurt: In the opening scene, a waitress is attacked by two muggers as she walks home she beats them off with her handbag and runs, before she has the misfortune to encounter the eponymous maniac cop.

* BringTheAnchorAlong: Theresa gets arrested and is handcuffed to a cop who is taking her to the cells. but Cordell kills the cop and Theresa is forced to drag the cop's body with her as she escapes, until she has time to find the key and uncuff herself.

* BaldOfEvil: Ripley isn’t evil per say, but he is a total {{Jerkass}}.

* YourCheatingHeart: Forrest's wife thinks that his long night shifts are cover for the fact that he is the Maniac cop, but following him one night reveals that he is instead cheating on her with Officer Mallory. She dies soon after making this discovery.

The film tells a story of Matt Cordell (Robert Z'Dar), a former NYPD officer who was sentenced to prison for his excessive PoliceBrutality. He suffered heavy abuse in jail from the scum whom he had arrested himself and was left heavily scarred and brain-damaged from their attacks. He is now presumed by most people to be long dead. Cordell starts wreaking havok in New York by dressing as a cop and murdering innocent civilians, which leads to city-wide panic. Detective Frank [=McRae=] (Tom Atkins) is set to work on the case and is later joined by Officer Forrest (Creator/BruceCampbell) who is framed for the killings and must clear his name.

* NamesTheSame: The character of Frank [=McRae=] shares his name with the actor of the same name.

** Lustig himself reprises his role as a sleazy motel manager from ''Film/{{Maniac}}''.

* WholePlotReference: The concept of a uniformed KillerCop committing serial killings harkens back to the ''Film/DirtyHarry'' installment ''Film/MagnumForce'' where the BigBad ringleader of {{Killer Cop}}s was played by Creator/HalHolbrook, who co-starred with Tom Atkins, who plays DecoyProtagonist Frank [=McRae=], in ''Film/TheFog'' and ''Film/{{Creepshow}}''. Furthermore, the character of Jack Forrest during the first half is basically fulfilling the role of Charlie [=McCoy=] (who was played by Mitch Ryan, who co-starred with Tom Atkins, who plays DecoyProtagonist Frank [=McRae=], in ''Film/LethalWeapon'' a year earlier before this movie's release) as a troubled cop with marriage problems who is initially suspected for the killings.

* WholePlotReference: The concept of a uniformed KillerCop committing serial killings harkens back to the ''Film/DirtyHarry'' installment ''Film/MagnumForce''. Furthermore, the character of Jack Forrest during the first half is basically fulfilling the role of Charlie [=McCoy=] (who was played by Mitch Ryan, who co-starred with Tom Atkins, who plays DecoyProtagonist Frank [=McRae=], in ''Film/LethalWeapon'' a year earlier before this movie's release) as a troubled cop with marriage problems who is initially suspected for the killings.

* ShoutOut: The concept of a uniformed KillerCop committing serial killings harkens back to the ''Film/DirtyHarry'' installment ''Film/MagnumForce''. Furthermore, the character of Jack Forrest during the first half is basically fulfilling the role of Charlie [=McCoy=] (who was played by Mitch Ryan, who co-starred with Tom Atkins, who plays DecoyProtagonist Frank [=McRae=], in ''Film/LethalWeapon'' a year earlier before this movie's release) as a troubled cop with marriage problems who is initially suspected for the killings.

* BungledSuicide: [[spoiler:Cordell's girlfriend attempted to kill herself when he was sent to prison. She failed, and now she wears legbraces because of it.]]

* BittersweetEnding: [[spoiler:Forrest cleared his name, the people who wrongfully jailed Cordell are dead, and he and Mallory are hailed as heroes, but Ellen, many good cops, and several innocents are dead and Cordell is still on the loose with no one the wiser.]]

* DefiantToTheEnd: {{Jerkass}} though he may be, [[spoiler:Ripley]] tries to fight Cordell hand to hand when he corners him. [[NoSell It doesn’t work]].

The film tells a story of Matt Cordell (Robert Z'Dar), a former NYPD officer who was sentenced to prison for his excessive PoliceBrutality. He suffered heavy abuse in jail from the scum whom he had arrested himself and was left heavily scarred and brain-damaged from their attacks. He is now presumed by most people to be long dead. Cordell starts wreaking havok in New York by dressing as a cop and murdering innocent civilians, which leads to city-wide panic. Detective [=McRae=] (Tom Atkins) is set to work on the case and is later joined by Officer Forrest (Creator/BruceCampbell) who is framed for the killings and must clear his name.

* DecoyProtagonist: Frank [=McRae=] is the protagonist for most of the film before being murdered by Cordell towards the end of the movie.

* GoodScarsEvilScars: As mentioned above, [[CaptainObvious Cordell was left horribly scarred from his prison stay]].

* BigBad: Jerry Killium.

** Creator/SamRaimi appears as a reporter.
** [[CreatorCameo William Lustig]] appears as the motel manager.