Overrated

Fantastic!

Great movie. Not sure what people expected but I found it highly entertaining.

It’s sentimental, ridiculously long and only occasionally funny

It's "Burtsploitation" at its finest as the legendary Reynolds plays an evil psycho in a DTV thriller.Roy Scudder (the Burtster) and his wife Georgina (Dickinson) live in a creepy old house somewhere in the backwoods of Florida. For their own twisted psychological ends, they kidnap Cassie Osbourne (Sara) and her young daughter Samantha (Buglewicz) and force them to become members of their family. While they're trying to escape their clutches, Cassie's husband David (Wimmer) and police inspector Chicky Ross (Mostel) are also trying to get to the bottom of their disappearance. Will they escape with their lives...or will their attempts just be MADDENING? Trying out the "Old Dark House" scenario with some Psycho (1960)-like moves on a very low budget, The Maddening really is just a standard, dumb hostage drama but with a few "creepy" shots and musical stings. It should have been more of an out-and-out horror movie with a higher kill count, and what further sinks the notion of horror-ness is some stupid humor. Typified by, among other things, the "comical" fat detective that is always eating and even has stereotypical tuba music playing when he walks. Last time we checked, that's not what horror fans want to see.What they DO want to see, obviously, is Burt Reynolds. He has some sort of Southern, perhaps Cajun accent that comes and goes, and the absurd toupee he wears looks like a squirrel glued to his head. But for menacing glares, you can't do much better than the U.S. VHS cover. This may have been made in the 90's, but it's no Malone. The rest of the movie has an odd, stilted vibe.While the movie has a reasonably professional air to it, due largely - probably - to famous Danny Huston as director - it's kind of hard to imagine anyone being really SCARED by The Maddening. Unless you're a kid, but then why would you be seeing The Maddening? Unless your parents rented it and you happened to see it...see, this could go on forever. It's the type of thing that keeps you up at night, We tell ya.The Maddening is an oddity that only could have happened in the 90's. It has some big names in a scenario that wavers between unintentional "laffs" and scenes of child abuse. Burt fans surely would want to see him in a rare bad guy role, but the end result of it all is pretty ridiculous.For more action insanity, please visit: comeuppancereviews.com

I first saw this film in '96 shortly after it came out. My then-bf's dad rented it cause it was a thriller. Back then I didn't know what an Indie film was. Regardless, this one shines a very different light on Reynolds' talent. From the stereotype ladies-man, machoism his fans have long known him for, he takes a few steps back here to a darker, more sinister role (less, later on as 'Boss Hogg'). He starts out as the hunky car mechanic..... coming to the aid and rescue of Mia Sara and daughter. But obviously somethings not all there when he cons an engine prob, offering Sara a call from his own house. Only to "kidnap" her and her young daughter to become companion and house slave to his demented wife (Dickinson). Creepy. There are several moments of ill-found passion where he bullies Sara, and at one time, nearly rapes her, only due to the ghost of his wheelchair-bound demented father....and a hidden, grotesque family secret.....revealed in all hellishness at the end.A must see.

This film was Fantastic, its my favorite film of all time, I am the worlds biggest Burt Reynolds Fan and I thought he played this part superbly.You don't often see him in this sort of role which is what makes this movie so good, its got to be the best thriller I've ever seen in my life, Mia Sara Also did a very good job in her role and well done to Angie Dickenson. This is truly a film worth having on your DVD shelf.This film has inspired me to write a lot of good thriller scripts myself. Sean you understand ;)10 out of 10.

The most important and especial aspect of this motion picture is Burt Reynolds' performance. Here, he plays Roy Scudder, a simple, but dangerous and angry man who will do everything to protect his family's secrets.Reynolds is terrific,and this is a good chance to see him making different roles.His eyes resemble the ones of a hunter.Although very interesting, and sometimes extremely violent, The Maddening is a bit slow,and suffers due the poor production and the weak direction by Danny Huston.Over all,the movie has some memorable actings and moments (like the ending, or the confrontation between Reynolds and Sara's characters-there is a particular powerful and dramatic moment in which Roy talks about his father, in an impressive line "...watching me...watching me, and hating me, hating me because I was normal...and I hated him!because he wasn't!"). Mia Sara is great, and her chemistry worked so well with Reynolds that the star invited her to participate in his thriller Hard Time,and Angie Dickinson is also worth of mention.Even having some defects, The Maddening is a good entertainment...