Chris Gerolmo took care not to simply give us a `Jack-the-stripper' type of list of murdered people: he delved into the psychological characterization with convincing results. Perhaps mostly due to Stephen Rea's excellent performance playing off against Donald Sutherland with good empathy by both. It was the playing of these two parts  above all  which made the film something more than just a morbid account of the history of the butcher of Rostov. Supporting actors, especially Max von Sydow, carried out their parts really well. Good directing. The photography was good too. Needless to say, the fact that the film was shot in Hungary was bound to produce a couple of aberrations, but, frankly, given the depth of the story-telling and interpretations, we can completely forget these little trivialia.
For once, a made for TV film from HBO has come up trumps. Recommended, especially if you like to analyse characteriology and forget some of the morbid scenes  which, I hasten to add, are never exaggerated.

Somewhere between the Food Court and Zip's, the mall in this film
has an explosives store. This is the only place the title character
can purchase the bomb he plants in the mall in the dull finale.
A fictional town has a new mall, built on some land that was
condemned. Cute Girl (I didn't catch her name) gets a job as a
waitress there. She lost her boyfriend in a fire at the site where the
mall stands. The villainous mall owner hires the arsonist
responsible for the fire as a security guard after his first security
guard ends up dead. Rob Estes, eons before "Silk Stalkings," is a
photog/reporter trying to find a story. He hooks up with Cute Girl,
and their mutual "funny" friend Pauly Shore, and try to find out if Eric
is still alive. He is, living in the mall basement (?) and traveling
through the air ducts and offing different people who upset his
former girlfriend, including the arsonist. Eventually, he kidnaps her
and the finale involves the bomb and everyone running from the
scene before the big kablooey. Morgan Fairchild is along for the
ride as the mayor...yes, she's the mayor.
Of course, you probably did not need a plot sketch since the entire
story is in the title. Someone named Eric is taking revenge against
people as a phantom of a mall. This also means there is no
suspense. We know Eric is behind this, but we still have to see
Estes and Cute Girl go through the motions of a silly investigation.
Watch as Fairchild, who we know has been in cahoots with the
mall owner all along, pull a gun on our heroic duo in the middle of
a crowded party, yet no one says a word as she leads them to her
office, and her eventual death. The fictional town is huge, yet nary a
policeman is ever called, everyone relies on mall security for order.
Eric has been hiding since the mall was built, but I am not sure
where. He seems to live in a basement area, but you would think
some construction worker would have found him. He also has
furnished his love pad quite well, and found a few outlets, since he
has electricity. It might be nicer than your own apartment!
Pauly Shore fans, both of you, take note. He tricks a security guard
out of his booth by mooning the camera. Yes, stop scanning
Celebrity Skin and Playgirl, this is where you get to see a grainy
black and white shot of Pauly's south shore, although no weezil.
This is just junk, and proof positive that I am down to renting just
about anything at the video store to stay in the horror section. This
film is not Eric's revenge, it is the film maker's revenge for me
being dumb enough to watch it. Here is my revenge: I do not
recommend it. That'll show 'em!
This is rated (R) for physical violence, some gun violence, gore,
some profanity, some female nudity, brief male nudity, and some
sexual content.