THE SPOILER ZONE is a haven (on a different dimension, perhaps? Erm, doesn’t matter…) in which one can further discuss a film most elaborate and insightful as possible, in hoping that for a deeper understanding on said film. Here spoiler-y details not only allowed, but encouraged. So step out, if you feel you are in the wrong place.
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I have called Mara’s downfall “a Pyrrhic victory, but a victory just the same.” Her affliction with dementia has clouded her remembering of the past, and when she dives off the cliff (and presumably dies), it is a gift of not having to live with the reverberations of that past. Dementia traces back to her past when she is first taken in by a family that has a terminally demented child named Olivia. Mara (played by Althea Vega) tames her for a number of years, until early adulthood, when Olivia (played by Chynna Ortaleza) murders her lover. The reason, it appears, is that Mara’s lover is getting in the way of the special bond she has made with Olivia. In the film’s most dramatic scene, Mara lures the aggressively maladjusted Olivia into jumping off the cliff, leading her on to believe that she will jump right after.
Nora Aunor portrays present-day Mara with a conscious muteness that is pivotal to the film’s twist nearing the end. Until this point of the story, it has been a safe and fair assumption that Dementia is yet another horror film that is latched on conventions, albeit well-made. It all seems innocuous and familiar, until the film cuts back to its final scene — a prelude wherein it is hinted that Mara in fact pushed Olivia over the cliff.
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Tinulak. At dahil mahal ni Mara si Rachel, nagbayad siya ng kasalanan at lumundag na rin sa bangin. Pero puwedeng pagkakamali lang ng dementia patient ang pagsulat ng “itinulak.” Napaglaruan tayo ni Lana et al.
The possession scene was excellently written and well acted. It wasn’t cheesy or spoiled by unnecessary CGI by being more grounded to reality. Jasmine Curtis Smith showed exceptional acting when she was possessed by Olivia showing the usual manifestations and behavior of someone possessed like her eyes rolling upwards to her head, convulsing, growling/shouting, and showing violent behavior (even killing her dad). A very far cry from when she was initially introduced in the movie. It’s good that they didn’t resort to gimmicks like levitation or contorting unnaturally. One thing that was off though was that a faith healer was initially there to drive out the evil spirit but for some reason she left and wasn’t there when she was really needed (or else her dad wouldn’t have been killed. Overall a very excellent movie and one of the best Pinoy horror movies of all time. Too bad it is not given the box office appreciation it deserves. I hope it gets released in DVD.
This is a spot-on point. I wanted to raise this in my review, but I figured it will take away the fun for those who haven’t watched it yet. Thank you for bringing it up here.
I will argue that it has an appreciative reception, commercially-speaking. In the two screenings I entered, both had at least half of the theaters full. But yeah, I am certainly seeing a DVD release for this.
I guess it was in the theater and time that I watched (1st showing). Good to hear that the theaters you watched had more viewers. BTW, usually how long does it take before a local movie is released in DVD?
Our film distribution is significantly slower than others, but given Dementia’s popularity it isn’t surprising to strike a home video deal. I’m just hazarding a guess here: I think a DVD release might happen as soon as they make rounds in festival circuits.
I watched it thrice in and all those screenings were more than 75% filled.
Dimentia is like Himala, you won’t get tired watching the film over and over again….
1. It was slow at first, with a few elements set here, and there; until it dragged with the family’s dysfunction and this other kid.
2. I loved the scenes in the hallways, especially the first two. Parang may creepy vibe ung bahay. Something tells me that it has a dark past. Na sana mas marami pang elements.
3. It picked up though after the bride’s first appearance, esp sa bahay at sa beach. For the final act alone, it was 4/5 to 5/5. Sickness of the mind kills/hurts others more than yourself. With the final scene, at first, I felt cheated. It had a good wrap-up already, why go back? Until the last few seconds and the dementia finally seeping in, it added a different dimension. No. It just pulled out the cards they laid down earlier. The two explanations are possible but I’m leaning on the ‘tumalon reality’ since Olivia was not as malevolent to Mara. But ‘tinulak’ works too if you consider why there was no hesitation from Mara in going back to that terrible place.
4. I don’t like the shots that were for cheap shock lang.
5. I don’t get the black ink though. Dark blood? Something that’s deep-set within the family? straightforward until that final scene, which at first
6. I wish they elaborated more on the Auntie(?)/Tita
7. I loved the scenes outside the house. Very cinematic. It was freedom from the nakakabatong bahay na bato. Being set in an island, where there is no escape, added extra value to the story. How Olivia is symbolic to a rock — since mentally incapable siya, di na siya magbabago, lus even after all those years, bearing that grudge.. Buti talaga hindi cop-out yung ending.
8. I wish though that they mentioned who gave her or if she bought it, why did she select that design for a jigsaw puzzle. Sayang yung element na yun.