Film Review: DEMENTIA
By: A Moot Point
“A rarity in Pinoy horror genre, Dementia
stays away from blood & hysterics, instead, it capitalizes on the gothic
setting & tension. Nora Aunor blows us away with her mesmerizing non-verbal
performances, that we pardon the average plot
– something that the usual nitpicking critic will tear apart if it
wasn’t for Aunor’s superb acting and Intalan’s impressive direction.”
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STRAIGHT TO THE
POINT: A rarity in Pinoy horror genre,
Dementia stays away from blood & hysterics, instead, it capitalizes on the
gothic setting & tension. Nora Aunor blows us away with her mesmerizing
non-verbal performances, that we pardon the average plot - something that the usual nitpicking critic
will tear apart if it wasn't for Aunor's superb acting and Intalan's impressive
direction.
Directed by: Percival
Intalan (directorial debut)
Screenplay/Story: Renei Dimla, Jun Lana
Starring: Nora Aunor, Jasmine Curtis-Smith, Bing
Loyzaga, Yul Servo, Chynna Ortaleza
It's so hard for me to
take Filipino horror films seriously what with their typical borrowed Hollywood
formula that fails so miserably, cheap CGI & scare tactics, and untalented
actors mainly cast for their face value/celebrity status more than anything
else, to cite a few reasons. I remember laughing so hard at Pagpag: Siyam na
Buhay or Dalaw (at Kris Aquino, more than anything else), that my mind
registers "comedy" whenever I see a Pinoy horror movie showing in the
cinemas. Dementia, is something else.
Not knowing anything
much about it except that it's starring Ms. Nora Aunor, it was just a stroke of
luck that I found out it's already showing in theaters - just twice a day
though, in the mornings. I grabbed the chance. With my mom tagging along, we
waited at the entrance for the mall to open up, and stood in line patiently as
senior citizens line up to avail their free movie. After getting the tickets,
we hurried up excitedly and went inside Cinema 2 and had the entire theater to
ourselves. You heard right. It's only me and my mom. Not one living soul can be
seen anywhere. It was creepy. And when the movie started, showing a bunch of gothic
scenery, I kinda missed the chaos a jam-packed theater offers.
My Review:
Intalan sets the mood
right with a bunch of amazing shots, showcasing the somber beauty of the
island, and I was really impressed. It's like watching something of Bergman or
any other black & white classics. When the camera focuses on Aunor's face -
her eyes eternally glimmering, her expression reflecting a thousand emotions, I
was like "Yeah. Money well-spent!" That's like 3-5 minutes into the
movie. I was already content.
The plot itself is
nothing new. It's been told before, maybe more intricate, maybe even better. A
family caring for a relative with dementia, thrown together by circumstances
finding themselves in a remote island, in a gloomy-looking ancestral home. Ghostly
apparitions. Musical score perfectly-timed with the building suspense & a
couple of scare shots. A malevolent ghost, that despite its resemblance of a
Jabbawockeez dancer, I couldn't laugh even if I had a momentary urge to giggle,
because its first appearance was so creepy I forgot about my sense of humor.
But what truly makes
this film stand out is Nora Aunor. It's so rare nowadays for a horror film to
rely on the actual emotions or mood because we all have gotten used to being
served blood & guts, lots of screaming & hysteria that I get surprised
if I see a really well-made horror movie (Roden's Kasambahay is also a good
example). That's the beauty of Dementia. Intalan maximizes his lead's greatest
strength - that is her ability to relay a story without opening her mouth. The
most memorable scene for me involves Nora Aunor staring at the camera, so many
emotions in a span of seconds or minutes, and hitting me like a laser gun
straight to the heart. I shed tears.
I also commend the
rest of the cast. But Jasmine Curtis-Smith surprised me the most. For a newbie,
surrounded by Nora Aunor, Bing Loyzaga, Yul Servo, Chynna Ortaleza, and even
Lou Veloso, she was a natural. Not teeny-bopper, not camera-conscious, no
affected projections nor stilted dialogues - she was actually good. I will be
watching out for her. Ortaleza, who in my opinion is such an underrated actress
(and one of my favorites, since her Click days), also delivers a chilling
performance as Olivia. As always, she makes the most of every character she
portrays, and she always delivers. A huge part of me wishes to see her in more
challenging & bigger roles.
How scary is Dementia?
If you have read my
previous horror film reviews you would know that I'm a huge wimp. I cover my
eyes half the time while watching ghost movies. So my gauge of how scary this
film is might be vastly different than you guys. The movie doesn't bombard you
with cheap scare tactics. All throughout, it winds you up into a big ball of
tension, stretches you like an elastic band, ready to snap at the slightest
hint of shadow/sound. There were only several really scary scenes - but they
were very effective. The appeal of this as a horror film, like I've said,
relies on the cast's acting, the score, the mood, and the superb photography.
It's really great to see something with a hint of Korean/Japanese/Hollywood
horror being applied in this film, but also retaining its native flavor - what
I mean is, there were horror formulas (cliches, whatever) used, but unlike
other mainstream flicks, this one felt real. It was masterfully handled by
everyone, not just the director or the lead. It's like watching a world-class
movie that's distinctly Filipino - it makes me proud. Dementia is not just
paranormal-scary, though. It's also a psychological horror - making me realize
the sad face of getting older; being a burden to relatives, losing yourself,
forgetting your past. It put me in a cold, cold place.
My Rating: 4/5 - this
is something worth watching. (5/5 for Aunor's subtle performance)
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