The thing that I have grown to both love and hate about movies is the way they dig into my emotional core, which makes me confront past experiences that may or may not have been too pleasant to relive. I’ve made peace with these rockier seasons in my life. Certain films can be a trigger to relive some of the most painful times in my life. Growing up, my sister and I were extremely close to my grandmother. One of my fondest memories of the three of us is going to see Tarzan in the theaters. We arrived late and had to sit up at the front. Afterwards my Grandmother turned to my sister and I and said the film’s theme, “You’ll Be in My Heart”, would always be her song to us. To this day, I can’t hear that song without that experience in my mind. Tarzan is still etched into my mind with that memory.
It’s not necessarily a terrible memory, it just makes me emotional. Even now I’m struggling with my emotions as I am putting this down on paper. My grandmother died a few years later and I went through a minor depression. It was the first time I had ever truly faced depression. In that depression, I turned to a lot of movies that my Grandmother and I watched. Now, as an adult, some of those movies are tied to that season of depression, movies like A Goofy Movie, Cinderella, and somehow I also became obsessed with Happy Days. Grief is a weird transition in life. We do weird things to cope and come back to a sense of normalcy following traumatic events. Even as an adult I still find myself with these traits.
I was nine years old when my Grandmother died. She was on my mom’s side. Over the next ten years I would continue to lose my grandparents on both parent’s sides, with the exception of my father’s mother. She died a year into my marriage. She had been diagnosed with Dementia the last time I saw her. I saw her a month before she passed and it was one of the hardest things to see someone you love go through. That’s why this movie had its moments where it could be hard to get through. This is your official trigger warning that if you’ve ever experienced a loved one who has gone through dementia, this movie probably isn’t for you. The sequel to 2015’s thriller, Dementia, returns to tell a new tale. Dementia Part II depicts a handyman (Matt Mercer) who gets hired by an older woman (Suzanne Voss) to do odd jobs around her house. Mercer gets more than he bargains on this call as the woman’s dementia begins to set in.
Dementia: Part II in a lot of ways feels like a sequel more in line with The Human Centipede or the infamous Troll II. The film seemingly has no connection to its previous source material but nonetheless remains effective. Dementia Part II is an unsettling film in a number of ways. Whether it is from its gross out visuals or character decisions, this film does not pull punches on how disturbing it can be. I found myself on the edge of vomiting myself watching this movie. I pride myself on having a strong stomach but filmmakers Mercer and Mike Testin do a stellar job at pushing those limits. Dementia Part II is not for the faint of heart.
There is so much to appreciate about this film. The pacing of the movie is impeccable. From its opening frames until its bittersweet end; the story wastes no time. Its pacing and storytelling style is comparable to 1974’s The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. There is no moment when the characters aren’t consistently doing something that is moving the story along at a brisk pace. Clocking in at a cool 67 minutes, the filmmakers use every minute of their precious time to tell an extremely effective story. Perhaps the biggest flaw of the narrative would be the character Reggie, played by Graham Skipper. Not that Skipper necessarily gives a bad performance, but he feels largely out of place. The film opens up on his character and Mercer having a phone conversation. That’s largely how their dynamic continues on for the remainder of the film until the last 20 minutes. He shows up, throwing off the rest of the film.
Fellow co-star Najarra Townsend could be argued to be out of place as well. Her character shows up at the tail end of the second act. The difference between her and Skipper is that Townsend is actually fleshed out - rather quickly too, I might add. Even in spite of this fact she still feels like a fully fleshed out character. Her performance stands out and equally helps the climax and resolution of the film. She is a perfect fit for the tone and narrative. The black and white aesthetic helps the film feel like a love letter to the drive-in exploitation films of the 50s and 60s. It feels right at home next to the exploitation films of that era.
Overall, Dementia Part II begs for a strong stomach in certain parts but comes with a satisfying story with excellent acting and pacing. The brisk movement of the film helps establish characters and lore extraordinarily well. Given how quickly this film moves, the narrative is tight with the exception of one loose end. The addition of Graham Skipper’s character comes a bit too late to the movie and fails to make an impact, sadly slowing the fast paced movie down to a near halt by the time he begins screen time. Regardless, Dementia Part II isn’t for the faint of heart but those who can stomach it are in for a treat.
RORSCHACH RATING:
Mental Health Moment: Getting to see my grandmother first hand with dementia was one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to watch. I’ve only had one person in my family go through this. This film explores the dangers that come with this disease. The filmmakers find a way to bring it to a pretty dark place by the film’s end. However, they explore the first hand horror that can also come with the disease in reality. My encouragement for this film would be to cherish the time you have with loved ones now. Cling to these simpler times and make memories now. You never know who could have a family history of dementia or where it could strike. Cherish every day now. You never know when it could be too late. For your consideration: My Epic, “Wive’s Tale”
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Victims and Villains is written (and produced) by Josh "Captain Nostalgia" Burkey and others, and edited by Cam Smith. Music by Mallory Johnson and others. Dementia II is property of Dark Star Pictures and Bloody Disgusting. We do not own nor claim any rights.
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