A PTSD Battle of the Sexes! Advance Review: Dementia

“A disabled war veteran is in bad hands when his family hires a live in nurse from hell in this intense psychological shocker. George is an aging ex-soldier haunted by memories of Vietnam and struggling to reconnect with his estranged son and granddaughter. But when he suffers a stroke and is diagnosed with dementia, George is left in the care of Michelle, a seemingly sweet nurse with a disturbing dark side. At the mercy of a psychopath with a hypodermic needle, George becomes a prisoner in his own home, caught in a sadistic game of cat and mouse as brutal as anything he experienced in Vietnam.”

This film held my attention all the way through, while simultaneously dripping a cold sense of dread down my back. Kristina Klebe is great as Michelle, the nurse from Hell. One moment, she is effortlessly inviting and the next, she is completely unhinged. As a viewer I was thoroughly interested in what was motivating her to commit brutal acts of violence behind closed doors.

The Vietnam Veteran and main character George (Gene Jones of The Sacrament) is likeable and his dialogue was not only well written, but excellently executed. George is the kind of vet that wears Veteran Ball caps with all his campaign pins and murmurs comments about the kids and their sagging pants.

The plot is fantastic and slow burning with elements of suspense that makes the viewer cringe whilst nervously anticipating sudden violence. There are also scenes that make you squirm in discomfort, but you realize that they are intricate parts of the puzzle. Mike Testin’s feature film debut is nothing short of astounding! The story is unique and original and takes the audience on a love/hate journey with the characters as the movie progresses.

My only complaints are that the relationship between George’s son and granddaughter was oddly more marital than parent to child and that the ‘twist’ is slightly unclear. I wish that the twist at the end gave a definitive answer to what actually happened instead of leaving the viewer to draw his or her own conclusions.

Overall, this is an excellent movie that is well worth checking out. It will see a limited theatrical release December 4th.

Wicked Rating: [usr 7]

Director(s): Mike Testin
Writer(s): Meredith Berg
Stars: Gene Jones, Kristina Klebe
Release: December 4th, 2015 (Theaters)
Studio/ Production Co: BoulderLight Pictures
Language: English
Length: 90 Minutes
Sub-Genre: Psychological Horror and Thriller