Man, 'The Demented' is one of those horror flicks that sticks with you, not just because of the gore but the sheer chaos of its ending. The final act is a bloodbath—literally. The group of friends, already whittled down by the infected horde, makes a last stand in an abandoned house. The tension is brutal, with jump scares that actually land. The protagonist, Jackson, sacrifices himself to buy time for his girlfriend and the last
survivor to escape. But here’s the kicker: as they drive off, the camera lingers on Jackson’s infected face, twitching back to 'normal' for a split second. It’s ambiguous—is there still humanity in there? The credits roll with the sound of distant screams, leaving you wondering if anyone truly got away. I love how it doesn’t spoon-feed the ending; it’s messy, bleak, and totally fitting for a zombie flick that doesn’t
Play Nice.
Thematically, it’s a gut punch about loyalty and hopelessness. The infected aren’t mindless—they’re angry, which adds a layer of dread. The director clearly wanted to subvert the 'happy escape' trope. Even the final shot of the car vanishing into
the fog feels like a cheap comfort. Real talk? I debated that ending for days with my horror group. Some called it lazy, but I think the unresolved horror is the point. It’s not about winning; it’s about surviving—until you don’t.