I’ve seen The Sadness be described by some as one of the most violent movies they’d ever seen. I don’t know if I would necessarily go that far, but even by what I’m used to seeing, this Taiwanese film is most definitely a rough one. Rob Jabazz’s directorial debut is a thoroughly ball-to-the-wall horror film that takes place in the middle of a pandemic. Except in this one, those who are infected become bloodthirsty, yet somewhat sentient, maniacs who seek to kill anyone in their path in the most gruesome way possible. So, only slightly less intense than our current reality.
Caught up in the middle of all this are Jim (Berant Zhu) and Kat (Regina Lei), a charming young couple we’re introduced to at the start of the film. Kat goes off for work after being dropped off at the train station while Jim goes to a cafe where things start to escalate real quickly. An individual enters the establishment and starts attacking at random, killing people in brutal ways. Jim is chased by more infected, but manages to escape for the time being, but now he has to figure out a way to reconnect with Kat, and get them both to safety while the disease spreads.
The film is clearly made with the intention of evoking the experience of COVID-19, though obviously exaggerated. Jim’s neighbor believes the whole pandemic is a hoax, and we see a moment on television where a medical expert decries the politicizing of the disease as some believe it’s some kind of conspiracy since it happens to be a big election year. And of course with nearly everyone going on about their lives as if nothing is happening, one can’t help but wonder if even something as wild as this could be contained if people listened to the scientific community.
But of course, this is a genre film first and foremost. A lot of its commentary happens early on before sinking its teeth into the thrills and gore. Even the disease within the film is not fully fleshed out, as how it works remains largely unclear. Though, that is generally not the focus, it’s just a means to get to all the gnarly imagery. The effects and makeup with these moments are absolutely terrific, and would play really well with a crowd. However, it’s worth noting that there is quite a bit of sexual violence involved in some of these sequences, if that’s something you’re sensitive to.
Now, like I said, while The Sadness may not be the most violent film I’ve ever seen, it’s still a fairly extreme movie by most standards. It’s the kind of film that will go above and beyond to make you cover your eyes or gag at the imagery. It goes really hard, and it makes for one hell of a ride. It’s absolutely brutal and vicious filmmaking from front to back, and considering it’s the first feature from Ron Jabazz, it’s a mighty impressive feat. I was engaged from the beginning, and the intensity and visceral quality never backed down. I was also invested in the leads, Berant Zhu and Regina Lei are both great in the film, and from the earliest moments in the film, their bond is believable and easy to invest in. It’s obviously not going to be everyone’s cup of tea, but if you’re all in for a depraved and transgressive horror film, I doubt you’ll find anything else this year that goes this hard. I can’t wait to see what Jabazz does next.
The Sadness will be streaming on Shudder starting May 12th.