2020 brought about a surge in apocalyptic films, pioneering fresh takes of the classic genre as our very own viral outbreak strengthened its grip around the world. Amid this influx is a zombie horror that truly is meaner and nastier than any apocalyptic film combined, taking us on a hedonistic joyride of fleshy gore and berserk horror. But what really makes 2021’s The Sadness stand apart from its peers is the scariness that comes from being able to see ourselves in the infected. Director Rob Jabbaz ensures this mindless headtrip haunts us by turning a magnifying glass onto ourselves. The film shamelessly stares into the depraved depths of humanity and viciously ponders on what a human is capable of if we truly do not care about the consequences.

What Is ‘The Sadness’ About?

Jim (Berant Zhu) and Kat (Regina Lei) are an average couple who have no idea their worlds are about to be upturned for the worse. After dropping off Kat at the subway station, Jim returns to his daily routine and stops by a café. Soon thereafter, the black-eyed barista pours frying oil on his face, searing one side into an unrecognizable pit of oozing boils. It is the first true example of The Sadness’ viral outbreak, and it is a downright memorable one, kicking off the merciless and gruesome tone that only increases in intensity as the film progresses.

Meanwhile, Kat is trapped in a stuffy subway train, befriending another commuter (Ying-Ru Chen) while fending off the leers of another (Tzu-Chiang Wang). When the virus reaches her storyline, it is a viscerally harrowing and mean fight for survival within the confines of the carriage. She escapes with her new friend but cannot find respite as Wang’s character, credited as “The Businessman” is hot on their tails, fiendishly eager to dish out his own violent savagery. Throughout The Sadness, we follow the couple desperately trying to reunite all while being exposed to a level of brutality that remains etched in the back of our skulls.

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We See Ourselves in ‘The Sadness’s Gruesome Infected

Usually, there is a level of de-personalization between us and the “zombies” in the apocalyptic genre. In The Walking Dead or The Last of Us, we see remnants of humanity, but they are several layers removed via makeup and acting — more akin to rotten corpses than former humans. The way the filmmakers designed The Sadness’ virus eradicates this barrier of separation, and thus we can easily see ourselves as the infected. The virus doesn’t necessarily kill the infected, and instead eliminates any inhibitions, leaving them innately connected with their primal, violent, and sexual urges. They are simply us without inhibitions and with black eyes.

The extras themselves play a huge role in this freaky relatability, as seemingly normal and innocuous voices trail out of their blood-dripped mouths. They walk with a familiar gait, say normal (albeit disgusting) phrases, but wear uncanny expressions that feed into the dissonance of witnessing them commit atrocious acts. It horrifically allows us to envision people we know, or even ourselves, in their positions. The graphic visuals also add to this effect, as the camera doesn’t shy away from the grotesque horror that lines the now abysmal streets. The SFX team creates boils, blood, and gore that sear into our minds, leaving us with eerie visuals of babies and redefining what “getting head” means. It makes that initial thought even more macabre: are we really capable of this? Is sheer will and morals the only thing separating us from them?

‘The Sadness’ Explores the Depravity Humans Are Capable of
Image via Shudder

Arbitrary and wafer-thin are certainly words to describe The Sadness’ plot, but the familiar narrative beats of watching two people struggle to reunite amid an apocalyptic landscape creates a strong foundation for the obstacles to truly reach manic levels. Consequently, the film is able to easily drift into pondering more provoking questions about what humanity is capable of, though in a confronting and gruesome way. Every turn and stretch indulges in a new source of depravity and horror, never giving us a reprieve from the constant barrage of physical assault or sexual violence — you do need a strong stomach to sit through this mania.

On the flip side, Lei’s Kat and Zhu’s Jim give emotional performances as they come face-to-face with the infected, gaining our sympathy while also allowing us to witness the ordeal through their eyes and with their stakes. In this way, we are hit with the dual impacts of being placed in their eyewitness position, while also being able to see ourselves as the infected. There is also our place outside the screen as voyeurs: The Sadness pitilessly reaches beyond the confines of the screen and wrings complicity around our necks in all these nerve-wracking ways. The devastating film really is for the horror buffs who believe they cannot be shocked anymore, as it hones in on the harrowing question of what could happen if our inhibitions were lost.

The Sadness The Sadness: During a pandemic outbreak, a young couple struggles to reunite as chaos and violence engulf the city. The infected, driven by the virus, descend into horrific acts of brutality, challenging the couple’s resolve and sanity amidst the pervasive turmoil and social collapse.Release Date May 12, 2022 Director Rob Jabbaz Cast Berant Zhu , Regina Lei , Ying-Ru Chen , Tzu-Chiang Wang , Tsai Chang-Hsien , Lan Wei-Hua , Chi-Min Chou , Ralf Chiu , Lueh-Geng Huang , Jacky Liu , Ark Zheng , Kass Tsai Runtime 99 minutes Writers Rob Jabbaz Producer David Barker Expand

The Sadness is currently available to stream on Shudder in the U.S.

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