Championed by Damien Leone (of Terrifier fame), this Taiwanese film sees a photogenic and likeable young couple (well played by Berant Zhu and Regina Lei) facing a mutating viral pandemic that turns people into depraved killers. After a gentle opening, it does not take long for the full-on gory mayhem to start, like an extreme Tom Savini let loose on the 28 Days/Weeks Later series. The film is deliberately unpleasant and over-the-top violent to watch, shot through with an unsettlingly sombre and bleak tone. The set pieces are executed well, notably an early claustrophobic subway train carriage massacre. This is a simple and efficient example of the sub-genre, making its point about mankind's primal urges in a clear and unsubtle manner. The third act runs out of steam and the ending is downbeat, but overall The Sadness is one of the stronger entries in the virus/zombie arena.
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