THE SADNESS Review: One Of The Most Twisted, Gruesome, And Disturbing Movies Ever Made

THE SADNESS Review: One Of The Most Twisted, Gruesome, And Disturbing Movies Ever Made

Controversial Taiwanese horror film The Sadness is coming to Shudder later this month, but is it really as sick and twisted as its reputation suggests? Yes... yes it is.

Review Opinion
By MarkCassidy - May 08, 2022 01:05 PM EST
Filed Under: Movies

After garnering rave reviews - and quite a bit of notoriety - when it premiered at Fantasia Fest last summer, Rob Jabbaz’s feature debut, The Sadness, is set to premiere on the Shudder streaming service on May 12, and I can tell you without a hint of hyperbole that it really is one of the most twisted, shocking, depraved films ever made.

The story follows a young couple, played by Regina Lei (76 Horror Bookstore) and Berant Zhu (We Are Champions, How to Train Your Dragon), as they attempt to reunite in a city ravaged by a plague that turns its victims into deranged, bloodthirsty killers. As the mysterious virus spreads, more and more people begin to give in to their worst impulses, leaving a trail of blood, guts and gouged eyeballs in their wake.

I've been an avid horror fan for most of my life, and it takes a lot to shock me. I haven't been completely desensitized or anything (certain things will still disturb and distress me, depending on the context), but I've seen so much over the years, it's very rare that something will leave me genuinely aghast at what I'm witnessing.

The Sadness actually made me look away from the screen on more than one occasion. 

It's not just that the film is relentlessly violent and gruesome (and it is), it's more that the sadism and cruelty are taken to such extreme levels. As certain scenarios were playing out, I found myself thinking of the worst possible outcome, safe in the belief that they'd never actually go there - and they ended up taking things even further than I'd imagined. One moment, in particular, just left me wondering how the filmmakers even convinced the studio to entertain the idea of putting it in the movie, let alone got it past the country's ratings board (I won't go into detail; you'll know it when you see it). 

If all of this sounds more like an endurance test than a piece of entertainment, well, for some, that's exactly what it will be - but there is more to The Sadness than just violence for violence's sake. It's an expertly crafted film, for one. From Jie-Li Bai's cinematography, to the sound design, to the superb practical FX (seriously, give IF SFX Art Maker all the awards), you never get the feeling that Jabbaz's only concern is to turn stomachs. He even manages to cram in some social commentary and a couple of heartfelt moments of human tenderness... even if they are swiftly followed by more atrocities.

Also - and this may seem hard to believe - the film doesn't really feel overly exploitative, particularly in its depictions of sexual violence. Don't get me wrong, Jabbaz is clearly aiming to push a few buttons here, but most of the more upsetting acts are hinted at rather than explicitly shown, and the camera does (mercifully) cut away every once in a while.

The performances are also excellent, with Lei and Zhu giving stellar turns as a couple we really hope to see make it through this nightmare in one piece. The movie doesn't have one main villain, as such, but the "Businessman" Kat encounters on the subway comes closest, and actor Tzu-Chiang Wang is bloody terrifying in the role. Even setting aside the horrific things he does with an axe and an umbrella (don't ask), he delivers some of the most startlingly debased dialogue you are ever likely to hear (or read, unless you happen to speak Mandarin).

The Sadness is sure to test the resolve of even the most hardened of gore-hounds, and those of a nervous disposition should avoid it like the plague of the title. In some ways, it's almost difficult to recommend to anyone given the images that will no doubt be burned on to my retinas for the next few weeks (at least), but if you think you're ready to experience one of the most relentlessly f*cked up films ever made, it's well worth checking out. 

four-star-review – Py Korry Means By Golly!

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marvel72
marvel72 - 5/8/2022, 3:20 PM
Wow by the sound of things, I've got to watch this.
Demigods
Demigods - 5/9/2022, 9:25 AM
@marvel72 - I'm so curious, because this is an awesome premise for a movie, and a new twist on the Zombie genre, BUT I am not a fan of torture porn.

Had Rormachine not said "it does not feel exploitative" I'd really not have much interest in seeing it... but consider my interest piqued.
MarkCassidy
MarkCassidy - 5/9/2022, 11:01 AM
@Demigods - I mean, it's not OVERLY exploitative... it is definitely gratuitous at times. It's a pretty sick movie, but it's not, say, on A Serbian Film's level.
Demigods
Demigods - 5/9/2022, 9:37 PM
@RorMachine - hmmm... The darkly curious side of me is still interested. I don't think there is any other movie that would be on A Serbian Film's level. I get that people like that movie, but it held no value outside of curiosity to me. I had to know the content of A Serbian Film, but I have zero interest in ever actually watching something else like that. If The Sadness shows anything like the baby scene from A Serbian Film, then it's a pass for me. But I get that ventures pretty deep into spoiler territory.
Demigods
Demigods - 5/12/2022, 11:40 PM
@RorMachine - gave it a try. It wasn't AS bad as I expected it to be, in terms of violence. I get it now lol.
Thanks again of the review and recommendation.
MarkCassidy
MarkCassidy - 5/13/2022, 5:39 AM
@Demigods - no probs... What did you think?
Demigods
Demigods - 5/13/2022, 11:36 AM
@RorMachine - worth a watch and the premise was awesome for a "zombie" movie. It reminded me of a really messed up comic by Garth Ennis from a few years back, but I can't remember the name. I didn't get too into the comic because it was a bit much.

But you're right that it really didn't feel TOO exploitative, weirdly enough. Probably not the kind of movie that I'll watch again but the violence, while bad at some points, really wasn't as bad as I expected it to be. At the worst parts, the camera always panned away, which I actually appreciate. I don't like gore for the sake of shock value, unless it adds to the story. There is a way to do it, and this definitely bordered on going past that line, but I think it was pretty well done.

It was VERY messed up at parts and I'm glad that I didn't watch it with my wife lol
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