The Sadness

In modern-day Taiwan, a couple, Jim and Kat, wake up in the morning to discuss an upcoming holiday, to which Jim reluctantly discloses that he has been called away to work, leading to a slight argument. While Kat showers, Jim watches the news, seeing an interview on a podcast with Doctor Wong. Discussing the relatively benign and flu-like Alvin Virus, he warns that the whole nation needs to be in quarantine due to the danger and possibility of the virus mutating. The host of the podcast debunks his concern, citing the coincidental timing of it being an election year.

Before leaving to take Kat to work, Jim notices an old lady on a nearby roof, with her dress covered in blood, leaving him alarmed. He also discusses the virus being a hoax with his neighbour, Mr Li.

Whilst dropping Kat off at the station, the two pass a crime scene where a police officer restrains a man covered in blood, and a body covered in a sheet.

After dropping Kat off at the train station, Jim stops by a cafe. The old lady from the roof enters, spitting in a customers face and mutilating the cook by throwing hot cooking oil on him. Jim also witnesses the man the old lady spit on brutally murder another customer with a kitchen knife. As Jim retreats to the streets, the old lady is ran over and killed by an infected driver, while also witnessing a woman commit suicide by jumping off a nearby roof whilst laughing. Jim flees back to his apartment on foot after being chased by the infected locals and returns home to retrieve his phone, before he suddenly hears a broadcast message over a tannoy operated by an infected local, promising to castrate the men and sexually assault the women of Taipei with dogs. Jim is then attacked by his neighbor Mr. Lin, who is now infected, resulting in Jim losing two fingers from a hedge trimmer. After attacking Lin with a toaster in self-defense, Jim flees, hearing the city descend into chaos and murder. Eventually, Jim flees the district with his motorcycle, but not before being chased by infected locals through the streets.

Meanwhile, Kat is on her way to work, encountering The Businessman. After an uncomfortable exchange, during which Kat rebukes his awkward advances, Kat gives her seat to a woman named Molly. Later, a stranger on the train brutally stabs six strangers with a pocket knife, crying whilst laughing and demanding to know if he "beat the record." Soon after, another infected man stabs a woman with a key, and rapes a man who tries to restrain him. Others seemingly become infected, with the train becoming a bloodbath. Kat flees with Molly, who loses an eye to the now infected Businessman's umbrella. The two flee with a subway worker to the hospital, as the Businessman taunts them, promising to find them.

Later, Jim witnesses various atrocities throughout the city. After fleeing from a man who raped a corpse, Jim comes across several teenagers brutally beating a man with bats and also thrusting his genitals into a barbed-wire-covered pole. After saving the man and chasing off the youngsters, Jim finds the man is also infected, maniacally asking Jim "why did you make them stop?"

Jim is subsequently chased away by the returning youngsters throwing stones, before reaching a safe area and calling Kat. During the conversation, Jim begins to hallucinate, imagining a mannequin head erotically waggling its tongue at him, whilst Jim also begins shedding tears.

Meanwhile, Kat, Molly and the Subway Worker arrive at the hospital. Kat is informed that the ER has been overrun. The Government broadcasts an emergency update, during which an infected general kills the President by shoving a grenade in his mouth.

More chaos and panic ensue as the events with the president lead to a brawl between two patients, and the Businessman also arrives, along with dozens of infected. Kat flees through the emergency stairs, while the ER waiting room turns into a massacre of rape and murder. The Subway Worker, fleeing, comes across a bandaged Molly, and hides when the Businessman finds her and sexually assaults her wounded eye socket. After running into four infected engaging in an orgy, the Subway Worker is later killed by an infected Molly.

Meanwhile, Kat is pursued by two infected patients and the Businessman, the latter of whom she is finally able to kill with a fire extinguisher, first by blinding him before crushing his skull with it. Kat is then rescued by Doctor Wong, who hides in the Maternity Ward. Wong explains that he attempted to find the cure for the Alvin Virus, whilst also explaining that the virus attacks the limbic system. Wong also theorizes that the reason the infected cry is because they are fully aware of the terrible things they do, but are completely unable to stop, likening it to resisting the urge to blink.

Wong holds Kat at gunpoint, and orders her to clean-up, in order to determine whether she is infected or not. Shortly after, Kat discovers an infected baby in the medical waste bin. Wong then injects Kat with infected blood from the baby, and cuffs her to the shower. Wong then reflects on his actions, debating whether he did the right thing or not. During this, Kat manages to text Jim, disclosing her location, as Jim arrives and staggers into the hospital. Wong then calls for a helicopter, leaving with Kat.

As they head to the roof, the two infected who followed The Businessman earlier attack Wong with an axe, also vomiting on his wounded foot. Wong is able to kill them with his 3D printed gun, before demanding Kat to take him to the roof at gunpoint.

The two are intercepted by a now fully infected Jim. Wong shoots Jim in the neck, before the gun misfires and malfunctions; Kat then takes Wong's roof key, before Jim murders Wong with a sickle. Before he dies, a now infected Wong professes that he found joy in killing the babies, saying that it felt "so good."

Kat seals the roof doors, whilst a wounded Jim pursues her. When Jim is locked outside, Kat asks him how being infected feels. Jim replies "Wonderful," finally having a purpose to be with Kat, before disturbingly telling her that he aims to cut off her breasts, smash her face, and peel off her skin. He then reminds her, cackling evilly, that he loves her.

Kat's sanity cracks, as she breaks down sobbing, before giving way to insane laugher. It is left ambiguous if she is immune and lost her mind, or if she is in fact infected.

Jim joins in her laughter, whilst also asking her to open the door. Kat refuses, rushing up the stairs to the roof. The sound of gunfire and a woman's scream is heard off-screen, implying Kat was killed by the soldiers.

The film ends showing an infected Jim, staring into the camera with an evil smile on his face, as he succumbs to his wounds.

• Berant Zhu as Jim[5]
• Regina as Kat[5] (as Regina Lei)
• Tzu-Chiang Wang as The Businessman[5]

The Sadness features cinematography by Jie-Li Bai, and was shot on Red Digital Cinema "Monstro" cameras with Arri "Signature Prime" lenses. Principal photography lasted 28 days.

The film's special effects were handled by IF SFX Art Maker.[3][5] The effects crew spent up to three months producing a number of practical artificial heads—including some that could be made to explode or spray blood—prostheses, organs, and other props.[3] Production designer Liu Chin-Fu oversaw the film's set design, which included a subway car and a hospital.

The Sadness was released in theatres in Taiwan on 22 January 2021.[3] It had its international premiere at the 74th Locarno International Film Festival in Switzerland on 12 August 2021.[4] It was screened at the 25th Fantasia International Film Festival in Montreal, Canada, in August 2021,[4][6] as well as at Fantastic Fest in Austin, Texas, in September 2021.[2]

Raven Banner Entertainment acquired the worldwide distribution rights to the film.[7]

In April 2022, it was confirmed that the film would begin streaming on Shudder on May 12th, 2022.

Film Threat's Alex Saveliev awarded The Sadness a score of 10 out of 10, calling it, "Some kind of genius, propelling ahead with a vicious force, full throttle, both embracing and disregarding convention." Saveliev praised the style of the film, observing that "it's made with filmmaking finesse, elegantly structured, with a gorgeous electronic score helping to drive the narrative. Obvious allusions to the current pandemic resonate, skillfully avoiding the 'overwrought' trap."[8] Han Cheung of the Taipei Times called the film a "slickly-produced gorefest", noting the "fast-paced action and not-so-subtle digs at the government and humanity" but lamenting "the oversimplified plot and lack of attention to storytelling nuances and details".[5]

Rue Morgue magazine referred to The Sadness as "The most violent and depraved zombie movie ever made".[2][4]

At the 2021 Fantasia International Film Festival, The Sadness won the award for Best Film in the New Flesh competition for first features.[9]

Fantastic Fest awarded The Sadness Best Picture and Best Director in its 2021 horror competition.[10]

• The Sadness at IMDb