THE SADNESS (REVIEW)

Dir. Rob Jabbaz

Reviewer. Martyn Wakefield

THE SADNESS sinks to the lowest lows to bring to screen some of the most deprive scenes in cinematic history. This is by far the most graphic "zombie" film ever and makes EVIL DEAD look like a finger prick when it comes to the levels of blood on screen.

At it's heart, story wise this is the generic zombie film done well. Think TRAIN TO BUSAN balance of heart and shock alongside sights of eye puncturing, zombie orgies and bonesaw crunching action.

In a film that can only be defined as 28 DAYS LATER meets EVIL DEAD directed by Tom Six, there's surprisingly plenty to enjoy as the few survivors of a virus that brings out the rage, anger and depravity of humans, fight for survival against some shocking sights and lowest lows.

What THE SADNESS manages to do in just 100 minutes is tear off the skin of anything remotely gentle and then wrap the carcass in barbed wire while dousing it in fire, all while gracefully watching as it finds a way to survive. This is not a film for the feint-hearted but it is one that pays dividends to anyone who loves graphic, eastern horror that blends horror and an emotionally driven character piece to it's gripping and shocking finale.

With so much violence and gore on screen, all physical, it's an achievement that the film balances both elements so well and proves once more that Eastern cinema is worlds above that of the western market. Berant Zhu and Regina Lei deserve high praise for keeping this trip through Hell, that never gives up, so grounded and while the bloodshed and angst of the infected is vicious, it's never glorified, but always shocking.

If the only way to keep the zombie genre alive is by slaughtering it to the bare bones of gratuitous violence, then we're here for it!