Grimmfest 2021: The Sadness

Written by Mila Filipova.
If you are a fan of gore and disturbing horror then The Sadness is for you. Taking some of the most violent acts imaginable, this film shows it all in detail.
Set in Taiwan, a young man (Jim) and his girlfriend (Kat) wake up to a world being ravaged by a horrific virus. Having rapidly mutated from a mild flu, this new virus connects pain sensors in the brain to sexual pleasure. As they go on their separate journeys to work, they witness a breakdown of society as people begin to start torturing each other in the streets. Forced to abandon their journeys, the two attempt to individually flee the spreading plague. However, when Kat finds herself trapped in an infected hospital building, Jim must cross town to save her.
While humans in this film are constantly seeking the cruellest way to make their peers feel pain, what will scare you the most will not be the detailed scenes of violence but rather the crudely written dialogue between the characters. Dialogue is so important in easing the tension and anxiety of body horror films. Hence when it falls short, the problem is not only that you will struggle to keep watching, but that the plot and the progression of the scenes feel pointless and gratuitous.
The Sadness is not suitable for the casual horror goer. However, in the category of gory body horror it ranks highly. No one can deny the great amount of time and budget that was spent to design it and make it look real. If what you are searching for is a refreshing horror movie for Halloween and are not too faint-hearted, this is the one for you.
4/5.