After a year of combating a pandemic with relatively benign symptoms, a frustrated nation finally lets its guard down. This is when the virus spontaneously mutates, giving rise to a mind-altering plague. The streets erupt into violence and depravity, as those infected are driven to enact the most cruel and ghastly things they can think of. Murder, torture, rape and mutilation are only the beginning. A young couple is pushed to the limits of sanity as they try to reunite amid the chaos. The age of civility and order is no more. There is only “The Sadness”.

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Video Quality

The 4K UHD Blu-Ray of The Sadness offers a good uptick in quality over the already impressive accompanying Blu-Ray. When compared to that disc, the 4K version allows for more depth, clarity and stability to the image. Facial details are particularly strong and natural among the cast members, especially as situations change on a dime with brutal attacks. The film has a digital look, and this transfer honors the artistic intent with the utmost care. The image is as wonderful as the source material will allow.

The HDR10 is one of the areas of improvement that makes the biggest impression. The color grading choices are spotlighted in the supplements, and the hues are bold and aesthetically more pleasing. Specific colors such as the buckets of blood and even some outfits saturate the frame well. The improvement in the black levels is worthwhile in this presentation, easily outpacing Blu-Ray which has some banding. The highlights are balanced with no instances of blooming to be found. Fans will really appreciate the strong bump in quality this new 4K UHD disc offers.

Audio Quality

Shudder gives this Blu-Ray a DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio track that easily conjures all of the sonic details with the requisite nuance. The terrifying sound design comes at you with full force once the characters fall into danger. You hear people running at you from various directions to get your pulse pumping. When the characters are moving through the city or the hospital, various distinct ambient details flesh out the setting. The soundtrack is effective and well-balanced while maintaining first-rate fidelity.

Dialogue comes through crisp and clear without being lost to any competing sounds. Thrilling moments occur quite often as the infected stumble upon various areas close to our protagonists. Plenty of moments deliver visceral texture to the proceedings. Environmental sounds of the world engage the surround speaker in a very immersive way. The audio track provides an unforgettable experience full of surprises that bring this narrative to life in a way that will thrill genre fans. Optional English subtitles are provided.

Special Features

Audio Commentaries: There are a pair of new commentary tracks and a previously released track provided that tackle the film from a few different vantage points. It is rewarding to hear from the director at two different points in time for a personal exploration of the production, and a film critic gives some great background info and interpretation of the material.

- Audio Commentary #1 (New): Director Rob Jabbaz and composers Tzechar

- Audio Commentary #2: Director Rob Jabbaz and medical advisor Shu

- Audio Commentary #3 (New): Film critic Simon Abrams

The New Wave of Taiwanese Horror – A Video Essay by Samm Deighan: A great 15-minute video essay that explores the history of zombie films, horror in Taiwan, influences on key works, how the genre has evolved in the country over the decades, and so much more that is worth watching.

Interview with Director Rob Jabbaz: A 39-minute virtual interview with the filmmaker in which he discusses the uncompromising nature of the film, the value of genre film festivals, being brought on to write a zombie film, how practical gore effects feel more painful, and more. Jabbaz is very candid and entertaining.

Color Grading Comparison with Colorist Paul Hanrahan: A 12-minute presentation in which the colorist discusses the process of color grading with some visual comparisons. This is a really cool supplement to help the average person understand what goes into making a feature film look how it does in its final form.

Fantasia Festival Award Presentation: A nearly eight-minute look in-person presentation of a Grand Jury Prize for the film accepted by Rob Jabbaz.

Behind The Scenes Featurettes: A selection of brief featurettes is provided that give an overview of a few different aspects of the film.

- Special Effects (1:10)

- The Businessman (3:23)

- The Director (3:17)

- Art Director (1:07)

- The Production (5:28)

Robb Jabbaz Short Films

- Clearwater: A six-minute short film in which a mosquito bite turns into something more.

- Fiendish Funnies: A three-minute animated short that is very musical and provocative.

Theatrical Trailers: Four trailers totaling six minutes are provided here.

Booklet: A multi-page booklet featuring the essay “The Sadness: Finding Hope In Despair” from writer Brandon Streussnig is provided here. This piece gives a well-rounded analysis of the themes and developments of the film. This booklet also provides a “Gore Guide” that shows early concept art for various kills.

Final Thoughts

The Sadness is an unsparing zombie-adjacent film that is not self-conscious about the fact that shock and extreme gore are the main goals of this outing. There comes a point when you have bathed in so much arterial spray when you come to view the violence as art in its own right. The care put into creating so many practical kills is such a win for enthusiasts of the genre who are always looking for something that feels authentic. The movie is not for the faint of heart, but if you cackle with glee at the sight of entrails and depravity, you will have a blast here. Shudder has released a 4K UHD Blu-Ray featuring an exceptional A/V presentation and an excellent assortment of new and archival special features. Recommended

The Sadness is currently available to purchase on Standard Edition 4K UHD Blu-Ray or with a Limited Edition Slipcover exclusively through Vinegar Syndrome.

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.

Disclaimer: Shudder and OCN Distribution have supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.