Ebola Syndrome

What can I say about this wonderfully demented Category III classic, it goes beyond the boundaries of most Cat III films (which involve usually uninspired sex and violence) and goes for the jugular without flinching once.

Anthony Wong plays our demented anti-hero, even thou our introduction to him is himself getting a blow job off his boss's prostitute wife, while the kid waits outside. The boss returns and is unimpressed to say the least and after beating up our hero has the tables turned on him and is killed along with his wife and lackey.

10 years on and were in South Africa, our hero works in a filthy restaurant, gets bullied all day and resents everything living. Soon enough he is back to his own ways and after raping a unconscious woman, who spews a frothy broth of Ebola into his face he becomes infected with this nasty little disease, and the story has not even got up to speed yet.

A darkly comic tale that does not mind pushing the barriers of what is deemed acceptable, I loved it. Every home should have a corner for Ebola.

Herman Yau's "Ebola Syndrome" is a gruesome Hong Kong horror in the tradition of "Bunman:The Untold Story" and "Dr.Lamb".Anthony Wong is incredible as Kai San-he is one of the most depraved characters I have ever seen.Still the tone of the film isn't really disturbing-"Ebola Syndrome" can be very humorous at times.However if you're squeamish don't watch this one-there is torture,rape,dismemberment,masturbation with pork product,cannibalism and plenty of heavy violence on display.The plot is simple:Wong plays a deranged serial killer who flees Hong Kong after committing multiple murders and ends up contracting the Ebola Virus during his brief hideout in Africa.After murdering several people in Africa he returns to Hong Kong with some stolen money to start all over again.But now he is the Ebola carrier and he is spreading deadly virus...Overall,"Ebola Syndrome" doesn't quite live up to "Bunman:The Untold Story",however fans of extreme cinema should be pleased.

This flick derives much of its grasping force from what has to be, if not the most explicit, at least somewhat the most sickening gore ever.

Some scenes are rather innovative : decapitation through the use of a ping-pong table, Kai blowing his load in a steak, corpses being chopped up into hamburger meat with a saw, eyes chewed out of a living head and lots of ebola-related bodily fluids.

Ebola syndrome would not be the same without the psychological profile of its main character.If we were given an insight on Kais childhood, it is likely to be a miserable one, full of abuse and rejection. Thus would explain his disturbed sexual attitude (he does not seem to be able to perform without constant oral stimulation) and his loser nature. Let's face it, most of his aggression originates from a lack of self-esteem, for which he tends to overcompensate once he disposes of financial powers and/or the opportunity to deploy physical force. It makes for a violent person, but not a threatening one, compared to Hannibal Lecter or the maniac from Maniac. Kai is, in a way, a personification of the virus, which searches for power and immortality through the devastation of other life forms, not realizing his actions will eventually lead to his own extinction.

Together, the gore and Wong hold together a remarkable modern piece of exploitation, with an honesty that most of its contemporaries do not dare to show, but which also demands the right mood, otherwise it feels cheap. In either case, see a schrink if this turns you on.

What can I say about a film which is directed by the director of the most brutal and undescribable Hongkong horror of all time, The Untold Story, and starred by Anthony Wong, who also starred in The Untold Story. These two films are very different, and this, Ebola Syndrome is the funnier/trashier of these two. In other words, a kind of sicko gore film that will never be equalled in Western cinema.

Story tells us the journeys of Kai (Wong) who rapes, kills and f*cks people (and beefs!) and owns a restaurant, too! What a nice cook we got here! He lives in Africa and is hiding from police, who is on his tail for a multi murder he committed in Hong Kong. At one point, he becomes infected with the notorious and deadly Ebola virus and then the "fun" begins..and thus the title.

The whole film is as twisted as possible as we are shown acts of murder, masturbation, rape and cannibalism in safe Hongkong style! There is no point in trying to review this as some kind of a "serious" film because this is pure trash and b-level horror/gore film. The violence is brutal and scenes involving ebola virus are disgusting as our hero infects other people with the disease. At some points the film is so vile and over-the-top that I couldn't do nothing but laugh in amazement. It is also shocking in non-laughing manner but for most of the time, this cannot be taken seriously, although this kind of film is banned in about every country. It is too bad that all versions available (Euro DVD and HK VCD) are censored pretty badly and I've heard that the director has stated that the uncut version doesn't even exist anymore. It would be more than interesting to see the full director's vision of this film!

So this is great experience for trash and sicko cinema lovers, but others stay away! You'll feel nothing but sick if you try to watch this! I think that most of the people who like this (and make these!) are considered seriously ill, but that doesn't worry me, because those people who consider lovers of this kind of cinema sick, understand nothing about marginal and alternative cinema.

If someone expects this to be some over-the-top violence show, a disappointment will follow, because it's not THAT bad. It is pretty sick but not too gory/violent. And keep in mind that the versions out there are censored and are not the director's final cut. Hongkong Laserdisc may be uncut but I really don't know for sure because I haven't ever bought/collected LDs. As I mentioned, HK VCD is cut for sure so it may be the case with that LD, too..

Excellent HK nasty/sicko/comedy(yeah!) but only for the right audience! 8/10 and without a doubt one of its kind.

When I bought this movie I didn't really have any expectations at all. I bought it online for a cheap price because a friend of mine recommended it. Wow, I'm sure glad I listened to him. Ebola Syndrome is really a lot of fun. It is packed with over-the-top violent scenes, but still has a lot of comedy and dark humor in it. This is a balances mix which makes the movie work. It does contain very graphic violence and even rape. So if you have a weak stomach I would advice you to avoid it. But what makes this movie really filthy and ugly is the main character of the story, Kai San. He really steals the show. Everything he does and says is both disturbing and funny in the same time. I won't go in to detail of the things that he does. But let's just say he's a really sick pervert with extreme needs.

It's hard to explain the tone of the movie. Because some scenes remind me of a horror movie, some reminds me of a comedy, and other scenes goes more into the thriller category. But still you can never really take everything too serious.