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The Sadness (2022) movie poster

Timeline

The Sadness (2022) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

Release, runtime and language
2022 · 99 min · Chinese
Echo score 68
JustWatch #3,696 41
Directed by
Rob Jabbaz
Starring
Berant Zhu, Chi-Min Chou, Emerson Tsai, Lue-Keng Huang, Ralf Chiu, Regina Lei

In Taipei, an inexplicable madness sweeps through the city, triggering a horrifying descent into savagery. As humanity succumbs to gruesome violence, a young couple fights to reunite amidst the escalating chaos. Their desperate search becomes a harrowing test of their sanity as they face unimaginable horrors and depravity. The collapse of civilized society plunges everyone into a terrifying and bloody nightmare.

Horror Cast, crew & box office
On this page (6)
  1. 1 Where to watch
  2. 2 Events in order (15)
  3. 3 Timeline questions answered
  4. 4 Movie threads
  5. 5 Movies like The Sadness
  6. 6 Every angle

Where to watch

Where to Watch The Sadness (2022)

Where can you watch The Sadness? Stream, rent or buy it in the US, including on AMC+, Philo and Shudder: current JustWatch availability with up-to-date prices.

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15 events in order · contains spoilers

The Sadness Timeline: Events in Chronological Order

Every key event of The Sadness (2022) in order, scene by scene, with when and where it takes place. Use it to untangle flashbacks, time jumps and parallel storylines, to refresh your memory before the sequel or to find the exact scene you are thinking of.

  1. The Discovery of the Alvin Virus

    Medical professionals and government officials in Taiwan become aware of the Alvin virus, a contagion exhibiting influenza-like symptoms. This discovery sparks intense debates over the appropriate responses to the threat, as many citizens remain skeptical about the virus's existence.

    Where
    Taiwan

  2. Jim and Kat's Day Begins

    In the bustling city of Taipei, young lovers Jim and Kat embark on a seemingly ordinary day. On their moped, they unknowingly ride past a gruesome crime scene, unaware of the chaos that awaits them.

    Where
    Taipei

  3. The Attack at the Cafe

    Seeking refuge in a nearby cafe after dropping Kat off at the station, Jim experiences a sudden and violent interruption. An old woman, bloodied and infected, attacks patrons, spreading terror and chaos within the establishment.

    Where
    Cafe in Taipei

  4. Panic in the Streets

    After the cafe attack, the woman pursues Jim into the street, leading to her demise beneath the wheels of a car driven by another infected individual. Jim, now stricken with fear, flees back to his apartment, desperate to warn Kat of the danger that lurks.

    Where
    Streets of Taipei

  5. Jim's Injuries

    As Jim rushes to warn Kat, he encounters a terrifying altercation with his neighbor, who attacks him with garden shears. Jim suffers a severe injury, losing two fingers, but he narrowly escapes the chaos of his home.

    Where
    Jim's Apartment

  6. Chaos on the Train

    While Jim battles his own horrors, chaos erupts on Kat's train as two infected men begin wielding knives indiscriminately. This terrifying experience marks a turning point for Kat and introduces new threats as she fights for her safety.

    Where
    Train in Taipei

  7. Desperate Escape from the Train Station

    Amid the turmoil on the train, Kat teams up with Molly, who has been injured by the infected businessman. Together, they manage to escape the train station with the help of Kevin, as they face relentless threats from the infected.

    Where
    Train Station

  8. Arriving at the Hospital

    Kat, Molly, and Kevin reach a hospital that is overwhelmed with the injured and dying. As an emergency broadcast promises government assistance, the situation deteriorates rapidly with the terrifying infiltration of the infected.

    Where
    Hospital in Taipei

  9. The President's Assassination

    Panic spreads in the hospital as an infected general fatally attacks the president live on television. This shocking event exacerbates the fear and chaos that engulf the hospital’s already desperate situation.

    Where
    Hospital

  10. Molly's Grievous Fate

    As Kat finds temporary refuge in a stairwell, she witnesses the terrible fate of her friend Molly, who is caught and infected by the previously encountered businessman. Molly's demise represents the growing threat that the Alvin virus poses to everyone involved.

    Where
    Stairwell, Hospital

  11. Confrontation with the Businessman

    In a desperate fight for survival, Kat confronts the infected businessman who has relentlessly pursued them. This encounter culminates when she crushes his skull with a fire extinguisher, claiming a momentary victory amid the horror.

    Where
    Hospital

  12. Dr. Alan Wong's Revelation

    Dr. Alan Wong, hiding in the maternity ward, reveals critical insights about the Alvin virus. His chilling description of the virus's effects includes unleashing violent and sexual compulsions, highlighting the grim reality faced by the infected.

    Where
    Maternity Ward, Hospital

  13. Kat's Unique Test

    To understand her immunity, Dr. Wong injects Kat with the virus after she discovers an abandoned infant among medical waste. This desperate act serves as a last glimmer of hope in their nightmarish world.

    Where
    Hospital

  14. The Climactic Reunion

    Jim finally reaches Kat in the hospital, and for a fleeting moment, they find hope in her apparent lack of symptoms. However, their relief quickly dissolves into despair as chaos reigns around them, culminating in a fatal confrontation.

    Where
    Hospital

  15. A Tragic End

    In the climax of the story, as everything collapses around them, Jim confronts his own infection and the twisted desires it brings. The narrative closes with his hauntingly peaceful smile amid the chaos, symbolizing the tragic demise of their world.

    Where
    Hospital Rooftop

Last updated: November 08, 2024 at 01:39

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Timeline questions answered

The Sadness Timeline Explained: Your Questions Answered

When does it happen, and why in that order? The questions people ask about the chronology of The Sadness (2022): time jumps, flashbacks, cause and effect between scenes and the correct order of events, each answered with spoilers.

Q1

What is the Alvin virus in The Sadness?

The Alvin virus is a mysterious contagion spreading through Taipei that produces influenza-like symptoms but with devastating psychological effects. According to Dr. Alan Wong, the virus unleashes people's deepest violent and sexual impulses, causing otherwise normal individuals to commit horrific acts they would never consider in their right mind.

Foreshadowing: Early in the film, government officials debate the virus's existence while virologists warn about its potential to mutate, foreshadowing its devastating impact.

  • alvin virus
  • contagion
  • infection
  • outbreak
  • taipei virus
Q2

How does the Alvin virus spread in The Sadness?

The Alvin virus appears to spread through bodily fluids. The old woman in the cafe spits thick mucus at customers, and the infected businessman pursues Kat and Molly with violent intent. The rapid spread suggests airborne or droplet transmission, though the exact mechanism is never fully explained.

  • spread
  • transmission
  • contagious
  • bodily fluids
  • saliva
Q3

Why does Dr. Alan inject Kat with the virus in The Sadness?

Dr. Alan injects Kat with the Alvin virus to test whether she has immunity. After she discovers an abandoned infant among medical waste and shows no symptoms despite being in close proximity to the infected, Alan sees her as a potential key to finding a cure. It's a desperate gamble to understand why she hasn't been affected.

  • dr alan
  • injection
  • immunity test
  • cure
  • experiment
Q4

Why does Jim try to kill Kat at the end of The Sadness?

Jim has become infected with the Alvin virus, which twists his desires into violent ones. When he reaches Kat, his infection causes him to express a twisted desire to kill her, claiming that the act symbolizes love. The virus has corrupted his mind, replacing his genuine love with violent obsession.

Foreshadowing: Jim begins experiencing disturbing hallucinations and struggles to suppress his growing madness while trying to reach Kat, hinting at his eventual infection.

  • jim infected
  • twisted love
  • violence
  • murder
  • virus effects
Q5

Is Kat immune to the Alvin virus in The Sadness?

Kat appears to be immune to the Alvin virus. Throughout the movie, she remains uninfected despite repeated exposure to the infected, including the businessman who pursues her and the chaotic hospital environment. This is why Dr. Alan chooses to inject her with the virus directly to study her immunity.

  • immune
  • immunity
  • infection
  • resistance
  • symptoms
Q6

What happens to Kat at the end of The Sadness?

The fate of Kat is left ambiguous but appears tragic. As Jim fights his infection, Kat escapes to the rooftop where gunfire echoes, suggesting she is killed. Her earlier laughter hints at psychological unraveling from the trauma she's endured. The exact circumstances of her death are not explicitly shown.

  • kat death
  • ending
  • fate
  • rooftop
  • gunshot
Q7

Why does the infected general kill the president in The Sadness?

The infected general attacks the president during a live emergency broadcast because the Alvin virus has corrupted his mind, turning him violent. The president represents authority and order, and the virus causes him to attack the highest symbol of government rather than following any rational motive.

  • president
  • general
  • assassination
  • government
  • broadcast
Q8

What do the black eyes mean for infected people in The Sadness?

The black eyes are a visual indicator of Alvin virus infection. The old woman at the cafe has haunting black eyes, and other infected individuals display the same disturbing特征. This physical manifestation signals that someone has been overcome by the virus and is now driven by violent impulses.

  • black eyes
  • symptoms
  • appearance
  • visual
  • infected sign
Q9

Why does Jim smile at the end of The Sadness?

Jim smiles at the end because the virus has stripped away his humanity and moral compass. His peaceful smile as he succumbs reflects the complete psychological destruction the Alvin virus causes, his last moments are void of the love he once felt for Kat, replaced by a hollow acceptance of the collapsed world around him.

  • jim smile
  • ending
  • peace
  • madness
  • psychological collapse
Q10

How does the Alvin virus affect behavior in The Sadness?

The Alvin virus unleashes people's suppressed violent and sexual compulsions, causing otherwise ordinary citizens to become brutal attackers. Dr. Alan explains that the infected may be aware of their heinous deeds but remain helplessly trapped in their impulses. This transforms the entire city into savage attackers.

  • violence
  • behavior
  • compulsions
  • urges
  • mental corruption
Q11

Why does Kat crush the businessman's skull in The Sadness?

Kat kills the infected businessman in self-defense after he relentlessly pursues her and Molly throughout the train station and into the hospital. He had already injured Molly's eye and continued hunting them, forcing Kat to use a fire extinguisher to crush his skull and stop his attack.

  • businessman
  • self defense
  • fire extinguisher
  • fight
  • kat
Q12

Why does the government hesitate to act on the Alvin virus in The Sadness?

The government hesitates to implement widespread preventive measures despite the severity of the outbreak, leading citizens to question whether the virus even exists. This bureaucratic inaction reflects a failure to recognize the threat in time, allowing the virus to spread unchecked through Taipei.

  • government
  • response
  • inaction
  • quarantine
  • authorities

Movie threads

More Movies Like The Sadness, by Mood & Story

Curated lists built around what makes The Sadness tick: the same mood, the same kind of story or the same emotional payoff. Each list explains why these movies belong together.

Brutal apocalyptic collapse movies like The Sadness

Stories of fast-paced societal collapse fueled by a brutal, sanity-shattering force. If you liked the breakneck pacing and total societal implosion of The Sadness, explore more movies like it. These similar films feature high-intensity survival horror, fast-paced viral outbreaks, and stories of civilization's swift, bloody end, capturing a chaotic and hopeless vibe.

  • chaotic
  • hopeless
  • brutal
  • savage
  • apocalyptic
  • desperate
  • Tone: dark, bleak, chaotic
  • Pacing: fast, relentless
Why these movies?

The story pattern: Narratives in this thread are typically linear and straightforward, focusing on the immediate and horrific chain of events following a catastrophic trigger. They follow protagonists as they fight for survival against overwhelming odds, often witnessing the psychological and moral destruction of those around them, culminating in bleak outcomes.

Why they belong together: Movies are grouped here because they share a core focus on the rapid, violent end of society. They deliver a coherent experience through their fast pacing, high intensity, dark tone, and graphic depiction of a world succumbing to its most savage impulses, creating a deeply disturbing and anxious viewing experience.

28 Weeks Later movie poster

28 Weeks Later

2007
The Sadness movie poster

The Sadness

2022
Condemned movie poster

Condemned

2015
Survival of the Dead movie poster

Survival of the Dead

2010
Rabid movie poster

Rabid

1977
The Remaining movie poster

The Remaining

2014
Re-Kill movie poster

Re-Kill

2015
Nightmare City movie poster

Nightmare City

1980

Psychological body horror and madness movies like The Sadness

Horror where physical transformation mirrors a terrifying loss of sanity and self. Fans of The Sadness's themes of psychological unraveling and visceral body horror will find more movies like it here. Discover similar stories exploring descent into madness, disturbing transformations, and horror that attacks the mind as much as the body, all with a heavy emotional weight.

  • disturbing
  • psychological
  • gruesome
  • desperate
  • body horror
  • unraveling
  • Tone: dark, disturbing, desperate
  • Pacing: variable, often intense
Why these movies?

The story pattern: These stories often use a physical plague or transformation as a metaphor for a deeper psychological collapse. The narrative journey follows characters as they confront the loss of their own humanity or witness the degradation of loved ones, creating intimate horror amidst larger chaotic events.

Why they belong together: These movies are grouped by their shared focus on the intersection of mental and physical horror. They create a cohesive vibe through heavy emotional weight, disturbing themes, and a dark tone that explores how violence and disease can shatter the human psyche, making the horror feel deeply personal and traumatic.

Body Parts movie poster

Body Parts

1991
Thanatomorphose movie poster

Thanatomorphose

2012
Suitable Flesh movie poster

Suitable Flesh

2023
Tormented movie poster

Tormented

1960
The Forest Hills movie poster

The Forest Hills

2024
Torment movie poster

Torment

2013
Dark Sanity movie poster

Dark Sanity

1982
Excess Flesh movie poster

Excess Flesh

2015

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Every angle

The Sadness (2022) Explained: Plot, Timeline & Characters

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