Ebola Syndrome 4K Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		5.0
Audio		4.5
Extras		3.5
Overall		4.5

Ebola Syndrome 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf December 11, 2021

In 1995, “Outbreak” was rushed into release, hoping to capitalize on growing interest in deadly virus stories. It was a Hollywood production meant to frighten and thrill a mass audience, and it found its way to box office domination, giving viewers a glimpse of body horrors from the comfort of a multiplex seat. 1996’s “Ebola Syndrome” isn’t nearly as polished or interested in charming outsiders, launching a tale about a horrible man doing horrible things while a horrible virus spreads across the land. Director Herman Yau delivers a big-time mess with the feature, which revels in ugliness, living up to is “Category III” classification with a steady display of contemptible and murderous human behavior, also showing just as much enthusiasm for gore zone visits, going splatter-esque with its vision for bloody encounters. “Ebola Syndrome” is a blunt instrument, but when Yau isn’t indulging his taste for screen chaos, he manages to provide a decent detective story at times, keeping things clear enough for recognizable conflicts to materialize, but only for brief amounts of time.

Kai (Anthony Wong) is a monster of a man, and when he’s subjected to a major beating for sleeping with his boss’s wife, he fights back, killing three people, leaving young Lily alive as the witness. Fleeing Hong Kong, Kai makes his way to South Africa, working as a cook in a popular restaurant. However, old urges cannot be contained, with Kai a slave to sexual thought, and when he’s out with his boss on a visit to collect meat from an African tribe, he decides to rape a local woman struggling with signs of illness. Returning home, Kai brings the Ebola virus with him, only he has immunity, unknowingly spreading the disease to others. When more deadly conflicts arrive for the fugitive, Kai loses his mind, using additional murder victims as meat for his special hamburgers, eventually claiming money and power while he brings misery to those in close contact with him.

Yau doesn’t soften Kai’s behavior during the course of “Ebola Syndrome,” which some may view as an act of filmmaking bravery. He’s a nasty villain, with his sex drive making almost every decision for him, including murder, with a particularly ugly encounter opening the feature, resulting in one character getting her tongue cut off. And yet, “Ebola Syndrome” is only getting started, following Kai to South Africa, where he spends his days butchering frogs and helping his boss, yet he remains powerless to his lustful ways, even masturbating with raw meat (which he happily serves to the public).

Yau embraces Kai’s horribleness, which extends to his sexual assault of a near-comatose tribal woman, acquiring the Ebola virus from the encounter. From there, “Ebola Syndrome” takes off into disturbing acts of violence, including cannibalism, and it’s never entirely clear if Yau is playing all this for laughs. He rarely reins in Wong, who delivers a full-body performance of madness, giving him plenty of screentime to improvise and slam his co- stars around, encouraging the mayhem the actor delights in supplying. And yet, the saga of Lily starts to emerge in the screenplay, with the child witness now an unsteady adult, recognizing Kai’s scent as she commences her own investigation into his presence in South Africa. It’s not much, but it’s just enough structure to keep “Ebola Syndrome” compelling, and the manhunt for Kai claims the final act of the movie, allowing for better organization of crazed behavior.

Ebola Syndrome 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Screencaps are taken from the Blu-ray release of "Ebola Syndrome."

"Ebola Syndrome" arrives on UHD with a fresh scan of its 35mm camera negative. The visual presentation is pleasingly film-like, with nicely resolved grain throughout, and colors are exciting, with defined primaries exploring local signage and period costuming. Bolder reds are found with bloodshed, and different environments register as intended, including the greenery of Africa. Skintones are natural. Detail is excellent, with sharpness capturing bodily harm, keeping gory scenes textured as the viral outbreak rages on. Hong Kong exteriors are dimensional, surveying urban areas, while Africa provides deep savanna views. Interiors are equally clear, identifying restaurant decoration. Delineation is excellent. Highlights are tasteful, offering a bright sense of natural light, with Africa exteriors compellingly illuminated. Hong Kong nightlife is also vivid, with golden lighting and hotter neon signage. Source is in good condition.

Ebola Syndrome 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 2.0 DTS-HD MA mix offers broadly dubbed dialogue exchanges, which are defined. Only a few moments encounter mild sibilance issues. Scoring provides a distinct synth sound, supporting suspense and horror moments with authority. Sound effects are blunt but effective, exploring the destruction of bodies and physical attacks with different weapons.

Ebola Syndrome 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Booklet (18 pages) contains an essay by Ariel Esteban Cayer and a transcript of a roundtable discussion featuring artist Honkaz Fung, and film historians William Yuen and Andy Willis.

UHD

• Commentary #1 features film historian Samm Deighan.

• Commentary #2 features director Herman Yau and actor Anthony Wong.

Blu-ray

• Commentary #1 features film historian Samm Deighan.

• Commentary #2 features director Herman Yau and actor Anthony Wong.

• Intro (:35, HD) offers brief thoughts on the uncut version of "Ebola Syndrome" from director Herman Yau.

• Interview (21:52, HD) features director Herman Yau, who explores what the Hong Kong film market was like in the 1990s, with nearly 300 movies competing for space every year. He details the Category III rating system, and denies "Ebola Syndrome" is a parody of such entertainment. Technical credits are celebrated, and the screenplay is dissected, with improvisation taking up most of the dialogue exchanges. Tonal intention is analyzed, as Yau resists the accusation that he's made an intentional comedy. South Africa locations are recalled, and racism found in the picture is dissected. The interviewee also discusses the relevancy of the material, and his helming hopes as he watches his career wind down.

• Archival Interview (15:39, SD) is an undated chat with director Herman Yau, briefly joined by actor Anthony Wong, who looks like he'd rather be anywhere else but in front of a camera discussing "Ebola Syndrome." Yau goes over the basics of the production process, examining his collaboration with Wong, his intent to shock, and his work with a cinematographer after successfully holding the job on other features.

• "Cantonese with Dr. Yau" (12:04, HD) is a discussion of the language of "Ebola Syndrome" with Herman Yau, who discusses the feature's subtitling, translations, and references.

• A Trailer has not been included on this release.

Ebola Syndrome 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"Ebola Syndrome" isn't tasteful. That's not the point of the movie. Yau wants to rage with the feature, offering all types of violence committed by an unrepentant lead character. There's nothing terribly exciting about this journey of insanity, but when the writing is at its clearest, the package becomes more appealing, dealing with storytelling instead of lengthy scenes of despicable behavior and egregious overacting from Wong. "Ebola Syndrome" wants to make a big screen mess, and it achieves that limited creative goal. In a way, the project is a complete success, but to physically sit through stretches of undisciplined filmmaking isn't nearly as thrilling.