Don't buy the hype because it doesn't live up to it! A restaurant employee wanted for murder contracts Ebola by raping a woman in South Africa and starts an outbreak there and in Hong Kong when he returns home. One of the bleakest films I have seen in a long time. All characters are unhappy souls, surviving in a grim world, unable to improve their lot, prone to an almost genetically determined urge to mess things up. Worse, these characters were walking cardboards. From an artistic standpoint, there were some plot elements and character developments I didn't think were totally needed. They do however drive the story, which seemed to be their purpose, so I can accept them at the end of the day!

Hong Kong's extreme Category III rating allows producers and directors to cater to the sickest desires of their audiences by focusing on violence, sex, sexual violence and scenes of depravity normally not found in mainstream cinema. During the 1990s, there was a boom in such productions, with the most popular inevitably starring Anthony Wong as some kind of crazed killer or pervert.THE EBOLA SYNDROME is one of the best-known of its kind and that's no surprise; this is one hell of a ride of a film, chock-full of bad taste scenes in which the writer tries to go out of his way to offend everybody watching. The protagonist, played by Wong, is a guy who goes around raping women and eventually contracting and spreading the Ebola virus, which leads to much unpleasantness.From the opening set-piece you know what you're in for with this one: tons of bad language, naked women and gross gore effects. The directors throws in animal dissection, autopsies and all kinds of sickening stuff involving food production that's guaranteed to turn your stomach. Rape and murder are commonplace, and yet at the same time there's daft comedy to offset the darkness. It's all portrayed so over the top and ridiculously that none of it is disturbing.What surprised me most about THE EBOLA SYNDROME is that it's a well made movie comparable with other Hong Kong films of the 1990s. The technical values are strong and the acting isn't too shabby either; Wong is a commanding actor and you can see why he's enjoyed mainstream as well as cult success. Yes, this is an unpleasant and sometimes childish film in the way it seeks out one depravity after another, but at the same time it's undeniably entertaining and it goes down avenues that Hollywood wouldn't dare. The ending rampage is by far my favourite part of the movie and has to be seen to be believed.

The first half of this movie is inarguably the best, or at least the most memorable. This first half has little to no plot, it just moves from one disgusting, depraved set piece to the next. The opening scene sets the tone best, it immediately tips you of that the movie isn't going to be on the Disney channel anytime soon. The most delightful scene in the movie comes later though, when our beloved protagonist Kai starts railing a piece of beef. Which some guy then eats of course, that speaks for itself. After the actual plot kicks in, the movie somehow gets less interesting. Kai tries to infect a whole bunch of people with Ebola by spitting at them, but after we've seen him grind people that almost feels like he's losing his touch. In fact, the second half of this movie is downright boring by comparison. In general it's a really effective shocker though, recommended to anyone who enjoys pointless carnage.

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.