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Yi boh laai beng duk (1996) More at IMDbPro »

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27 out of 29 people found the following comment useful :-
It's not for everyone, but for the right crowd, this is a masterpiece, 3 July 2005
10/10
Author: Brandt Sponseller from New York City

This is the first Herman Yau-directed film that I've seen. If it's not an atypical work for him, I need to see a lot more, because this is a masterpiece.

However, Ebola Syndrome (aka "Yi bo la beng duk") is understandably not something that everyone will enjoy. It's a Chinese film that intentionally earned their infamous "Category III" rating, which is equivalent to the old X's or current NC-17's in the U.S. The film is full of over-the-top (although not strictly pornographic) sex, violence and all-around depravity. The combination of gore and various kinds of bodily fluid excretion/ejection/evacuation was too much for my wife too take, and she angrily bowed out about halfway through. But it looks like those not of a disposition to enjoy the film do not tend to seek it out, and in general, if you have a strong stomach and you're not easily offended (I can't imagine a film being able to gross me out or offend me), this is a gem of a film in several genres.

Ebola Syndrome begins in Hong Kong. The protagonist, an oddly charismatic anti-hero named Kai (Anthony Wong Chau-Sang), is having sex with a woman whom we first assume is a prostitute, but whom we shortly learn, more importantly, is his boss' (he seems to be a mob boss) wife. Kai and his lover are almost caught in the act. Kai does not bother trying to deny anything. The boss threatens to castrate him, but Kai cleverly takes advantage of the situation and wipes out his boss and the boss' cronies and wife. He almost takes out their young daughter, too, but at the last moment, just as he's about to set her afire, someone else walks into the apartment.

Kai flees to South Africa, where he ends up working in a Chinese restaurant. He went during the tail end up the Apartheid era, and as we catch up with him after the title credits, it's 1996, just after Apartheid has ended. Kai isn't very well respected. He's earning the least out of all of the employees and seems to be doing the most work. His new boss' wife particularly hates him, but his new boss seems to be somewhat sympathetic and regularly takes him out on business runs. When local white butchers want to rip them off, Kai and his boss head to a Zulu tribe area to buy meat from them instead. Unfortunately, they run into victims of the Ebola virus, and Kai, having his peculiar disposition, foolishly comes into close contact with a victim.

As a horror film, Ebola Syndrome is extremely effective. The early, amped-up violence in the film tends to push viewers out of their normal, emotionally stable states. Once the Ebola virus becomes a plot point, viewers are already halfway on their way to the kind of horror that doesn't involve scares so much as a feeling that the bottom is dropping out of their safe world views.

That's the kind of approach that's the most effective for me as horror, emotionally, because for whatever reason, films just cannot make me feel fear. Yau and scriptwriter Ting Chau go out of their way to convey just how dangerous something like Ebola is. In both the real world and the film, it is easily spread through any kind of bodily fluid, including droplets of mucus/saliva that enter the air when someone coughs or sneezes. In a densely populated area like Johannesburg or Hong Kong, that could spell widespread disaster. Later sections of the film focus on the countless ways that Kai is spreading the virus to others, who will spread it themselves. This engenders a lot of suspense, as does the burgeoning widespread panic. Yau achieves almost a classic George Romero vibe.

But surprisingly, Ebola Syndrome is also a macabre comedy. Especially early scenes are just as often laugh-out-loud funny as they are violent or disturbing. Often both modes arrive at the same time. The concern with humor disappears slightly in the latter half of the film, once Kai returns to Hong Kong, but the film doesn't suffer for the transition. Yau's direction, editing and all of the technical elements are smooth as silk throughout.

The beginning of Ebola Syndrome is also just as much a crime film as horror--in fact, it has a heavy Quentin Tarantino feel. Later sections are also just as much in the police-procedural subgenre and the final, extended sequence plays a bit more like a thriller that goes for the jugular.

Given the location hopping and the trip to the Zulu tribeland, Yau even conveys a slight sense of adventure. The combination of styles could easily become an unfocused mish-mash in lesser hands, but Yau makes it feel 100% "natural". And Anthony Wong Chau-Sang plays his role beautifully. He manages to sell Kai as a character who isn't exactly evil, but who sure is hell isn't innocent, either. Kai seems almost a bit developmentally disabled at times, and he's mostly likable despite his reprehensible actions. Kai is more a guy who continually has bad luck, but who just wants to have a good time in life. At the same time, he doesn't seem to really understand conventional ethical ideas. That's an extremely tough combination of qualities to convey, especially while the character is killing others right and left, but Anthony Wong Chau-Sang has created one of the most charismatic, engaging anti-heroes ever. The other performances are all great, too, but Kai is definitely the focus here.

Ebola Syndrome is as intelligent and artistic as it is controversial and disturbing. If you have even the slightest taste for over the top, graphically violent horror with a sense of humor, this is a must see.

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14 out of 14 people found the following comment useful :-
Dont Eat the "African" Burgers!, 8 May 2002
Author: sirarthurstreebgreebling II from Streeb-Greebling Acres, London

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.

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16 out of 18 people found the following comment useful :-
Legendary Hongkong shocker with unforgettable sicko performance by Wong. Only for twisted minds!, 15 May 2002
8/10
Author: Bogey Man from Finland

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.

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9 out of 9 people found the following comment useful :-
remarkable, 31 May 2004
Author: PeterKurten911 from Aalst, Belgium

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.

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11 out of 13 people found the following comment useful :-
This IS Horror!!, 12 September 2004
8/10
Author: shizou666 from South Ebola

This is the type of horror film the world seems to be seeing less and less of nowadays. Pure Evil, Pure Gore, Unrelentless in its delivery and damn entertaining all the way through.

A geeza catches ebola, he's immune to the effects and is just a carrier, he spreads it all over the place. thats is the basic outline of the plot. You need know no more to get the jist of it all.

This is a classy film all the way through, i love everything about it. The deaths are brutal and realistic looking. Its predictable as hell, but not even this can stop it from being a top film.

As a horror, this is almost as good as it can get. 10/10

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7 out of 7 people found the following comment useful :-
Ebola Crapola?, 15 September 2006
8/10
Author: ElijahCSkuggs from Happy Land, who lives in a Gumdrop House on Lolly Pop Lane

Nope! What a crazy flick!

Anthony Wong (Untold Story, Infernal Affairs) is back again as a crazy, sick son of a bitch. He plays Kai, an ugly, dirty, rapist/murderer....he's good at that role. Kai is the workhorse for a restaurant he works at. The boss and bosses wife treat him pretty poorly, he stands for it long enough and eventually does what he does best. Along the way he ends up getting infected by the Ebola Syndrome. A disease which makes infected people shake uncontrollably, and eventually makes their organs turn to mush. One in 10 million people that become infected are able to just be a carrier and not die from it. What happens when you have a murder/rapist who carries the Ebola virus around?

This movie is definitely not for everyone, but HOLY JEEZ, if you like CAT III flicks, or gross/weird/violent movies, there is really little reason for you to dislike this film. For fans of extreme cinema this is really a must see. And if you don't like it.....bully for you!

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6 out of 6 people found the following comment useful :-
Gross but not that disturbing., 22 April 2005
8/10
Author: Ross (axyb_triggers_black_white@hotmail.com)

I've always loved movies with Anthony Wong in them. Especially his cat 3 epics. Such as this obviously and the excellent untold story. In this Wong plays a lowly restaurant worker named Kai. Who's practically a slave. He gets all the lousy jobs. Wong like to have sex with his bosses wives though. This obviously doesn't go down very well when they find out so he moves job. In one instance when Kai is discovered practically raping the bosses wife, boss man is angry. He threatens to castrate Kai, things get out of hand and Kai ends up slaughtering his boss and his wife. Though not his daughter. Next we meet Kai 10 yeras later. Cutting up REAL frogs in grotesque detail. He is still the same low life restaurant worker, but he's moved. Anyway long story short Kai catches the ebola syndrome and becomes a carrier. I'm sure you can imagine what follows so I won't ruin it for you here. I'll just say that their are some scenes of extreme gore, although it never really feels disturbing as the scenes leading up to these events are always comedic. This is a fun film and definitely more of a gross out comedy than straight up horror. Whatever it is its great

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9 out of 12 people found the following comment useful :-
Ebola Syndrome (1996), 3 February 2004
Author: face_of_terror from Azerbaijan

This movie is about a Chinese employee Kai who has sex with his boss' wife and after boss catches them , Kai kills his boss with scissors and then cuts off his boss' wife tongue. Boss' little daughter witnesses all that. Kai is about to escape but he doesn't want anyone to know about what happened. So he ties little girl up and pours her with gas and is about to burn her. Suddenly a neighbor comes in , and Kai escapes.

10 years after we see Kai working as a waiter in a restaurant in South Africa . His new boss doesn't like him and his boss's wife is always mad at him. Some may feel sorry for Kai because he looks like he's been run over by a bulldozer. (I felt sorry for him) . One day Kai and his boss go to the jungle to buy some cheap pig meat for their restaurant from Zulu natives. There Kai gets to rape a Zulu girl who is infected with Ebola Virus. One night Kai gets so frustrated with his boss' wife that he rapes her and kills his new boss in a very violent way. Then he chops their corpses into meat and makes hamburgers of them. The next day Kai starts selling those infected hamburgers , infecting the whole city. Daughter of his old boss is also in that city as she realizes who is Kai and tells police about it. Kai takes his boss' money and goes back to Hong Kong. There he starts spreading the Ebola virus , intentionally infecting people around him.

Well this movie is not for everyone that's for sure. First half of them movie looks more like a horror/action , and second part like a thriller. But surprisingly this film has a plot. Its not a stupid gore fest .

Acting is not great which is obvious for `trash movies' , and for Japan/Chinese shock movies as well. Though our main hero Kai played by Anthony Wong , does a great job as a demented , infected employee. Some may hate him , some may feel sorry for him (I did). The movie itself is not very gory but it has its moments even in Cut version. Its more disgusting than gory. Some may need to have a barf bag near them , while watching this. This is shocking at some point but not as shocking as other Japan Shock movies. Still if ur a fan this is worth watching. Its not recommended for people who are not 18. And if you still decided to watch it , don't eat anything while watching.....

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5 out of 5 people found the following comment useful :-
Wow! Now that's something you don't see every day., 24 February 2008
7/10
Author: stepflan from Norway

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.

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5 out of 6 people found the following comment useful :-
Very sick and depraved stuff., 23 September 2003
9/10
Author: HumanoidOfFlesh from Chyby, Poland

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.

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