Infection (2004)
"Kansen" (original title)

INFECTION takes place in a dark, isolated hospital, where one doctors mistake has led to dire consequences for a patient.

Director:

Masayuki Ochiai

Writers:

Ryôichi Kimizuka (story), Masayuki Ochiai (screenplay)

Stars:

Michiko Hada, Mari Hoshino, Tae Kimura

Cast

Credited cast:
Michiko Hada	...	Dr. Nakazono
Mari Hoshino	...	Nurse
Tae Kimura	...	Nurse
Yôko Maki	...	Nurse
Kaho Minami	...	Head nurse
Moro Morooka	...	Dr. Kishida
Shirô Sano	...	Kiyoshi Akai
Kôichi Satô	...	Dr. Akiba
Masanobu Takashima	...	Dr. Uozumi
Isao Yatsu	...	Hospital Patient

Storyline

In a general hospital near bankruptcy, the reduced staff is working under a severe stress. During the emergency attendance to a burned patient with Dr. Uozumi (Masanobu Takashima) and two other nurses, Dr. Akiba (Kôichi Satô) and the nurse commit an error, injecting sodium chlorate and killing him. Dr. Uozumi convinces the team to forge the report to save their careers. Meanwhile, an ambulance leaves a patient in the emergency with a lethal infection. When the muscles and internal organs of the patient liquefy, Dr. Kiyoshi Akai (Shirô Sano) convinces his two colleagues to examine and research the virus, leading the employees of the night shift to a tragic end.

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Plot Keywords:

hospital | infection | nurse | ambulance | doctor | 

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Taglines:

Nothing can prepare you for the epidemic that could wipe out the entire planet.

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Genres:

Drama | Horror | Sci-Fi

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for horror-related images

Details

Country:

Japan

Language:

Japanese

Release Date:

2 October 2004 (Japan)

Also Known As:

Infection

Company Credits

Production Co:

Aozora Investments, Entertainment Farm (EF), Geneon Entertainment

Technical Specs

Runtime:

98 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Connections

Followed by Kaidan (2007)

User Reviews

Fairly Entertaining

I like how much work Japanese directors put into the pacing, atmospherics, and suspense of their horror films. This one is no exception. If you ever saw Kingdom Hospital and enjoyed it for the mix of suggestive spooky supernatural undertones clashing with rationalism and materialism thematically, then you might like this film as well. At first I thought this film would turn out to be something like 28 Days with ferocious infected zombies feeding on humans, but there is a much more clever plot line going on which I won't reveal. The plot seemed to have some holes in it til I realized what was really going on in the end. Mainly though, I enjoyed the mix of film with a suggestion of a supernatural influence in a materialist or rationalist world. Visual storytelling gets this idea across with images of, for example, swings swinging on their own near the hospital, or an old crazy lady who sees her dead relatives in mirrors staring at her reflection in a window looking like an apparition. I must say that after discovering Japanese thrillers and horror films, it is hard to go back to Hollywood offerings for sure. They seem so predictable, tame, and cookie-cutter in comparison.