Infection

Eastern Eye

Madman Entertainment

R4 DVD

"Anyone who loves horror will love this!" - Film Asylum

Death and illness are a common source of fear for most of us and hence the image of the hospital is always a winner in a horror tale. However, infection, takes it a step further. With the current state of medical treatment in so many countries around the world, it is set in a hospital beset with problems with both staff and doctors, low medical supplies and a director who had just gone missing. It is an accident waiting to happen and that is what occurs but with devastating consequences.

While the doctors and staff work on trying to do the best they can and under immense stress, a series of events lead to disaster. A patient in the waiting room is left undiagnosed and is found to have a brain hemorrhage, another patient is given a lethal dose of an incorrect medicine and a patient is brought in by ambulance in a contagious state and yet forgotten in ER.

Rather than facing the problems that have arisen, a decision is made to cover up. Since the burns patient has been killed by a lethal dose of an incorrect drug, his corpse is placed in a room which is overheated to increase decomposition and this is the heart of the film. The psychological and perhaps even supernatural significance of covering up a patient’s accidental death.

The first section of the film sets the stage of an incredible horror experience, it is really a supernatural thriller where the revenge of the dead is expressed through the imagery of a pathogen. A critical scene in the film, which could easily go under noticed, is where a doctor treating a Alzheimer’s patient explains the nature of perception via the image of an apple and the colour red. Why do we always see red ? It is not because red is consistently the same colour but because our brains reconstruct reality ? So is the pathogen real or a metaphor ? Is it a ghostly revenge or medical disaster, that is for the viewer to decide. This psychological element and the regular use of the dementia patient, images reflected in mirrors etc gives the film an added ddept.

As the film develops the supposed pathogen spread, nightmare merges into reality and staff, doctors and patients die one after another.

Director Masayuki Ochiai is already well-known as the director of Parasite Eve (1997) and Hypnosis (1999) and in this film explores new territory with a mixture of horror, psychological thriller and ghost story.

This is certainly a gruesome film with some amazing photography, lots of gore and an impressive use of colour especially the significance given to reds and greens. The acting is superb and the soundscape is really quite something. The use of powerful music and great sound effects makes this is a very eerie experience which will stay with you for quite some time.

This release from Eastern Eye (Madman Entertainment) is close to perfect. The picture clarity is of the highest quality with reds and greens (which are so significant in this film) rendered extremely clear. The sound is DD5.1 or DTS and the surrounds are well used to create an excellent sound environment. Subtitles are in yellow and clear and easy to read.

Extras include the Making of Infection, Cast & crew interviews, Digital effects exposed, the Japanese press conference, the Original trailer, a Stills Gallery and some Madman trailers..