TIFF 2020 review: Taiwanese zombie comedy Get the Hell Out turns the insanity up to 11

Setting out to create a cult film is a difficult task — for every Sharknado or Birdemic, there are countless unseen imitators circling the bottom tier of your streaming service of choice. Taiwan’s I-Fan Wang has nonetheless thrown his hat into the ring with his absolutely bonkers feature film debut, Get the Hell Out, screening during the Midnight Madness program at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival.

Get the Hell Out is a film that demands your total attention. The film moves incredibly fast, and Wang throws every conceivable trick at the screen to get you from playing with your phone. Video game-style graphics litter the screen, animation bursts in whenever a new character is introduced, and the film’s manic cutting style makes you feel like you’ve just mainlined a dozen shots of espresso. In short, it’s the perfect midnight movie if you can get on-board with Wang’s hyperactive style.

A scathing takedown of Taiwan’s political system combined with an ultra-gory zombie tale, the film follows parliamentary member Hsiung (Megan Lai), who is removed from office by her sexist rivals and has to rely on a dopey security guard named Wang (Bruce Ho), who unexpectedly becomes a political heavyweight. While remotely instructing Wang on what to say in session in order to continue to have her voice heard, a pathogen infects the members of parliament, turning them into lightning-fast, flesh-tearing zombies.

With real fights actually breaking out in Taiwan’s parliament on a semi-regular basis, Get the Hell Out skews the volatile political situation in Taiwan and elevates the insanity to a seizure-inducing level. If Scott Pilgrim vs the World was somehow too sedate and reserved for you, then Get the Hell Out should hit the sweet spot. Every minute seems to showcase something crazier than the last, and the film flies by at an unfathomably quick pace. Some may find it exhausting, but Get the Hell Out is worth seeking out as a purely visceral experience, especially when you can safely see it with an inebriated late-night crowd.