Rabid (2019)

Plot synopsis of Rabid (2019)

In the opening scene, we are introduced to an introverted and timid woman named Rose Miller, who works at a fashion institute. She wants to pursue her dream of becoming a great fashion designer; however, she is frequently criticized by her boss, Gunter, as well as her colleagues. Thankfully, she has a supportive coworker named Chelsea, working in the same organization, who supports Rose in any way she can. Chelsea is like a sister to her, as her family had raised Rose after her parents passed away.

One day, while at work, Rose's photographer crush, Brad Hart, approaches her and engages her in conversation. Out of nowhere, he asks her to be his date for the party that evening. Although initially nervous, Rose accepts the invitation. Afterwards, she shares the news with Chelsea, who looks very happy for her. Chelsea then helps her prepare for the party, ensuring that she looks stunning.

Later at the party, Rose and Brad share their respective dreams—he aspires to become a photojournalist, while Rose is determined to excel as a fashion designer. After a short while, Brad goes to get her a drink, while Rose goes to the restroom. In a bathroom stall, she inadvertently overhears two models gossiping about her. They reveal that Chelsea had actually arranged the date for Rose out of pity. Angered by this revelation, Rose confronts Chelsea, who insists that she only wanted to help. However, Rose rejects the apology, declaring that she no longer wants her charity. She then leaves on her scooter angrily, only to meet with a traumatic accident on the road.

In the next scene, Rose wakes up in a hospital bed with her face heavily bandaged. The doctor informs her that her face, particularly her jaw, is permanently disfigured due to the accident, and she won't be able to open her mouth for several weeks. When Rose finally sees her face in a mirror, she is overcome with terror. A large part of her face appears to be missing, leaving her devastated, as her lifelong dream of becoming a successful fashion designer is now shattered. Regardless, Chelsea somehow manages to console her, emphasizing that she is still alive, which is the most important thing to consider.

A few days later, Rose is discharged from the hospital, and Chelsea brings her home to provide emotional support during her recovery. Despite Chelsea's presence, Rose remains depressed and often sheds tears when she looks at her reflection. As time passes, Rose attempts to adapt to her new circumstances, but her facial wound continues to bother her. Whenever she eats, she must first blend her food and then inject it into her mouth. Additionally, she must use cardboard and a marker to communicate with others.

One day, while going through her emails, Rose stumbles upon an invitation from the Burough Institute, which introduces her to the concept of transhumanism. This ideology explores the notion that humanity can transcend its physical limitations through science. Moreover, the institute extends an offer to Rose, promising a lifetime of free medical coverage in exchange for being a subject in their experimental procedure. Upon learning of this opportunity, Rose decides to visit the Burough Institute the very next day, hopeful of finding a solution to her disfigured face.

There, she undergoes an examination by Dr. William Burough, who explains that they plan to regenerate her body and physical appearance using an experimental stem cell manipulation process. Although initially hesitant and scared, Rose ultimately consents to the unusual procedure. The following day, the experimental process takes place. Medical personnel, dressed in crimson robes, conduct the operation, attaching a jelly-like substance to Rose's wound. After everything is done, she is transferred to a ward room to rest and recuperate.

During this period, Brad visits the clinic to see Rose, but before their meeting, he is taken aside by Dr. William for a private discussion. Several hours later, Rose awakens and discovers her face wrapped up beneath bandages, much like before. She quickly goes in front of the mirror and removes the bandages, only to witness a remarkable surprise: her face has been fully restored, and she now appears even more beautiful than before. She is overjoyed to see her glowing skin, and moreover, she doesn't need her specs any longer.

Following this, she walks outside to the swimming pool, where she comes across a television actor named Dominic Danvers. She approaches him and abruptly starts kissing him. The act is so intense that Dominic starts bleeding from the lips. Feeling guilty, Rose hastily departs from the scene. The next day, she recounts her experience to Dr. William, but he asserts that it was just a hallucination, likely stemming from the surgery’s side effects. The doctor then prescribes her different medications and protein mixtures, warning that they might make her feel nauseous, dizzy, and experience vivid hallucinations.

With everything now falling into place, Rose is discharged from the clinic. She gathers her belongings and walks up to Chelsea, who is astounded by her transformation. In the next scene, a confident Rose starts devoting herself to her passion as a fashion designer. Her creativity and professional performance have significantly improved, allowing her to craft exceptional clothing designs. While working, she recalls the past humiliations she endured from her boss and colleagues, using these memories as motivation to do better.

One day, Brad pays Rose a visit and is immediately taken aback by her striking transformation. He offers an apology for their previous interactions and asks her out for another date. However, Rose, who is still upset, declines his proposal. Later that evening, she and Chelsea decide to unwind at a bar. There, they unexpectedly run into Gunter, who is taken aback by Rose's new appearance. Gunter inquires about her outfit, and Rose proudly reveals that it's her own design. Impressed, he invites her to return to work and collaborate on his new collection. Following this, the girls enjoy drinks and dancing until Rose pulls a random guy outside and starts making out with him. At this moment, she turns so aggressive that she starts biting and mauling him. Rose then abruptly awakens in her bed, believing this, too, was another hallucination.

The scene then cuts to Dominic, who is in the middle of a movie shoot. He looks increasingly agitated and exhibits erratic behavior towards his coworkers. His aggression soon reaches a peak, where he violently assaults a junior actor, biting into his face and tearing off flesh. On the other hand, Rose is working in her apartment when she experiences excruciating stomach pain. She attempts to endure it but ultimately collapses on the floor, rendering her unconscious. Upon waking up a short while later, she rushes to the refrigerator and gulps down the protein shake provided by Dr. William. However, her hunger persists, and she develops an intense craving. As a result, she retrieves a piece of raw meat and proceeds to lick the blood from it.

Later that evening, Rose roams the streets and comes across a man named Billy, who has been kicked out of a nightclub by the bouncers. She approaches him and asks for a ride. Billy agrees and allows her into his car. Rose then has an intention to kiss him, but instead, she bites his neck and proceeds to suck his blood. The following morning, she awakens in her apartment and discovers blood on her hand, as well as the same coat she wore the previous night. This makes her realize that the experiences she had believed were hallucinations might actually be genuine occurrences. In the next scene, we see the junior actor, who has been admitted to the hospital because of Dominic's bite. It becomes apparent that the bite has caused him to become infected with some sort of virus. He suddenly becomes aggressive and attacks a nurse at the hospital, biting off her fingers and proceeding to assault other hospital staff who attempt to stop him.

Meanwhile, Rose pays a visit to Dr. William to confide in him about her unusual blood cravings, stomach pains, and vivid dreams. She fears that she may be slowly turning into a monster. However, the doctor reassures her that her violent encounters are mere hallucinations. He also explains that her change of appetite is a result of the transformation and that it is normal for her to crave different things. With this reassurance, Rose heads to work, where Gunter evaluates her new sketches, which appear to be oddly dark and sinister. Surprisingly, he is impressed by them and selects one to be the centerpiece of his upcoming collection.

Later on, Brad approaches Rose once more, seeking another chance at a date. This time, she agrees, and they have a meal at a restaurant. During their conversation, Rose suddenly feels something amiss inside her mouth. She excuses herself to the bathroom and, upon looking in the mirror, discovers a tooth growing beneath her tongue. This freaks her out, and she decides to leave. Just before her departure, a random man breaks into the restaurant and starts attacking Rose. In an attempt to save her, Brad pulls the man away and strikes his head multiple times with a fire extinguisher.

The next morning, Rose awakens from a nightmare in which she sees herself turning into a monstrous entity. To soothe herself, she consumes more protein shakes. At one point, the protein bottle slips from her hand, revealing that its contents are made up of blood. Panicked, Rose tries to call Dr. William, but she is unable to reach him. She takes a moment to regain her composure before heading to work. Upon her arrival, Gunter commends Rose's design and chooses Chelsea to model it. Back at the hospital, two doctors from the Centers for Disease Control, named Elliot and Riley, discuss the pandemic outbreak in the city and assume it to be a rabies virus. Riley speculates that the mutated strain may be linked to Dominic, who is now restrained in his bed due to his violent behavior. In reality, Dominic was infected by Rose’s bite during their kiss in the pool.

As the virus continues to spread throughout the city, numerous patients are admitted to the hospital. In an effort to control the outbreak, Riley decides to administer vaccinations to those who are uninfected and isolate the infected ones. The CDC also issues emergency warnings to citizens, urging them to stay home and seek immediate medical attention if they experience any symptoms. Despite the virus outbreak, Gunter remains determined to proceed with a highly anticipated fashion show. As a result, attendees gather for the event, but Chelsea appears to be missing. Rose attempts to contact her but cannot reach her. Shortly after, she receives a call from Dr. William, who urgently asks her to come to the clinic. Rose informs him that she cannot miss the fashion show and will only be able to make it by tomorrow.

After a while, Chelsea arrives at the venue, but her hand appears to have been bitten by someone infected. As a consequence, she begins to exhibit restlessness, just as it happened to Dominic earlier. Despite her condition, Chelsea tries her best to maintain her composure. Meanwhile, Rose is outside the venue attempting to reach Chelsea. At the same time, she again experiences intense stomach pain. A couple of passersby notice her but start filming her instead of helping. Moments later, a bizarre tentacle emerges from Rose's body and attacks one of the bystanders. Just then, Brad shows up and subdues the other onlooker before coming to Rose’s aid. He professionally takes control of the tentacle, administers an injection to Rose, and carries her inside the venue. The man whom the tentacle just attacked rises up like a zombie and heads inside the venue as well.

After a while, Rose regains consciousness, but she has no memory of what transpired. Brad urges her to go to the clinic, but she adamantly refuses to leave before watching her dress close the show. Despite feeling weak and unsettled, Rose joins Gunter in the audience. Soon, the fashion show begins, and the models walk the ramp one after another. Before long, Chelsea, who is now infected by the virus, walks out with her mouth full of blood. She heads straight toward Gunter and bites his neck before sucking his blood. Not long after, the police arrive at the scene and shoot Chelsea to death. Rose is devastated by these horrifying events, but Brad manages to take her to the clinic. Once there, Brad informs Dr. William that the situation is spiraling out of control. The doctor insists that he can handle it. Rose, struggling to comprehend the chaos, blames herself and worries that she started the viral epidemic. At this point, she is sure that all of the hallucinations she experienced earlier are real.

Despite this, Dr. William asserts that he can cure death through Rose. He then locks the couple in a room and monitors them through a glass panel. At this very moment, the doctor reveals that he hired Brad to keep an eye on Rose outside the clinic. Brad agreed to this because Rose's transformation would provide a great story for his photojournalism. Hearing this, Rose feels betrayed once more. Though Brad still attempts to justify his actions, stating that he did it to protect her, she cannot forgive him. Shortly after, Dr. William activates a button, releasing a spray of blood onto Brad. This tempts Rose immensely, and despite her best efforts to control herself, she eventually kills him with her tentacles. After the tragic act, Rose grabs a knife and commits the unthinkable. Meanwhile, news reports state that the outbreak has been contained and all infected subjects have been euthanized. It turns out that the officials failed to identify a specific cause and simply reclassified the epidemic as a flu outbreak.

In the final scene, we see Dr. William prepare a fresh blood-protein solution and a plate of raw meat, which he brings to Rose. She is still alive. It turns out the doctor has revived her by repeating the stem cell manipulation therapy. Rose pounds on the glass door in fury, claiming that he can't play God; however, the doctor stands still, wearing an evil smile on his face.

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Video recap of Rabid (2019)