After being framed and unjustly fired from his job, Derek finds his office quarantined for a mysterious virus that unleashes wild impulses. As chaos erupts, Derek and a former client fight their way to the top floor to confront a man who ruined their lives. A film by Joe Lynch, starring Steven Yeun, Samara Weaving, Caroline Chikezie, Dallas Roberts, André Eriksen, Mark Frost, and Steven Brand.

The novel ID-7 virus, which disinhibits and demoralizes its victims, spreads rapidly across the globe. Unlike other viruses, ID-7 does not kill its hosts. Instead, it disrupts the neural pathways responsible for inhibition and moral governance, unleashing their bloodiest, most violent impulses.

Nevil Reed is the first known person convicted of murder while he was infected by the ID-7 virus. Derek Cho (Steven Yeun), a lawyer at Towers & Smythe Consulting (TSC), found a loophole that won the case by stating that Nevil committed murder while under the influence of the virus, therefore Nevil should not be held responsible for his action.

Derek meets with Melanie Cross (Samara Weaving), who poses as a lawyer to request an extension on a loan for her client. Derek quickly discerns her deception, noting that the document she bears is signed by Irene Smythe, one of the firm’s partners. He summons security to escort Melanie from the building.

At the firm, Derek bears the brunt of blame for a mistake Kara Powell (Caroline Chikezie) commits on a case involving Vandacorp, one of the firm’s most lucrative clients. The error inflicts a multimillion-dollar loss on Vandacorp.

Derek has worked tirelessly to achieve his current position, and he refuses to accept the blame for Kara Powell’s blunder. He brings the issue and Kara to the ninth floor to meet with John Towers, (Steven Brand), the firm’s managing partner, in search of justice.

Derek is mistaken. Kara Powell, nicknamed “The Siren” for her persuasive influence over the boss, wields far greater power. The firm’s board of directors promptly approves Derek’s termination, dispatching Lester (Dallas Roberts) to handle the matter.

As Derek is escorted from the building, his eyes turn red, a telltale symptom of ID-7 infection. The entire building is quarantined immediately after ID-7 is detected in the ventilation system. No one can enter or leave, and everyone is presumed to be infected. A neutralizing agent is deployed to eradicate the virus, which will take approximately eight hours.

Derek, determined to plead his case to the board of directors on the ninth floor, is instead sent down to the basement and brutally beaten by Colten (André Eriksen), the boss’s henchman. Evan (Mark Frost), Derek’s only friend, rushes to his rescue, but is tragically killed. The boss confidently assures Colten that he will not be charged with murder, thanks to the legal loophole Derek discovered.

Derek regains consciousness to find himself locked in a room with Melanie. He manages to contact Vandacorp’s CEO, Frank (Scott Alexander Young), and reveals the mishandled case, prompting Vandacorp to terminate their contract with TSC. Enraged, John Towers dispatches two security guards to harm Derek, but it is all part of Derek’s plan. Derek and Melanie escape to realize that they can finally act with impunity. However, they must acquire two key cards for the elevator in order to reach the ninth floor and confront the final boss.

The premise is simple, yet incredibly entertaining. Unlike traditional zombie apocalypse films, the airborne virus in this film does not transform its victims into irreversible flesh-eating monsters. However, infected individuals are not held responsible for their actions while under the influence of the virus.

The film essentially transposes the concept of The Purge to a quarantined space, with the protagonists tasked with obtaining an item from a boss on each floor in order to progress to the next level. Steven Yeun and Samara Weaving deliver captivating performances as the protagonists, eliciting our support for their journey.

MAYHEM premiered at the South by Southwest on 13 March 2017. The film was theatrically released in the United States on 10 November.