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1995 Wolfgang Petersen-directed thriller “Outbreak” offers a terrifying glimpse into a deadly pandemic situation. Exploring the aftermath of a lethal virus, the film is successfully nerve-wracking. Complete with an ensemble cast and airtight script, it’s a hair-raising sci-fi thriller.
In 1967, the extremely deadly Motaba virus strikes an African village. U.S. Army officers William Ford (Morgan Freeman) and Donald McClintock (Donald Sutherland) arrive onsite to assess the damage. Returning later, the village celebrates when a United States plane flies in, only to be blown to bits moments later.
Flash forward to 1995, and virologist Colonel Sam Daniels (Dustin Hoffman) of USAMRIIDD ships out to Zaire where there’s an outbreak of an unknown disease. Daniels arrives with Lt. Colonel Casey Schuler (Kevin Spacey), and fresh-in-the-field Major Salt (Cuba Gooding Jr.) in tow. Daniels, Schuler, and Salt uncover the Motaba virus. While it’s not airborne, Daniels expresses concern that it could spread causing a pandemic. As such, he strongly recommends that Major General Billy Ford take proactive measures in studying Motaba. But Ford dismisses Daniels’s concerns. However, when Jimbo Scott (Patrick Dempsey) attempts to sell a monkey from Zaire to a pet store illegally, Motaba gets out, thus reuniting Daniels with his estranged ex-wife Dr. Roberta Keough (Rene Russo) of the CDC as they rush to contain the spread of the virus.
While it’s a sci-fi film, 1995’s “Outbreak” relies heavily on the science portion. In doing so, it presents as plausible. Maintaining an anxiety-ridden atmosphere, the film is predominantly dialogue-driven. And there’s much chatter about locating the carrier, antibodies, incubation period, and real-world virology banter. Where zombie flicks such as “Dawn of the Dead” terrify, “Outbreak” accomplishes this feat even more so with a concentration on a previously-unknown virus spreading uncontrollably. And, indeed, the film draws its inspiration from Richard Preston’s nonfiction thriller novel The Hot Zone. There’s a logical progression, from identifying the virus and mapping its spread, to locating patient zero, setting up a quarantine, and attempting to find a cure.
Inspired performances from its star-studded cast benefit the Wolfgang Petersen-directed “Outbreak.” Hoffman plays Daniels as a driven, hotheaded virologist with a knack for breaking rules just as much as saving lives. Rene Russo flourishes as Robby Keough, perfectly portraying Sam’s ex-wife and a brilliant CDC doctor. Unsurprisingly, Morgan Freeman dominates as the enigmatic, tough to decipher Billy Ford. Likewise, Donald Sutherland wows as conniving Gen. McClintock. As seasoned Major Schuler, Kevin Spacey infuses loads of personality, while Cuba Gooding Jr. lends an endearing earnest charm to Major Salt. Relationships are extremely concrete and intricate, largely because of the multi-talented cast as well as superb script-writing.
Disappointingly, the film somewhat unravels during the third act. It falls prey to ample tropes. One outlandish scene finds Salt piloting a helicopter so that Daniels can leap from it onto a boat. What’s more, the trite romance subplot between Sam and Robby comes to a head during the finale. Considering the excellence of “Outbreak,” and its novel approach, it’s unfortunate that it gives way to convention during the closing moments.
Despite its over-the-top ending, “Outbreak” remains extremely effective. A particularly cringe-inducing scene finds Motaba going airborne, as the camera follows microscopic particles expunged from a sneezing victim as they travel through a movie theatre. It’s disconcerting enough to make you put down your popcorn or oversized soda. Phenomenally well-acted, heart-poundingly exhilarating, and terrifyingly close to home, “Outbreak” is one of the best pandemic movies on the planet.
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