Outbreak (1995)

Director:

Wolfgang Petersen

Writers (WGA):

Laurence Dworet (written by) &
Robert Roy Pool (written by)

Release Date:

10 March 1995 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Sci-Fi | Thriller

Tagline:

Try to remain calm.

Plot:

Extreme measures are necessary to contain an epidemic of a deadly airborne virus. But how extreme, exactly?

Plot Keywords:

Monkey | Doctor | Pet Shop | Quarantine | Research

Awards:

2 wins & 2 nominations

Cast

Dustin Hoffman	...	Col. Sam Daniels
Rene Russo	...	Robby Keough
Morgan Freeman	...	Brig. Gen. Billy Ford
Kevin Spacey	...	Maj. Casey Schuler
Cuba Gooding Jr.	...	Maj. Salt
Donald Sutherland	...	Maj. Gen. Donald McClintock
Patrick Dempsey	...	Jimbo Scott
Zakes Mokae	...	Dr. Benjamin Iwabi
Malick Bowens	...	Dr. Raswani
Susan Lee Hoffman	...	Dr. Lisa Aronson
Benito Martinez	...	Dr. Julio Ruiz
Bruce Jarchow	...	Dr. Mascelli
Leland Hayward III	...	Henry Seward
Daniel Chodos	...	Rudy Alvarez
Dale Dye	...	Lt. Col. Briggs

MPAA:

Rated R for language.

Runtime:

127 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Korean

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Philippines:PG-13 | South Korea:12 | Iceland:12 | New Zealand:M | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Chile:14 | Finland:K-12 | France:U | Germany:12 (w) | Netherlands:12 | Norway:15 | Peru:14 | Portugal:M/12 | Singapore:PG | Spain:13 | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | USA:R | Canada:AA (Ontario)

Filming Locations:

Arcata, California, USA

Company:

Punch Productions

Trivia:

Donald Sutherland took over from Joe Don Baker.

Goofs:

Factual errors: Blue suits used in level 4 laboratories have a special air supply. The sound this makes inside the suit is so loud that you cannot hear other people. The people at the starting scene of the movie communicates none the less during the first scenes in the level 4 laboratory. Yellow suits are pressurized via a small motor inside it and a set of batteries, but the yellow suits show no sign of being inflated at all, and when helmets are moved no air rushes out.

Quotes:

Col. Sam Daniels: Just don't get negative on me.
Major Salt: Affirmative.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Clerks: A Dissertation on the American Justice System by People Who Have Never Been Inside a Courtroom, Let Alone Know Anything About the Law, But Have Seen Way Too Many Legal Thrillers (#1.4)" (2000)

Soundtrack:

Polka Dot Puss

Not as bad as the critics say

This movie was greeted by howls of dislike by most critics. But, after watching it, it's not as bad as they might have led you to believe. It's not that good, but it's nowhere near that bad.

Dustin Hoffman is never going to be a good action movie actor, no matter how hard he tries. On the other hand, he does decently well. Morgan Freeman puts is his usual good performance, but this is not one of his best.

The plot is scary, mainly because of it's possibility. It's based on a very possible scenario, but one that I doubt would ever be dealt with in the way it is suggested in this movie. After reading the book "The Hot Zone", I can see the ease with which something like this could happen. On the other hand, once the movie moves past the initial outbreak scenario, it descends into normal action movie territory.

In short, not a bad movie and a fun late night thing to watch. But not the greatest movie ever filmed either.