Year: 1995
Runtime: 127 min
Language: English
Director: Wolfgang Petersen
A deadly and highly contagious virus rapidly spreads through a California town, triggering widespread panic. A team of medical specialists, led by a respected infectious disease expert and his estranged wife, must work quickly to contain the escalating crisis. As the situation worsens, they find themselves confronting the Army's forceful methods in a race against time to protect lives and prevent a catastrophic collapse of society.
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In the African jungle of 1967, a deadly virus named Motaba is discovered, prompting U.S. Army officers Donald McClintock and William Ford to eliminate the site where it was found to ensure the virus remains a viable biological weapon. Fast forward to 1995, when the virus reemerges in Zaire. Enter Colonel Sam Daniels, a virologist from USAMRIID, who is dispatched to investigate this alarming resurgence.
Daniels, aided by Lieutenant Colonel Casey Schuler and rookie Major Salt, quickly learns more about the virus and returns to the U.S. He urges General Ford to issue a public health alert, but Ford dismisses the idea, insisting that the virus is unlikely to pose a threat. Meanwhile, Daniels’ ex-wife, Roberta Keough, who now leads a similar team at the CDC in Atlanta, is persuaded to recommend an alert, but her superior hesitates.
The real danger arises when a white-headed capuchin monkey, the host animal of the virus, is smuggled into the U.S. by an employee named Jimbo Scott. Jimbo gets infected through contact with the monkey, which he attempts to sell on the black market. After transferring the infection to several others, the situation quickly spirals out of control, with a significant outbreak occurring in Cedar Creek, California. As the virus spreads, hospital tests reveal a new, highly contagious strain.
Amid the chaos, the U.S. Army enforces martial law in Cedar Creek, while Daniels and his team work tirelessly against Ford’s directive to locate the source of the virus. A series of unfortunate accidents leads to further infections, including that of Schuler and Keough, jeopardizing their efforts. Meanwhile, Ford reveals to Daniels that a military operation (dubbed Operation Clean Sweep) is in place to bomb Cedar Creek to contain the virus and cover up its existence.
Determined to prove that a cure can be found, Daniels and Salt escape military custody, ultimately tracking down the host animal. After successfully capturing it, they learn that the military plans to bomb the town, believing it to be the only solution. In a tense confrontation involving General McClintock and the crew of the bomber plane, Daniels manages to persuade them that there is hope for a cure.
In a pivotal moment, the pilot of the bombing plane opts to detonate the bomb over water instead of the town, a decision that saves countless lives. Subsequently, McClintock’s malicious actions come to light, leading to his arrest by Ford. At last, Daniels and Keough reconcile, and the citizens of Cedar Creek receive treatment to recover from the outbreak, showcasing the power of cooperation in the face of a crisis.
Last Updated: November 03, 2024 at 11:07
Discover curated groups of movies connected by mood, themes, and story style. Browse collections built around emotion, atmosphere, and narrative focus to easily find films that match what you feel like watching right now.
Professionals racing against time while confronting moral compromises.If you enjoyed the high-stakes medical and moral conflict in Outbreak, this collection features movies where professionals face a race against time while grappling with difficult ethical choices. These films blend thrilling action with thought-provoking dilemmas, perfect for fans of tense, issue-driven thrillers.
These narratives typically follow a linear race-against-time structure where a sudden, large-scale threat emerges. The protagonists, often experts in their field, must not only solve the technical problem but also confront a bureaucratic or military system that prioritizes containment or secrecy over transparency and ethical solutions.
They are grouped by their shared focus on a professional crisis demanding both technical skill and moral courage. The tension arises equally from the external threat and the internal conflict of working within—or against—a powerful, obstructive system.
Stories of deadly outbreaks that threaten to unravel civilization.For viewers who liked the viral panic and high-tension containment efforts in Outbreak, this section features similar movies about deadly epidemics. These stories explore the chaos of a spreading biological threat, the struggle for survival, and the military or governmental response to a collapsing society.
The narrative pattern involves the rapid introduction of a highly contagious and deadly disease, followed by scenes of societal breakdown, military lockdowns, and a desperate search for a cure or containment method. The journey is one of escalating dread, often revealing darker truths about the origin of the threat.
They share a core premise of a biological apocalypse, creating a specific atmosphere of paranoia and urgency. The similarity lies in the visceral fear of an invisible enemy, the depiction of mass panic, and the high-intensity race to prevent total catastrophe.
Don't stop at just watching — explore Outbreak in full detail. From the complete plot summary and scene-by-scene timeline to character breakdowns, thematic analysis, and a deep dive into the ending — every page helps you truly understand what Outbreak is all about. Plus, discover what's next after the movie.
Track the full timeline of Outbreak with every major event arranged chronologically. Perfect for decoding non-linear storytelling, flashbacks, or parallel narratives with a clear scene-by-scene breakdown.
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