By Geno McGahee
Since the world went through a major panic with the coronavirus pandemic, there was no better time to review the 1995 virus disaster film “OUTBREAK.” I had never seen it before and Netflix had it…so what the hell? Made on a budget of 55 million, the film would be a major success, taking in 190 million and featured an all-star cast.
So, we begin with a small village that has been infected in the 1960s. To avoid a spread, the government drops a bomb on it and destroys it, but some monkeys get away and escape with the virus. It’s hard to work with monkeys. I read an article about the 1970’s show LANCELOT LINK where they took chimps and had them flap their lips and had humans do voiceovers. Unfortunately, the chimpanzees wouldn’t stop jerking off and it wasn’t fair to the director. It’s bad enough directing chimps, but directing masturbating chimps is where I would draw the line.
We fast forward to present time or so and Sam Daniels (Dustin Hoffman) works for the government in virus control. He has split up with his ex-wife, Robby (Rene Russo), and isn’t very happy about it. He confides in his fellow employee and friend, Casey (Kevin Spacey). Why did Spacey have to go to Epstein’s island? I love Spacey. He’s one of my favorite actors and then I hear he’s going to some pervert island for perverted shit. Who knows, he might be jerking off chimps for all I know. It sucks. My hopes for NEGOTIATOR 2 are destroyed.
Jimbo (Patrick Dempsey) deals in monkeys, I guess, and gets a monkey that he’s going to sell to the pet store, coming in from Africa. Patrick Dempsey doesn’t look like a “Jimbo” to me. He looks more like a Patrick, which makes sense. Whatever the case, they gave Dempsey a white trash look and he’s into selling monkeys. OK, I get it. The bad thing is that this monkey has the virus and he’s bringing it to the USA.
Sam is shitting his pants. He has a feeling that this bad virus that started popping up again overseas will hit the USA. While going overseas to investigate, he brings Casey and the newbie, Major Salt (Cuba Gooding JR), with him. Salt talks a good game but when he sees all the dead bodies, he pukes in his face mask. He was so grossed out that he took it off, possibly exposing him to the virus, but it wasn’t airborne at this time. Cuba is another actor that I like. He didn’t make it as far as I think he could have. I bet it was because of that movie CHILL FACTOR. I liked it, but most people think it sucks ass. Or maybe it was SNOW DOGS or DADDY DAY CAMP. Now that I think about it, he’s been in a shit ton of bad movies.
Jimbo brings the monkey to the pet store and he soon starts feeling ill. He looks like real shit as he goes to the airport to meet up with his girlfriend and they start tongue kissing. I found this odd. Jimbo looks deathly ill but yet she plants a big tongue kiss on him. It is probably the name. Guys named “Jimbo” make girls go sex crazy.
As the virus comes to the US in a big way, Sam starts getting fed up with his boss, General Billy Ford (Morgan Freeman). Ford is a team player and is keeping some dark secrets under wraps while trying to keep Sam in line. Freeman is always awesome and he works very well across from Hoffman. I’m not a big Hoffman fan, but he does excellent in this role.
Ford’s boss is a real prick. General Donald McClintock (Donald Sutherland) is calling the shots in addressing the virus. He is power mad and his solution to any problem is to blow up an entire town. You can’t have a guy like this in charge and Ford is starting to get sick of his shit.
The virus spreads and Sam and Salt are on the hunt to get the monkey, get the cure and save the day before McClintock blows up the town with the infected people. It’s a race against time and really intense and fun. OUTBREAK does a great job with pacing and drama, and you can’t lose with this cast.
OUTBREAK is a great virus/disaster movie. The cast, pacing, and overall dramatic approach made it a fun watch. I liked the performances of some of the extras that had the virus. Their convulsions were done really well, even if they were inconsistent. I wonder if the director whispered “shake more you fucking bastard or you’re not going to get your 50 dollars for the day.” I think they get paid something like that as an extra.
I highly recommend this one. If you want a good disaster movie or want to be more scared about the coronavirus, this is a good one for you.
