OUTBREAK
US, 1995, 128 minutes, Colour.
Dustin Hoffmann, Rene Russo, Morgan Freeman, Kevin Spacey, Cuba Gooding Jnr, Donald Sutherland, Patrick Dempsey, Zakes Mokae.
Directed by Wolfgang Petersen.
Outbreak is a straightforward thriller specialising in scare tactics. It also gives Dustin Hoffman the opportunity to try out as a substitute Schwarzenegger or Stallone and he obviously enjoys himself as he leaps from helicopters and defies mad general Donald Sutherland.
A monkey smuggled into the US carries a virus which mutates and kills people within twenty-four hours. How to contain the plague? Find the source? Capture the monkey? Evade the military pursuit? Control the people? And possibly reconcile with scientist wife, Renee Russo?
The film has a strong supporting cast including Morgan Freeman and Kevin Spacey at the time that he won an Oscar for The Usual Suspects.
The film focuses on Africa and the outbreak of plagues - and the suppression of the plagues and information about them as well as the potential ruthlessness of the American military bombing a town which contained an outbreak of plague. Indications are giving of the origins of AIDS and its subsequent effect.
Direction is by Wolfgang Petersen, German director of Das Boot and Hollywood director of such films as Enemy Mine, The Never- Ending Story, In the Line of Fire, Troy.
1. An entertaining action thriller? Conspiracy theory? Critique of the military? American heroism?
2. The settings: Zaire in the 1960s, Maryland in the 1990s, California and the country town and the surrounding countryside and the isolation to contain the plague? Action sequences, special effects, helicopter chases? Musical score?
3. The prologue: Zaire, 1967, the camp, the mercenaries, the fever, the spreading illness? The Americans, the medical aid, the promises to the victims? The military operation, the air strike, the complete destruction of the camp? The mystery, the blackout on news? The devastating action of American authorities?
4. The transition to the 1990s, Maryland? Sam, his status as a military doctor, the viral research centre, his work? The clashes with his wife? His commanding officer, the investigation of a deadly fever, the return to Zaire? The discoveries, the members of the team, Major Schuler and his expertise, assisting Sam? Major Salt? The people in the village, dead and dying, the new virus, fast-acting, the devastating effect? The cross-cutting to the monkey, the jungle, the animal traders, the ship going to America, the Korean ownership?
5. The work to identify the virus, the identification of the disease, the nature of the virus and the haemorrhages it caused - and the links with the 1967 outbreak? The military cover-up? General Ford, his work with Sam, his authority, his decisions? The interactions with General McClintock? McClintock? keeping things secret, no alert?
6. The ship arriving in California, Jimbo Scott and his animal smuggling, getting the monkey? The secrecy, going to Rudy's Pet Shop, Cedar Creek? Rudy and his not wanting the animal - but it's scratching him? Jimbo and the decision to get rid of the monkey, putting it in the woods? His leaving California, the flight to Boston, his girlfriend? His collapse, Dr Keough and her examination of Jimbo and Alice? Their deaths?
7. Rudy, his collapsing, his death? The infected blood, the death of the lab assistant? The effect on him in the cinema, the drama on-screen and off-screen? The spread of the infection? Sam and his going to the town, Ford and his counter-command? The army back-up, the isolation of the town? Dr Keough and her arrival, her team, the collaboration with her husband?
8. The monkey, in the woods, Sarah finding the monkey?
9. Casey, his investigations, the discovery that the virus is mutating, that the host contains two strains, carries the antidote? The detective work for the source of the infection, the discovery of Rudy and the pet shop?
10. The presidential committee, the meeting in Washington, General Mc Clintock, his drastic information, the decision to bomb Cedar Creek, thus eliminating the virus? The antidote sent by Ford, the discovery by Sam that the illness was developed for germ warfare purposes? Casey being infected, Robbie being infected? Mc Clintock and his action, threatening Sam? Sam and his escaping with Major Salt, the hijacking of the helicopter?
11. The detective work to find the Korean ship, Sam and Salt going on the ship, the picture of the monkey, the picture on television? Sarah's mother contacting Sam, the taking of the monkey, the monkey in Cedar Creek?
12. The threat of Mc Clintock, pursuing in his helicopter? The continued work on the antidote, the patients, their treatment, the gradual recovery? McClintock? and his relentlessness, the counter-arguments by Ford, the pleading by Sam? Sam and his decision to take off in the helicopter, with Salt? The confrontation with the bomber, blocking the path? The bomb in the sea?
13. Ford, his taking a stand, placing General Mc Clintock under arrest?
14. Robbie, helped by the antidote, the reconciliation with Sam? How effective the relationship issue, contrived for melodrama between the two doctors and their work in combating the plague?
15. The plausibility of the plot, General Mc Clintock and his mind processes, decisions, drastic action, without scruple? The difference with General Ford, the more humane approach, believing in orders, believing in common sense and making decisions for a crisis?
16. Sam, Dustin Hoffmann and the dramatics, detective work to identify the disease, find its source? The American thriller heroics in the helicopter, confronting the bomber?
17. A serious thriller with strong implications - but also done with heroics and touches of irony?
