This movie generates more anxiety than most horror films—and it’s incredibly tense. When a lethal, untreatable virus from Africa arrives in a Northern California coastal community with a monkey, the military intervenes to impose a quarantine. While Dustin Hoffman works to develop an antidote, the two generals overseeing the containment inexplicably choose to destroy the town entirely. Will Hoffman be able to discover a cure quickly enough? And even if he does, can he prevent the bombing? Wolfgang Petersen’s "Outbreak" (1995) is a remarkable drama/thriller that you might classify as a disaster film. Although viruses are too tiny to see, they possess the power to be among the most frightening threats imaginable. Certain dangerous viruses, if released, could devastate an entire town within just a few days. That’s precisely what happens in "Outbreak." It's conceivable this could occur and that’s what makes it more unsettling than typical horror or monster movies. However, “Outbreak” is not simply a frightening hypothetical situation; the latter portion of the film reveals a military cover-up, creating constant suspense until the very end. The tension develops gradually, like an avalanche gaining speed. Cuba Gooding Jr. also appears in a substantial role as Hoffman's colleague during their desperate race against time. And for viewers interested in such things, there’s a romantic storyline involving Hoffman’s character and his former wife, portrayed by Rene Russo. Will they reconcile? The scenery is beautiful, with filming taking place in the coastal towns of Eureka, Arcata, and Ferndale, California—located in the far northern part of the state, near the Redwoods and west of Bigfoot country (like Willow Creek). The African scenes were filmed in Hawaii. THE VERDICT: This is first-rate filmmaking — frightening, dramatic, and suspenseful all at once. The movie’s length is 2 hours and 7 minutes. GRADE: A-

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