Outbreak poster & wallpaper
Get movie widget Recommend it Add to Favorites

Dustin Hoffman, Rene Russo, Morgan Freeman, Kevin Spacey, Cuba Gooding Jr. ... see more see more... , Donald Sutherland , Dana Anderson , Jim Antonio , Julie Araskog , Conrad Bachmann , Joe Don Baker , Ed Beechner , Diana Bellamy , Robert Alan Beuth , Malick Bowens , J.J. Chaback , Daniel Chodes , George Christy , Patrick Dempsey , Susan Lee Hoffman , Bruce Jarchow , Michelle Joyner , Lance Kerwin , Peter Looney , Zakes Mokae , Kellie Overbey , Patricia Place , Jack Rader , Tim Ransom , Brian Reddy , Mathew Saks , Michael Sottile , Bill Stevenson , Dale Dye , Cynthia Harrison , Gordon Michaels , Joseph Latimore , Mark Brown , Leland Hayward III

A handful of scientists struggle to prevent the destruction of a small town -- and possibly the entire country -- in this suspense drama. In the mid-1960s, a deadly virus is discovered in Zaire that w... read more read more...ipes out an entire village in 24 hours. Government researchers are brought in to investigate, but the military opts to destroy the village rather than risk further infection. Thirty years later, Sam Daniels (Dustin Hoffman), an expert on contagious diseases, is called in when the virus re-emerges in Africa. A monkey carrying the bug is smuggled into the U.S., and a suburban California town soon begins to succumb to the illness. Sam scrambles to find an antidote with the help of his ex-wife Robby (Rene Russo), a Center for Disease Control researcher, and their colleague Casey (Kevin Spacey), while Gen. McClintock (Donald Sutherland) has his own reasons for wanting to use bombs to contain the epidemic, and Army surgeon Gen. Ford (Morgan Freeman) is caught in the middle. Outbreak was produced in the hopes of beating the film version of Richard Preston's bestseller The Hot Zone (about a real-life epidemic) into theaters; script problems shelved The Hot Zone, and Outbreak had the infectious disease market to itself. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

Flixster Users

55% liked it

97,323 ratings

Critics

60% liked it

42 critics

R, 2 hr. 2 min.

Directed by: Wolfgang Petersen

Release Date: March 10, 1995

Invite friends to see

DVD Release Date: August 27, 1997

Get It:

Stats: 2,413 reviews

report incorrect info

Photos

Dustin Hoffman (as Col. Sam Daniels) and Kevin Spacey (as Maj. Casey Schuler) in 'Outbreak' Outbreak Outbreak Dustin Hoffman, Rene Russo & Morgan Freeman Cuba Gooding Jr., Kevin Spacey, Dustin Hoffman Dustin Hoffman & Rene Russo Outbreak Outbreak Outbreak
Upload a Photo | View All Outbreak Photos

Your Rating


clear rating

Flixster Reviews (2,413)

  • CloudStrife84
    February 10, 2012
    CloudStrife84
    Haunting, exciting and so much better than you'd first believe. What's even more astounding though, is the impressive number of crème de la crème actors found within the cast. With huge stars like Morgan Freeman, Dustin Hoffman, Donald Sutherland and Kevin Spacey, it certainly ta... read morekes the trophy for one of the best ensembles ever assembled in Hollywood history. Script-wise it may not offer anything special, but it's got such perfect pacing and amazing suspense, that any blemishes in the dialogue are easily forgiven. It also helps that I'm a big fan of these type of "disaster movies", which were so wonderfully frequent during the 90's. This is actually the fourth time I've watched this film, but the first time I've written a review on it. And it wouldn't surprise me if I see it again in a couple of years or so. Because there's an excess of movie magic in here that is always worth coming back to.
  • blkbomb
    December 8, 2011
    blkbomb
    Sam Daniels: If one of them have it then ten of them will have it and if one of them leave Cedar Creek then we're in deep fucking shit... we're already in deep fucking shit! 

    "Try to remain calm."

    In Outbreak, a phenomenal cast brings to life a horrific situation. There is a ai... read morerborne virus that has made its way into the United States. As of now, it remains in one city, but if anybody who has it gets out, the whole country could be at jeopardy. Now it is the job of agencies, doctors and the military to keep it all under control at any cost. 

    Like a lot of these movies, there's a bad guy that is on America's side. So now everyone who has to fight off the disease, also has to stop him from carrying out his plan. This gives the movie some extra intrigue, but also some really predictable situations. As suspenseful as the movie is, it could have been much more. Good thing the situation is actually realistic and highly terrifying, so no matter what there is always going to be a sense of suspense. 

    There are a lot of these types of movies out there. Just this year Black Death and Contagion were released. This is one of the more entertaining ones I have seen and it is actually quite well done. Sure it has its problems; predictability being number 1, but it ridiculously entertaining. A lot of the entertainment comes from a huge and big names cast. The cast features Dustin Hoffman, Rene Russo, Cuba Gooding Jr., Morgan Freeman, Kevin Spacey and Donald Sutherland. Yeah, that's pretty damn good.

    It isn't as awesome is it could have been. It could have been scarier and it could have been much better. But for its genre, it is a definite standout. Now I need to see Contagion.
  • ironclad1609
    February 17, 2010
    ironclad1609
    This exciting epidemic thriller has quite a lot to offer: an outstanding cast of great names, great cinematography by Ballhaus and direction by Petersen and a thrilling plot that doesn't leave you much space to catch your breath, even has quite a few decent action scenes to offer... read more. There may be logic flaws and plot holes, but it all flows so perfectly and entertains so well, that you don't really notice until later viewings. Especially the showdown makes you squirm in your seat and sends shivers down your spine. Great entertainment.
  • SirPant
    September 18, 2009
    SirPant
    An average but entertaining action/adventure thriller.
  • ajaymuthecooldevils
    October 20, 2008
    ajaymuthecooldevils
    I really really amazed by how many stars played in this movie, it's great to see that... Dustin Hoffman, Rene Russo, Morgan Freeman, Kevin Spacey, Cuba Gooding Jr., Patrick Dempsey, and Donald Sutherland, all of them in a movie?? I never imagined that... The story itself just usu... read moreal like the other movies that tells about the end of the world... And the ending itself just standard, a little disappointing I think, because it just looks like this movie just want the main character not dead, they're not telling how the other people that sick can be cured so easily like that... But overall, I should give a thumbs up to Wolfgang Petersen for having so many stars, especially Oscar winners, in this movie...
  • FilmFanatik
    September 23, 2008
    FilmFanatik
    Powerful film that started the "Outbreak" genre. The first one did it the best.
  • tsigur
    December 10, 2007
    tsigur
    What a wasted cast.
  • puffchunk
    October 23, 2007
    puffchunk
    This movie was really good until the endish, when it's all government conspiracy garbage. It was cooler just with a virus outbreak.
  • YosemiteSamFan
    August 15, 2007
    YosemiteSamFan
    Not a fun epidemic. The movie theatre disease spread is terrifying. Keep away!
  • thmtsang
    July 14, 2007
    thmtsang
    Great cast. Movie about stopping an outbreak of disease.

View All Outbreak Reviews

Critic Reviews

Stanley Kauffmann
January 1, 2000
Stanley Kauffmann, New Republic

Hoffman doesn't get the chance, or need, to act: he just does things, like Ford.

Rita Kempley
January 1, 2000
Rita Kempley, Washington Post

An absolute hoot. Full Review

Mick LaSalle
January 1, 2000
Mick LaSalle, San Francisco Chronicle

This is a picture good enough to make you want to go to the movies and frightening enough to make you wonder if you should avoid the crowds. Full Review

Desson Thomson
January 1, 2000
Desson Thomson, Washington Post

Displays all the initial symptoms of a promising thriller, it soon degenerates into a low-fever whodunit. Full Review

Roger Ebert
January 1, 2000
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

One of the great scare stories of our time. Full Review

John Hartl
January 1, 2000
John Hartl, Film.com

Comes off as a shrill, self-important bore.

James Berardinelli
January 1, 2000
James Berardinelli, ReelViews

No one likes to be teased, but that's exactly what this movie does to us, with predictably frustrating results. Full Review

Richard Corliss
January 1, 2000
Richard Corliss, TIME Magazine

A big, bustling, intermittently dippy melodrama.

Lucy Mohl
January 1, 2000
Lucy Mohl, Film.com

A clunky thriller.

Steve Crum
August 14, 2007
Steve Crum, Video-Reviewmaster.com

Involving, fast moving epidemic-actioner with frantic Hoffman in lead.

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Cast

More Like This

Click a thumb to vote on that suggestion, or add your own suggestions.

  • Contagion
    Contagion (97%)
  • Independence Day
    Independence Day (54%)
  • Blindness
    Blindness (60%)
  • Armageddon
    Armageddon (60%)

More Movies like Outbreak

Facts

No facts approved yet. Be the first

Outbreak : Watch Free on TV

Outbreak Trivia

  • On the set of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, nurses were drafted into the production when a type of outbreak occured among the young cast. What was the outbreak?  Answer »
  • Which actor has been in the following films: Lucky Number Slevin, Batman Begins, Outbreak, Deep Impact...?  Answer »
  • Which actor has starred in all of these films: The Graduate, Confidence, Outbreak, Meet the Fockers, and Midnight Cowboy?   Answer »
  • Dustin Hoffman Morgan Freeman Kevin Spacey Cuba Gooding Jrs Patrick Dempsey Which 1995 medical thriller has this all-star cast?  Answer »
More Outbreak Trivia

Movie Quizzes

Create a Quiz |

All Quizzes

Video Clips

Upload a Video |

All Outbreak Videos

Meet Other Fans

Add Outbreak to favorites

Recent News

No recent headlines. Got one?

Recent Lists

Make a List |

View All Lists

Most Popular Skin

No skins yet. Interested in creating one?