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Outbreak

Outbreak

Try to remain calm.

1995128 minRMidcredits score: 67th percentile of all films
Director
Wolfgang Petersen
Starring
Dustin Hoffman, Rene Russo, Morgan Freeman, Kevin Spacey

A deadly airborne virus finds its way into the USA and starts killing off people at an epidemic rate. Col. Sam Daniels' job is to stop the virus spreading from a small town, which must be quarantined, and to prevent an over reaction by the White House.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Outbreak?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Outbreak to rent or buy on Prime Video, and on no subscription service.

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about Outbreak?

Outbreak earns 10 badges, led by Standout acting and Word-of-mouth hit.

Show 2 more
  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office
  • Cast

Reception

Is Outbreak worth watching?

Outbreak's Midcredits score is the 67th percentile of all films, from 225K ratings across 6 sources. 59% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

67th percentile

Better received than 67% of films

81st percentile among Action69th percentile among 1990s
Acclaim (how much people like it)67th
Approval (how many liked it)65th

66 /100

67th percentile of all films

81st percentile among Action71st percentile among 1990s

Critics 64 · Audience 66

Critics and audiences broadly agree.

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 6.7 — solid but not unanimous.

59% liked it

65th percentile of all films

76th percentile among Action67th percentile among 1990s
59% rated it 7–1041% rated it 1–6

Critics 59% · Audience 56%

On Rotten Tomatoes, critics and audiences approve at similar rates.

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 5 wins / 5 noms overall

97th percentile

225K ratings across platforms

94th percentile among Action96th percentile among 1990s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 29% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$50M
Opening weekend$13M
Domestic gross$68M
Worldwide gross$190M

Returned 3.8× its budget — 91st percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

A fast-paced, star-driven Hollywood thriller about a deadly virus outbreak and the military's extreme containment measures.

Fans praised

  • gripping, fast-paced thriller with relentless tension
  • stellar ensemble cast delivering compelling performances
  • prescient, realistic depiction of pandemic response and government cover-up

Detractors panned

  • ludicrous third-act action-hero antics undermine medical thriller premise
  • clichéd characters and predictable plotting
  • scientific inaccuracies and implausible solutions

What stands out

Acting78

strong ensemble including Hoffman, Freeman, Spacey, Gooding Jr., Sutherland, Russo

PacingDivisive72

relentless momentum in first half, drags in middle, overlong helicopter chase finale

TensionDivisive72

effective dread in virus-spread sequences, undermined by action-movie third act

AtmosphereDivisive68

immersive quarantine and lab settings, but lacks real-world panic

Cinematography65

solid visual craft, effective camera work in virus-spread scenes and helicopter chases

Plot and storyDivisive55

engaging first half devolves into formulaic action and conspiracy clichés

CharactersDivisive55

thinly drawn archetypes (maverick hero, evil general, estranged spouse)

EndingDivisive52

predictable Hollywood happy ending, too neat and tidy

Preferred by

Under-30s vs over-30s

Preferred by Over-30s

Over-30s scored it 10 points higher than under-30s.

Critics vs users

Preferred by Critics

Critics scored it 18 points higher than users.

No notable difference between the other groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Women vs men 5 points apart
  • US vs non-US 5 points apart

Watch experience

What is Outbreak like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Tense and gripping: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you want something tense that holds you to the end.

It is intense, never lets up and leaves you hopeful.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Nothing out of the ordinary.

What it feels like

Tense and gripping.

The answer rests on this: Moods
TenseDreadHopeful
Heaviest: late
Register
Solemn: Grave and dignified; treats its subject with weight and respect.Brooding: Heavy, inward, weather-beaten.
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film plays its material straight, maintaining a serious and suspenseful tone with no irony.
The rideThe film sustains high tension and dread through the outbreak and quarantine, ramping up to a desperate final act as the bombing looms and the cure is found.
StructureThe film unfolds linearly from the virus's origin to its containment, with a brief prologue in 1967.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Hopeful.

HopefulCathartic · 6% of films
Why it leaves you this wayThe film ends with a successful cure and the villains arrested, leaving a sense of relief and cautious optimism.
How it ends · evidence
Happy ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).Monster
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21% (this title): Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% (this title) · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Overcoming the monster: A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated. · Oppressive state: A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).

21% of films fit this archetype

Why this archetypeThe story is driven by the spread of a deadly virus and the military's attempt to contain it by extreme means, with a virologist racing to find a cure and stop a cover-up.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfCorruption
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22%: Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7% (this title): Power 2% · Corruption 3% (this title) · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% · Duty 2% (this title) · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% (this title) · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Power

Corruption · 3% of filmsSurvivalDuty · 2% of films
Warns its theme: Presents its theme as a danger or a coming cost.Societal stakes: Consequences reach a whole social order.Dual lead
How it treats its themeThe film examines how institutional secrecy and personal ambition corrupt the military's handling of a deadly outbreak, while the heroes struggle between their duty to save lives and orders from above.
StanceThe film warns about the dangers of military secrecy and the prioritization of biological weapons over public health, with a clear good-vs-evil binary.

The world

ContemporaryInstitutionalSuburbanRuralRealistic
Orchestral modernForeground music · original score · James Newton Howard
Setting1995: an African jungle, a California small town under quarantine, military and CDC facilities
MusicThe score uses pounding percussion and tense strings to amplify the escalating crisis.

Content guide

Is Outbreak okay for kids?

R

Outbreak is rated R: “Rated R for language” (MPAA). As of October 3, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at intense (67/100), sexual content at minimal (10/100), language at intense (72/100), drug and alcohol content at minimal (11/100) and frightening material at intense (65/100). Overall it is heavier than 38% of R-rated films.

Ratings in 13 other countries
  • UK15
  • AustraliaM
  • Germany16
  • FranceTP
  • Ireland15
  • South Korea12
  • Brazil16
  • Czechia12+
  • Netherlands12
  • PortugalM/12
  • SK15
  • Spain12
  • Sweden15
Overall
Moderate · all five categories
Heavier than 62% of all filmsHeavier than 38% of R-rated films
Violence & Gore
Intense
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 47%
Sex & Nudity
None / Minimal
light for an R-rated film
heavier than 4%
Profanity
Intense · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 59%
Alcohol & Drugs
None / Minimal
light for an R-rated film
heavier than 3%
Frightening / Intense
Intense
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 56%

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

The reason to think twice is language, violence, and frightening material. Everything else sits at or below what R-rated films usually carry.

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does Outbreak have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Outbreak?

Cast

2 of the cast already had the standing of a top-10% working actor.

Dustin Hoffman
as Sam Daniels
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Rene Russo
as Robby Keough
newcomer then · star now
Morgan Freeman
as General Billy Ford
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Kevin Spacey
as Casey Schuler
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Cuba Gooding Jr.
as Major Salt
Rising: A short career with a standing when this film came out above the median working actor today.
Donald Sutherland
as General Donald McClintock
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.
Patrick Dempsey
as Jimbo Scott
Zakes Mokae
as Dr. Benjamin Iwabi
Malick Bowens
as Dr. Raswani
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Susan Lee Hoffman
as Dr. Lisa Aronson
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.

Crew

More like this

What are movies like Outbreak?

Movies like Outbreak include The Fugitive (1993), Don't Say a Word (2001) and Air Force One (1997). Of the 12 closest matches, two are films by Wolfgang Petersen, and several are disaster survival stories.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

7 of these 12 share its world: medicine. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with Outbreak?

311 other films share the rarest tag below, kind of film: medical drama. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.