''Outbreak'' is a 2024

zombie A zombie (Haitian French: ; ; Kikongo: ''zumbi'') is a mythological undead corporeal revenant created through the reanimation of a corpse. In modern popular culture, zombies appear in horror genre works. The term comes from Haitian folkl ...

mystery

thriller film Thriller film, also known as suspense film or suspense thriller, is a broad film genre that evokes excitement and suspense in the audience. The suspense element found in most films' plots is particularly exploited by the filmmaker in this genre. ...

by the screenplay of Lance Ochsner and Jeff Wolfe and directed by Jeff Wolfe in his

directorial debut This is a list of film directorial debuts in chronological order. The films and dates referred to are a director's first commercial cinematic release. Many filmmakers have directed works which were not commercially released, for example early work ...

. It stars Billy Burke, Alyshia Ochse,

Taylor Handley Taylor Laurence Handley (born June 1, 1984) is an American actor. Early life Handley grew up in Santa Barbara, California. With his parents driving him the 90 miles to Los Angeles for auditions and jobs, he worked as a child actor as a young t ...

and

Jessica Frances Dukes Jessica Frances Dukes (born 23 December, 1980) is an American actress. She portrayed Special Agent Maya Miller in the Netflix Netflix is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service. The service primarily dist ...

. The films is about a park ranger searching for his son during a viral outbreak.

Plot

A state park ranger Neil Morris and his wife, Abby, are grappling with the disappearance of their teenage son, Ben. Two months have passed since Ben vanished, leaving the couple in a state of despair and emotional turmoil. A 911 call reporting a rabid dog attack at a

construction Construction are processes involved in delivering buildings, infrastructure, industrial facilities, and associated activities through to the end of their life. It typically starts with planning, financing, and design that continues until the a ...

site. Neil, along with fellow rangers John Gibson and Chief Mike Cortez, responds to the incident. Neil's inability to shoot the aggressive dog hints at his deteriorating mental state. As strange occurrences escalate, Neil notices unsettling behavior among the townspeople. Reports of violent attacks and erratic behavior suggest the spread of an unknown

virus A virus is a submicroscopic infectious agent that replicates only inside the living Cell (biology), cells of an organism. Viruses infect all life forms, from animals and plants to microorganisms, including bacteria and archaea. Viruses are ...

. The infected exhibit grotesque symptoms, including distorted features and

aggressive Aggression is behavior aimed at opposing or attacking something or someone. Though often done with the intent to cause harm, some might channel it into creative and practical outlets. It may occur either reactively or without provocation. In h ...

tendencies. Neil's personal life mirrors the chaos unfolding in the town. Abby, struggling with

substance abuse Substance misuse, also known as drug misuse or, in older vernacular, substance abuse, is the use of a drug in amounts or by methods that are harmful to the individual or others. It is a form of substance-related disorder, differing definition ...

, becomes increasingly detached from reality. Neil's concern for her safety intensifies when she exhibits signs of infection. In a harrowing scene, Neil rescues a drowning woman, only to realize she is infected and attempts to attack him. He is forced to kill her in self-defense. The line between reality and hallucination blurs as Neil confronts the horrors around him. The infected display disturbing behaviors, with scenes depicting gruesome transformations and violent attacks. As Neil delves deeper into the mystery, he uncovers a shocking truth. The outbreak may be a manifestation of his fractured psyche. The film suggests that Neil's guilt over his son's disappearance and his wife's condition have led him to construct a reality where a viral outbreak explains the chaos in his life. Neil confronts the possibility that he may have been responsible for his son's fate.

Cast

* Billy Burke as Neil Morris * Alyshia Ochse as Abby Morris *

as John Gibson *

as Helen * Raoul Max Trujillo as Chief Mike Cortez * Dani Oliveros as Olivia Cortez * Kylr Coffman as Ben Morris

Production

Jeff Wolfe financed about half of the project together with his wife Jennifer Wolfe and raised the rest from his friends. Wolfe says that the film cost under $1 million. Wolfe also serves as president of the Stuntmen’s Association of Motion Pictures. The film shot under a

SAG-AFTRA The Screen Actors Guild–American Federation of Television and Radio Artists

interim agreement for 19 days around Los Angeles during last year’s labor strikes. Outbreak was released in theaters and VOD under Vertical.

Release

The film was premiered at Dances With Films on June 21, 2024, and has a limited release on December 13, 2024.

References

External links

* *
Outbreak
' at

Rotten Tomatoes Rotten Tomatoes is an American review aggregator, review-aggregation website for film and television. The company was launched in August 1998 by three undergraduate students at the University of California, Berkeley: Senh Duong, Patrick Y. Lee ...

2024 films 2024 horror films 2020s American films 2020s English-language films American zombie films English-language horror films {{2020s-horror-film-stub