Outbreak

It's been a long time since I watched characters in a movie so pathetic that I rooted for zombies to eat them. Technically they are "rabid" or "infected".

It wouldn't surprise me if the whole thing is a nightmare sequence or coma dream.

"The Dead Don't Die" is the last comparable zombie type movie to measure against. I don't know if they had a script or if they ad-libbed the dialogue. It almost wants to be a comedy, but fails. The effects weren't terrible. The atmosphere of the movie is miserable. The main characters are upset over losing their teenage son and it goes downhill from there. You might try a movie with less baggage.

Saw the movie before reading the 1st spoiler riddled review from another viewer. Would have ruined the plot if I'd read it. Now that I've seen the movie & read it I completely disagree. Other reviewer hated it. I have seen a heap of horror over the years and this movie held me on the edge of my seat & made me nervous for the next scare the whole way through. That's hard to do with a very jaded horror buff like me. See for your self and you decide. I thought that it was scary and clever.

I like any horror filmed outdoors and this is certainly that. I experienced an ever increasing ominous sense of dread. It's low budget BUT it delivers. Main actor carried it so well, good supporting cast. I think they all did a fine job.

This horror mystery thriller is more of a drama the first 20 minutes. So you can already imagine that it's gonna be boring and slow paced at first. And then after the first attack, you thought that it's gonna start picking up the slack. But then it kinda sputters, making you lose your temper. And then at the end of the movie, the plot twist came and sorta flipped the table on the audience. You're gonna scream, "WHAT THE ACTUAL #@$%????!!!!". So bottom line, don't watch this hot mess.

With the 2024 movie "Outbreak" being a zombie movie, of course I had to watch it. I am a huge fan of all things zombie. In fact, I had never actually heard about this movie from director Jeff Wolfe prior to sitting down to watch it.

The storyline in the movie is actually good. Writers Erik Aude, Lance Ochsner and Jeff Wolfe managed to set up a narrative where the audience are thrown into the distress of Neil and Abby Morris, played by Billy Burke and Alyshia Ochse respectively, whom are mourning the loss of their son. And with the introduction of a rabid dog, you're sort of given a hint that something is amiss. But then when Neil is at the lake, the movie takes a drastic turn and director Jeff Wolfe really amps up the narrative.

The acting performances in "Outbreak" were good. Of the entire cast ensemble, then I was only familiar with leading actor Billy Burke.

I was really impressed with the zombie make-up and prosthetics, as they looked very interesting. Sure, I didn't get the black eyes and black teeth thing they had going on, but other than that, then the effects were good. For some reason, the zombies seemed more interesting in either physically jumping unto the living or dragging them away, more than they did in actually biting and eating the living. And I can't claim to be a fan of the sounds that the zombies made.

Personally, I didn't care much for the last 10 minutes or so of the movie, as it felt like a really lousy plot twist and ending. But of course, that is a matter of personal preference.

If nothing else, then "Outbreak" is a different take on a genre that tends to be rather formulaic. Yeah, I love all things zombie, but many zombie movies tend to be rather generic, formulaic and essentially being copy and paste jobs of the classics.

My rating of director Jeff Wolfe's 2024 movie "Outbreak" lands on a five out of ten stars.

My expectations were very limited with this generic title, bad poster, and seemingly clichéd plot of a zombie apocalypse outbreak. We follow a state park ranger who is grappling with the disappearance of his teenage son until one day he has to face a mysterious zombie outbreak. As soon as he realizes what is going on, he grabs his wife, who acts like a numb sack of potatoes the entire time, and drives off.

Even after all these countless zombie movies, I still really enjoy the subgenre. And even though my expectations were low, I was excited to see this. It doesn't take long for the first zombie to show up, and the makeup effects looked decent, which was a pleasant surprise given the 4.4-star rating the movie currently has. There are a few tense scenes, and the zombies seem to get more physically athletic throughout the film. It's the fast-zombie version with twisting limbs and unnatural body movements, similar to what some Asian entries in the genre (for example, Train to Busan) often do. Many of the interactions with zombies felt unnatural and awkward at first, which was a little distracting, but later on these moments integrated more naturally into the film.

Billy Burke as the lead was good, and there were even a few humorous lines that worked rather well. The movie was actually quite diverting, even though it felt cheap, and some of the dialogue between the lead and his wife or other characters felt unnatural and out of place. Overall, I had a decent time, which could be because of my low expectations going in, but I have certainly seen worse in the genre. The movie also introduces one element that makes it stand out a bit, even though it has been done before. Still, it gave this movie a little more character. For genre lovers, this could be a decent watch, but if you are tired of seeing zombie movies, then this one definitely won't change that. [5.9/10]