Films about viruses, and outbreaks are categorized as "horror" or "fantasy," but the coronavirus has made them hit a lot closer to home. While some of us are choosing to distract ourselves with lighthearted entertainment, others are turning to films that directly confront their anxieties. And while there hasn't been a zombie outbreak or an alien-borne pathogen (yet!?), many of us now see pandemic movies in a whole new light. Let's take a look at some of the standouts that deal with outbreaks and post-apocalyptic themes.
Contagion
Contagion is the film of the moment, and possibly the most realistic out of the pandemic genre. Yes, Gwyneth Paltrow dies horribly. But Contagion also accurately portrays how diseases spread, the difficulty in creating a vaccine and how conspiracy theorists and incompetent authorities can make things worse. It hits especially close to home with its similaries to our current pandemic.
Train to Busan
We're gonna try to not include too many zombie movies, but Train to Busan gets to be one of the exceptions because of how it portrayed the terrifying spread of the virus and the increasingly desperate attempts to contain it. Honestly, it's one of the best pandemic zombie movies we've seen in years. By the time the film approaches its ending, you'll be as worn out as the final few survivors.
Outbreak
A small town in California falls victim to an Ebola-like virus that stems from monkeys in Zaire. It focuses on the health personnels attempting to contain and cure the virus before it's too late, and a military operation trying to thwart the threat from spreading. Much like the Covid-19 virus, Outbreak is a horrific reminder that diseases lurk in nature, and they could strike humanity anytime.
93 Days
Since we're on the topic of Ebola, then we have to talk about 93 Days, a harrowing look at the 2014 Ebola outbreak in Nigeria. It follows Dr Ameyo Adadevoh, the spread and containment of the Ebola virus in the city of Lagos. Doctors, government and healthcare workers had to make extremely difficult decisions to help save millions of lives. If a true story is what you want, 93 Days will be your cup of tea.
12 Monkeys
12 Monkeys is less about surviving a plague, than it is about making a meaningful life during a crisis — and believing that there’s something on the other side worth preparing for. Which is so relevant today during these times. The film follows Bruce Willis as he travels through time to identify the origin of a global pandemic.
World War Z
Brad Pitt stars as a former UN employee that races against time and trudges through disease-laden cities, in search of a cure to save humanity from a vicious zombie pandemic toppling world governments. This current, surreal reality we’re living in is a major reason why World War Z feels so relatable right now.
The Flu
Another South Korean masterpiece, The Flu is about a virus that ravages Bundang and causes the city to become locked down. The infected only have 36 hours to live and with no way to get in or out of the city, communication is cut off and chaos ensues. All the hallmarks of a pandemic disaster movie are present, but Flu scores extra points for being intense, crazily engaging, and rife with political distrust.
Virus
Another movie based on true events, Virus depicts the 2018 Nipah outbreak in India. The disease is estimated to have killed at least 75% of those infected, and this movie follows a small community’s effort to contain it. The movie is far from a feel-good entertainment, but Virus highlights just how much work healthcare workers put into containing the crisis, and it will make you further admire the people working in these fields especially during these times.