来自非洲的依波拉病毒杀人威力强大，曾是传媒热烈报导的头条新闻。本片利用这种逼真的背景编构故事，描述达斯廷．霍夫曼饰演的美国病毒专家奉命调查非洲的神秘致命病菌，发现已有人因走私非洲野猴而将病毒传入美国，并在加州小镇中迅速曼延。他一方面追查带病猴子的下落，另一方面则要应付军方的最后通谍。因为摩根．弗里曼饰演的将军已奉命投掷飞弹毁灭整个小镇，以防病毒扩散危害全国。本片剧情有点危言耸听，但导演沃尔夫冈．彼德森反病菌扩散过程拍得十分逼真，教人忍不住一把冷汗。如非影片后段刻意夸张霍夫曼的英雄色彩，本片的科幻惊怵片味道会更浓郁。 For reasons unknown Varese Sarabande whittled James Newton Howard's complete Outbreak score to roughly 30 minutes for CD release, effectively gutting the music in the process. The official soundtrack inexplicably relegates many of Howard's most suspenseful and thrilling sequences to the cutting room floor, spotlighting the composer's more atmospheric material instead. It's especially frustrating because Outbreak's action themes are some of Howard's most impressive to date. Employing his signature fusion of symphonics and electronics, the music crackles with energy and portent. Alas, you must view the otherwise execrable movie to hear it, as Varese's edition contains only two major action themes, A Little Resistance and They're Coming, and while the remainder of the disc boasts a similar level of craftsmanship and imagination, it's not what most listeners are going to expect or desire from this particular title.