Movies and a TV series revolving around biological hazards or biothreats
In a chilling prospect contemplated in the new book Cold Burn by authors Jon Land and Jeff Ayers, writing as A.J. Landau, the authors envision a dystopian scenario where a thawed woolly mammoth unleashes a prehistoric microbe that could potentially wipe out all life on Earth. This high-concept, high-stakes thriller is the latest addition to their National Parks series.
While their work may seem unprecedented, it is not the first to explore the consequences of unleashing cataclysmic organisms. Over the years, various books and films have delved into similar themes, setting the stage for Apocalypse-centered narratives.
The 1971 film, The Andromeda Strain, directed by Robert Wise, and its source material, the Michael Crichton book of the same name, established a benchmark for the sub-genre in terms of both science and story. A space capsule returns to Earth, harboring an unwelcome hitchhiker — a lethal organism that annihilates an entire town upon release. A elite team of scientists, reminiscent of the Magnificent Seven, assembles at a secret underground desert facility in a race against time to save humanity from a microscopic menace they almost end up unleashing themselves. The film, albeit technically outdated, remains as potent and effective today as it was during its Cold War release.
Richard Matheson's iconic "I Am Legend" has been adapted thrice, but the 1971 film starring Charlton Heston, entitled The Omega Man, stands out as the best adaptation. The plot revolves around Robert Neville, a scientist who discovers a vaccine for a virus turning the world's population into vampiric creatures of the night, too late to save mankind but not himself. This seminal action film continues to resonate even over fifty years since its original release.
Wolfgang Petersen's film, Outbreak, was loosely inspired by Richard Preston's book The Hot Zone. It exploited the Ebola scare and placed the focus on an airborne virus threatening millions of lives if uncontained. Dustin Hoffman, Rene Russo, and Morgan Freeman portray the doctors working tirelessly to preserve humanity amidst the chaos of a high-stakes action thriller. The film serves as a cautionary tale, especially relevant today given its warning signs about undervaluing the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and science in general.
Based on Max Brooks' book, the Brad Pitt-starrer World War Z fabricates computer-generated zombies wreaking havoc across the world. The story follows Gerry Lane, a classic action hero, as he scours the globe in search of a solution to the Zombie Apocalypse. Science plays a secondary role here, but lab scenes are among the film's highlights, offering a glimmer of hope against humanity's uncertain fate.
The second season of The Last of Us is set to return this spring, featuring Pedro Pascal as Joel and Bella Ramsey as Ellie. In this dark, human drama unfolding against a post-apocalyptic backdrop, Ellie might be humankind's last hope for survival. As they navigate through a world overtaken by a fungal epidemic that transforms humans into monsters, the story focuses on the struggle between survivors and those driven by self-interest and power lust. Unlike other entries in the genre, The Last of Us draws attention to the dark reality that the monstrous threats may not be as evil as the human beings themselves.
The Satan Bug, another notable work, was based on a novel by Alistair MacLean. The 1965 film adaptation directed by John Sturges follows the theft of a deadly bio-weapon from a lab, putting the world on the brink of a global catastrophe. This suspenseful tale also holds up surprisingly well despite not delving into the familiar territory of zombies.
Recently, Steven Soderbergh's 2011 film, Contagion, has gained renewed interest due to its stark portrayal of a global pandemic. Featuring a great cast and reportedly inspired by the 2004 SARS outbreak, the film follows scientists racing against time to find a cure or vaccine for an even worse pandemic while government officials work to contain the global panic. The film's multi-faceted plot, rapid-fire pacing, and scientific basis make it a compelling watch, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, as viewers find solace in a scenario that's even worse than the one they're facing in real life.
- The chilling prospect presented in Cold Burn highlights the dangers of meddling with environmental-science, as a thawed woolly mammoth could potentially wipe out life on Earth.
- Besides Cold Burn, various books and films, such as The Andromeda Strain, I Am Legend, Outbreak, and World War Z, have delved into the consequences of unleashing cataclysmic organisms, leveraging themes of medical-conditions and science.
- In The Last of Us and Contagion, the focus shifts from supernatural entities to scientific investigations into medical-conditions on a global scale, offering perspectives on climate-change and the importance of environmental-science within their dystopian narratives.
