Hey Scott, we recently reviewed a handful of movies surrounding pandemics. Whatya say we review our reviews?

All kidding aside, last month we reviewed The Andromeda Strain, Outbreak, and Contagion. And, back in 2013 we reviewed World War Z – all movies about a spreading pandemic. Since we’re in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic, let’s take a look at how accurate those films were.

There are some common patterns. In some ways all four movies got things right about how a true-to-life pandemic might play out. And there were things that they probably got wrong.

One thing that stood out to me was the way the pandemics in all these films came from a central location. Contagion was the most prophetic in my mind. There (and in WWZ) the virus started in a wet market in China and was brought to the United States by one woman. In both Outbreak and The Andromeda Strain, however, the virus was part of a government biowarfare program.

That’s true, Scott – there were no fat zombies. One thing that also was common was how fast the viruses spread. All four movies had the virus spread so quickly as to be out of control. COVID-19, while still deadly and fast-spreading, has not had the impact we saw in Contagion for example. In that case the virus spread across the planet in a matter of days to weeks.

Another thing that seemed missing from these films was the human responses. In these films there were mass riots, pandemonium, and panic. COVID-19 has had its controversies and shortages of stock (remember toilet paper outages?). But by and far the spread has taken months, the death tolls are low (compared to the movies), and most of the rioting in the real world has been over social issues, not the pandemic.

The other difference is the way COVID-19 has been held in check by both public and governmental reaction. For the most part, the world has “sheltered in place” and this has had a dramatic slowing on the virus’s spread.

To a certain extent, this discrepancy is understandable. Movies depend on fast action and a crisis to keep the plot moving forward. It’s hard to create a sense of urgency in two hours if the movie’s virus takes six months to spread.

OUTBREAK

I”m glad you mentioned the cures. In all these movies there is considerable tension between the political goals to maintain peace and control, and the scientific realities of fighting the virus. The politicians often wanted to keep the scary facts to themselves, fearing riots. While the scientists were saddled with giving recommendations that were at odds with political ambitions.

We see this in the COVID-19 pandemic as well. The President of the United States often had a difference of opinion with his scientific staff. The push to reopen businesses and schools are vital to the economic stability of the country. Yet, the prevailing wisdom among scientists is more lockdown. These two policies are at odds in the real world and were exposed to varying degrees in all four films.

In Contagion there is also a government official who warns his wife to “get out of Dodge” because the pandemic is spreading to her city. We are now seeing senators come under scrutiny both for warning friends and family in advance of the public, and buying and selling stock using their inside knowledge.

In a lot of ways, I think Contagion did the best portrayal of what COVID-19 is doing today. If you watch the events in that film, it’s almost a play-by-play depiction of what we’re living through now – but in the movie it is running at 10x speed.

BEST PANDEMIC DISEASE: I’d say I’m still fond of the virus in The Andromeda Strain. In many ways, Andromeda was the star of the show as our heroes had to unravel its secrets to save the day. And I agree with your assessment of the Contagion virus – it is remarkable how close that film came to the COVID-19 emergency.

BEST PANDEMIC HERO: Again, I’ll go back to The Andromeda Strain. I’m a sucker for team problem solving. In all the other films we see individuals struggling to save the day. The fact is that in an emergency like COVID-19, it’s going to be a collaboration of the best minds to lead the public to salvation.

BEST PANDEMIC VILLAIN: I’m going to go with Jude Law’s conspiracy theorist. He went to any lengths to prove himself right – including faking having the virus and taking the “antidote” on YouTube to prove its efficacy. In a strange twist of reality emulating fiction, the clamor to prove Hydrochloriquin mirrors Law’s desperation.