Deadly Outbreak

Unlike the extremely dull THE EXPERT, DEADLY OUTBREAK is more action packed and faster paced. Unfortunately, it's also ridiculously unrealistic and borderline cartoonish. The film begins nonchalantly but when the terrorists attack, well, credibility is quickly thrown out of the window. It was too much even for me. The security guards kept running blindly towards the terrorists who killed them on the spot. One after the other. It was like a cartoon or something, or a shooting gallery at an amusement park. Of course, with every security guard out of the way, there's only one man who can stop the terrorists: Jeff Speakman. So what 30 armed security guards couldn't do Jeff does effortlessly. Sure. I have to stop watching these direct to video Jeff Speakman flicks.

There are two kinds of high ratings I tend to give to films: one for very good films and the other for films that are so terrible that they are actually truly wonderful. Deadly Outbreak falls firmly into the latter category.

This is one of two films I collectively remembered as "The Serbian bus movies". The reason being that I saw this film on a bus from Leskovac to Beograd, playing on a cruddy Kambrook TV/video held together by a leather belt and hanging from the roof of the bus. The film was dubbed in English with Cyrillic subtitles and sported its alternative title of Deadly Takeover - a truly surreal experience.

The movie should have come off as a sad and laughable 'almost' action film. However, Avery manages to combine its clichéd stick-to-formula plot, plywood cast, and recycled script into something much greater than it's individual parts.

Jeff Speakman reminded me of a Bruce Boxleitner look-a-like who'd indulged in one too many sprays from his bottle of 'eau de charisma'. But how could he go wrong with such classic enduring lines as: "This party sucks. There's not enough ice-cream, and way too many clowns!" Rochelle Swanson as the intelligent, ingenious biochemist, Dr Allie Levin, manages to fool us into believing her nothing but a simple bimbo who continually fails in her attempts to aid our leading man. Well done. Ron Silver is our antagonist in this film and is, well, what can I say, Ron Silver. I'm sure he isn't really a bad man. Does he remind anyone else of Clayton from the TV series Benson? Overall a highly enjoyable experience, more comedy than action, if you are the kind of person who thrives on hearty B-Grade attempts at popular film genres.

"Deadly Outbreak" is one of those movies that HBO or Cinemax constantly runs at one or two in the morning, and if you can, you should watch this movie.

First off, the acting looks very passable. Jeff Speakman finally gets a chance to show he can be in a movie where his martial arts mastery isn't needed. Ron Silver is believable as the bad guy, but he seems pigeon-holed into this kind of role. (You may not remember, but he played the exact same role in Van Damme's laughable "Timecop") Rochelle Swanson is fairly descent, but the former porn star(I'm only assuming she is; I haven't heard otherwise)delivers the "damsel-in-distress-turned-heroic-partner" role off without too much difficulty.

Secondly, the action is non-stop once it gets started. Keynote sequences are omitted, but they come at you fast and furious. The violence isn't as graphic as other Speakman films, but is standable.

The plot, though laughable, is pretty basic: Madman captures chemical facility and unknown/unexpected visitor saves the day. Other than this, I won't give away too much, so just see this movie. It's no "Aliens", but you'll be entertained by it.

A movie with decent budget, let down by poor execution. It would have been much better in the hands of better director, editor and soundtrack.

Ron silver is reliable and gives credibility.

Jeff is good, give it a shot.

Oh well it's a good Action movie for what it was I say give it a watch if just for Jeff Speakman Action very poor Story