The greatest threat to the human race has always been our own bodies.
Our vulnerability to infectious diseases has caused the greatest calamities in recorded history, from the Black Plague to the astounding threat still posed by the common flu. But behind each health catastrophe is a story of blind greed or hubris, with humans spreading diseases due to rampant consumption, ecological destruction, or just plain ol' bureaucracy. Such is the case with the coronavirus, which, despite emerging in humans only recently, has made historic disruptions to everyday life. The World Health Organization recently declared the virus a pandemic, in addition to being a global emergency.
Luckily, we have movies to turn to in times like these to educate us on how to survive (and prevent) a global pandemic. So what can we learn from virus outbreak movies?
4. 12 Monkeys
In the science fiction-oriented outbreak movie 12 Monkeys, the deadly virus that wipes out humanity isn't an accident. Rather, it was intentionally proliferated by a mysterious group known as The Army of the Twelve Monkeys, which the plot revolves around tracking down. Ultimately, the reasoning behind the virus' release turns out to be a response to humanity's insane obsession with destroying the environment (and just generally being awful), which honestly makes a lot of sense.
If one pattern has emerged from all of these movies, it's that humans really, really, really suck. Maybe these deadly viruses are just the universe's way of making sure we get what we deserve for being awful to each other.
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- Disaster Films: Viral and Deadly Disease Outbreaks - IMDb ›
