Hal Barwood directed this thriller that stars Sam Waterston as Utah sheriff Cal Morse, who is forced to deal with the accidental contamination that has occurred at a research facility dealing with toxins. The military arrives to control things, but the families of the employees trapped inside the sealed-off containment area want answers, and threaten to batter down the doors to rescue them, which would be most unwise, as the released toxin has turned them into psychotic killers, except Cal's pregnant girlfriend Joanie(played by Kathleen Quinlan). Cal and a scientist(played by Jeffrey De Munn) must infiltrate the facility, to find a cure... Marginal film at least doesn't go overboard into Zombie clichés(thank goodness!), but despite the fine cast, it just misses, becoming a bit too predictable and unimaginative, though is certainly watchable enough for what it is.

This oldie but goodie focuses on an apparent agriculture development lad in middle America. What the residents don't know is that it actually the front for a bio warfare lab. When one of the weapons is accidentally released the survivors who are uncontaminated have to survive, while the sheriffs wife is trapped inside as the security guard - has to be rescued by sam waterson - with the reluctant help of a former scientist. While this is happening the locals decide that the army keeping them from their loved ones are not working in their interest and so decide to break the quarantine and release not only their loved ones but unbeknowst to them the bio weapon. Will a cure be found before the locals get in? will the survivors trapped within not yet infected get out? who will survive? for a movie made in the 80's it gives a idea of how people react to a biological agent which in its self is a scary thought. Thought the ending is a bit pat it is a realistic depictions of an event that could occur. an excellent treatment of a very real possibility in the past and still current today especially in the light of sars and the bird flu

I remember seeing this 20 yrs ago and having a very favorable impression, but the recent copy I bought and viewed this week showed both better and worse aspects, different from what I recalled. Anyway, the story is quite catching and most of the acting is above average, thanks to a good ensemble cast of quality folks. Very well done art/set design makes up for rather standard plot direction, with some nicely eerie moments. There's well written, believable dialog interspersed with silly, and well developed characters interspersed with stereotypes. So it's a mishmash but a good one. Would have been nice to see a more believable military response to the viral outbreak, but the budget must have only been enough for a small crew of national guard type soldiers rather than a more believable crack platoon outfit that would have been all over the locals, and sent them packing. Definitely a good half of a double feature with Endangered Species, or Andromeda Strain.

Unlike many horror movies where you need to check your credulity at the door, what you see in this film is actually believable. The idea of military scientists finding a catalyst which induces rage in the human mind, then mating it with a virus as a delivery device, is a very scary idea! Imagine you could catch homicidal mania as easily as you could catch the flu.The acting in this movie is good if somewhat uneven. Joanie (played wonderfully by Kathleen Quinlan) is a very intense character. Sam Waterston is good as her lover and the local sheriff.The film is not slick, but has some intense moments that many "slicker" films can only dream of achieving. Overall a very suspenseful film.