Instead of getting to know (and care about) various characters in intersecting storylines, “Contagion” is surprisingly bloodless and detached, much like news reporting. It is more procedural with circumstances forcing the characters to do most of their work in isolation or by cell phone. So if you’re hoping for a horror movie, you’re in for a surprise. “Contagion’s” success is making you think twice about what you touch (like elevator buttons, credit cards and door knobs) and the lightening speed with which germs can spread. The movie opens on Day 2 with Victim 1, a Minneapolis businesswoman, Beth (Gwyneth Paltrow), who has just returned to the US from China. Soon anyone who came into contact with her gets the chills, a cough and a fever with death following quickly, but Beth’s husband (Matt Damon) is oddly immune. Once Beth dies, the movie jumps to a CDC official (Laurence Fishburne) in Atlanta trying to figure out the disease to his employee (Kate Winslet) doing dangerous work gathering information in the field. Then to a San Francisco blogger (Jude Law), who becomes famous by running an alarmist website and a World Health Organization scientist (Marion Cottillard), who goes to China.
A lot of characters come and go. Some, like Jennifer Ehle’s CDC doc, are important while others, like Elliott Gould’s rogue scientist, disappear quickly. John Hawkes’ janitor appears a few times. Someone is kidnapped and then we don’t see her until the end. And we’re never told why Damon’s character is immune while millions are dying. Director Stephen Soderbergh is obviously more interested in the progression of the disease because other practical considerations are also glossed over. Everyone seems to have electricity because lights and computers work. Isn’t everyone sick or staying home? What happens to the world’s economies? At least we have an idea of the conditions that might cause Cormac McCarthy’s The Road to happen. And be sure to stay for the epilogue, a clever re-enactment of how the virus started and what happened during Day 1. There’s a sense of dread in “Contagion” and the close-to-factual presentation of information will scare you silly. Nonetheless, “Contagion” doesn’t touch your soul or move you to tears. It should have. 9/10/11
1 comment:
This film has a lot going for it. 1st, it has a very impressive cast and next it has a big name diectror, 3rd, it had no competition on it's opening weekend. The problem with this movie is it has more holes (unanswered questions) than a block of Swiss cheese. Soderbergh introduces one character afer another mostly without telling us what finally happens to them. I walked out of the theater scratching my head??
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