Contagion is one of the best movies I've seen this year. After a summer of brainless movies, it's nice to have a film that actually makes you think. Besides this, I think this is easily one of the most terrifying non-horror movies I have ever seen. And I'm one of the people that make fun of germaphobes. Read more after the jump.
Contagion follows so many characters that writing about all of them would take up too much time. Let's just say that a large and talented cast certainly help make this film, including several random actors in fairly small roles. Most all of them are authorities tasked with stopping the worst viral outbreak of some time. The only outlier in this group of stories is Matt Damon as a husband and father who attempts to protect his family from both the disease and the panicked people committing violent acts.
The most effective portions of the film occur at the beginning, as the virus spreads and panic starts. Society stands on the verge of collapse, and it's up to a small group of scientists to stop it. These are the most dramatic moments of the film, as mass graves appear around the world, riots sweep through the world's largest cities, and the threat of serious violence hangs over everyone's head. Once it becomes clear how the film will resolve, suspense disappears. While it is still a well made film, it's simply not as intense as it was before.
As with any film involving so many stories, some are more interesting than others. Most of the characters involved with curing the disease have more interesting parts. Kate Winslet as a first responder does an especially great job. The weakest link in the film chain is Matt Damon. As an everyman, he presents an interesting alternate perspective, and there are admittedly some great points in his arc. However, a lot of it comes off as somewhat cheesy, particularly near the end of the film.
This is a riveting and smart film. It's a great breathe of fresh air after a summer of stupid fun. I imagine that all but the incredibly sensitive will find a lot to enjoy in this film.
4.5 out of 5
This is very interesting, I will definitely see this after reading this review
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