When it’s over, there’s an immediate feeling of wanting to be secluded and safe. Contagion is about paranoia, fear, and the containment of an unknown virus which has travelled around the world sending death tolls skyrocketing. Without a cure or enough knowledge of the virus, scientists race against time to develop a cure. This film was jam packed, and perhaps a bit too packed to channel a direct emotional line between the viewer and the characters. By using multiple story lines, Director Steven Soderbergh tries to tap in on the varying perspectives of people who have been affected directly or indirectly by the virus. The storylines include: 1) third world countries and their lack of access to resources; 2) a father’s desperation to protect his daughter from becoming infected; 3) an entrepreneur’s selfish thirst to capitalize on the virus through the use of the internet; 5) Homeland Security’s paranoia that the virus is an act of terrorism. I liked the idea of using multiple story lines and it generally works well when you have the time to develop the stories such as in a series, but within 106 minutes, it was too much too soon. I felt pulled in various directions without really engaging in any particular storyline. As a whole, Soderbergh makes his message very clear. A virus is like cancer. It doesn't discriminate. That is a scary thought.
My rating: 2.5 out of 5
My rating: 2.5 out of 5
A very gripping film. You're just waiting to see whose major characters are going to die in the end. I agree that there is no emotional connection to the characters but I think that that is the purpose of the film. It is not meant to be emotional or not meant for the viewers to root for any characters to survive, it just merely shows the global devastation of an epidemic. I would have loved to see more of what could happen to humanity after it has wiped out a huge population, but unfortunately, they found a cure right away. I still recommend seeing this. it's better than outbreak with Dustin Hoffman.
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