'Contagion' Not Great, but Still Very Enthralling

It's interesting that Steven Soderbergh's "Contagion" begins on the 2^nd day of a virus' outbreak. By starting there, we are immediately put into the characters' shoes as they desperately look for ways to contain a lethal virus before (and I'm sick of this cliché) all hell breaks loose. Had we seen where it began at the start, it would be very different from this finished film. "Contagion" isn't interested so much in how this virus came about, but of the reaction it causes around the world.

You could call this one "Outbreak: The Next Generation" as Wolfgang Petersen's superb thriller also dealt with a deadly virus wreaking havoc on a small town. But whereas that was a visceral experience, "Contagion" is more down to earth and realistic in portraying a doomsday scenario that affects not just one town but all of planet Earth. These characters are ordinary people like you and me (and others we wish we were as bright as) who are not looking to become heroic anytime soon. As with "Traffic," Soderbergh allows their storylines to interweave with one another throughout.

The whole shebang starts when Gwyneth Paltrow returns from Hong Kong with a cold which soon gives way to epileptic seizures and (as was given away by the trailer) her eventual death. Matt Damon plays her husband who is forced to deal with both his grief and his desperation in protecting his daughter from a similar fate. Meanwhile various members of the scientific community played by Laurence Fishburne, Kate Winslet, and Marion Cotillard work furiously to discover the source of the disease so they can stop it in its tracks.

I liked how "Contagion" covered a variety of themes and emotions such as greed and hysteria that come over us in such a scary situation. It also captures the imagery we got bombarded with in the wake of 9/11 and Hurricane Katrina. It's disasters like these which bring out the best and worst in us, and all of that's on display here. Plus you have Jude Law's character, a blogger obsessed about getting to the truth he feels the government is hiding from us. But there are points where it's hard to tell who we can trust at all, and that's something we experience far too much of today.

The performances are excellent, and I especially liked Matt Damon who after all this time is still believable as an everyman trying to do what's best in an increasingly harsh environment. This also feels like the first time in ages that I've seen Laurence Fishburne play a normal person after portraying so many Morpheus-like characters. But the one performance I really liked was from Jennifer Ehle who plays Dr. Ally Hextall, and she makes her acting look effortless. Ehle gives us a doctor that represents the kind we want to see more of; passionate about their work, emotionally controlled in the worst of times, and not in this for just fame and wealth. Maybe Hextall is the reincarnation of Jonas Salk!

"Contagion" is not as good as it could have been, and we hardly have enough time to become emotionally connected with all the characters. Regardless, it's an enthralling motion picture that captures your attention right from the start as it covers an epidemic we have become all too familiar with. Along with a fantastic electronic score by Cliff Martinez who's on a role right now with this and "Drive," this movie is definitely worth seeing.

* * * out of * * * *

See also:
28 Weeks Later
Spalding Gray Brought Back To Life In New Documentary
The Girlfriend Experience

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