Contagion-review

AHH! I farted in my bio-suit.

Contagion is a pretty good movie.  The scenario is pretty scary as a concept. The cast list is full of A-list stars that bring a great deal of talent to the table.  It’s filmed well and for what it is, it does a good job.  Not that there aren’t any flaws to this.

Beth, played by Gwyneth Paltrow, returns home from a business trip to Hong Kong.  She is sick and it turns out that most of the people she encountered got sick soon as well.  Once people end up dying the CDC starts getting involved.  That is when the movie really starts getting interesting watching the CDC and The World Health Organization attempt to rush to stop this virus which is quickly wiping out thousands of people like Stephen King’s “The Stand”. 

You can never find what you need when looting.

Lawrence Fishburne, Matt Damon and a laundry list of others give this a really good performance.   They at least make you care about them in the parts they play.  They make you believe the situation at least.  It’s a pretty scary scenario and considering how it works it comes together in a really interesting way.  Sometimes though, some of these characters come off as unneeded to the overall narrative. 

Momma always said, "Life is like a box of chocolates."

The problem with all these big stars and interesting characters was that the movie didn’t seem to know which story to follow.  So we get collection of half assed side stories.  So sometimes you will forget that Marion Cotillard plays the kidnapped WHO council member in China or that the asshole blogger Jude Law played had a pregnant friend because you are thinking about the Matt Damon plot or Lawrence Fishburne plot. 

Madame, I sneezed in my hand. No need to kiss it.

Now of course these plots intersect. However, I would prefer one really solid story compared to five or six just okay ones. There is also a lot of buildup to what caused this whole disease. Guess what?  It’s a let down.  “Contagion” is at least worth a rental.  You’ll enjoy the good acting and the terrifyingly real plot.  It just wasn’t put together in a fashion that appealed much to me as an audience member.