: Contagion
I really wanted to dislike this — the plot, about a new killer virus that causes worldwide panic and death, seemed trite and overdone — but to my surprise it’s actually very interesting. It focuses less on the stereotypical race for a cure and more on the variety of side effects of a disease like this, such as rioting, paranoia, economic issues, political decisions, kidnappings, and more. (In tone and multiple narrative style it is very similar to Hereafter.) And while it’s still a sad and somber movie, it wasn’t as depressing as I expected. The film is realistic and low-key despite the presence of a raft of big stars in bit parts, and I liked that it didn’t come across as gimmicky and forced.
Ultimately, I’m still not sure of the point, however. We don’t gain much and I’m not sure we really learn anything practical about disease (especially considering the unlikeness of a “perfect storm” virus like this). It ends up being one of those films that thinks it’s deeper than it is, but at least it isn’t preachy and it moves at a nice clip that helps make the story enjoyable.
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