September 9, 2011 Contagion
Studio: Warner Bros. Rating: PG-13 for disturbing content and some language.
Every few years, Hollywood comes up with a story about killer germs that threaten to wipe out humanity.
We've seen it in "The Andromeda Strain" and "Outbreak" and now we have director Steven Soderbergh's "Contagion."
Featuring an all-star cast including Marion Cotillard, Matt Damon, Laurence Fishburne, Jude Law, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Kate Winslet, it shows the horror of how quickly a pandemic can spread in our modern world.
The virus is lethal, killing within just a few days. World health organizations and researchers race to find a vaccine...and patient zero, in order to save millions from an agonizing death and control the mounting panic as the disease gains the upper hand.
"Contagion" plays out like one of the many procedural crime shows on network tv. The hunt for the cause and the cure are explained in very technical, scientific detail.
It's not artsy or esoteric...instead its grounded in reality and runs along at a smooth, tight pace. The suspense builds as investigators and researchers desperately look for a way to stem the tide...as more and more people become infected. If you are a germaphobe you may want to stay away...or at the very least pack a bottle of hand sanitizer when you head to the theater.
On my rating scale, "Contagion" earns a TRIPLE.
And there is a clever epilogue you want to stick around for...which explains how all the trouble began.
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September 9, 2011
