Review of Contagion (2011) by Peachcobbler — 07 Nov 2011

Contagion borrows an overdone plot device and adds its own unique flair. An epidemic sweeps across the world, and it is up to one man to save his family from the invisible threat. At least, this is what you can infer from the trailer.

However, after viewing Contagion, I get more of a documentary sort of vibe from the film. No matter what turmoils may be occurring, Contagion always brings it back to the cold hard facts. The Science.

Which is good, if you're into that sort of thing. However, it felt as if the characters were underdeveloped or swept under the rug as an afterthought. The entire film could have been an endless source of suspense and drama if only the director decided to stop playing teacher once in a while.

And considering the brilliant cast, one would expect that this would be the case. This brings me to my next point: the camera. During the opening moments of Contagion (the scenes that I remember the most, I might add) there were several shots that were held for far too long.

This problem was subtle, but it made the film feel like a middle school media project. That being said, Contagion never falls flat on its face, and it did keep me on the edge of my seat throughout a few especially well done scenes during what I perceived to be the climax.