Review of Contagion (2011) by Bob S — 19 Sep 2012

A highly infectious and deadly virus rapidly becomes a pandemic threatening the lives of millions as a team of scientists desperately attempt to create a vaccine. This medical thriller from Steven Soderbergh has a similarly scientific feel to it to the likes of The Andromeda Strain as we follow the CSI-alikes through a maze of technical jargon in their labs while society disintegrates around them as the rioting populace succumbs to hysteria.

These scenes are extremely effective and there's a lot of tension during the race against the clock to find the cure, which makes the fact that the weak eco-message that makes the "climax" to the story even more disappointing.

It may have worked better if the entire film had been told in reverse order a-la Memento or Irreversible, but as it stands it feels like a real "Is that it?" kind of ending. Technically it's all very impressive however with solid performances all round and polished direction from Soderbergh, but it's just a little too sterile and anti-climactic to be considered a must see.