Contagion

CONTAGION
DON'T TALK TO ANYONE. DON'T TOUCH ANYONE.
-NO ONE IS IMMUNE TO FEAR!

Now, I have written a preview for this movie and as promised, here is the proper review for it. Being honest, I was literally restless to see this movie since the very day it released, i.e 9th September 2011. Just saw it last night (24th September, many thanks to my dear friends who got the only print for me) :D

Contagion is a 2011 American thriller movie directed by the great, Steven Soderbergh. He is the very intelligent, very famous director of some really great movies such as Out Of Sight, Traffic, Erin Brockovich, The Ocean Series (Eleven, Twelve and Thirteen), The Good German and many more. After watching this movie, I must agree he is absolutely brilliant, simply amazing. A director that actually makes movies with sense, pure raw facts and makes it just...real!

The movie has an amazing, stellar, A-list cast, Oscar winners and nominated that were just amazing in the movie. Matt Damon, Kate Winslet, Marion Cotillard, Laurence Fishburne, Gwyneth Paltrow, Jude Law and Jennifer Ehle.

Contagion is a movie about the outbreak of a new, deadly disease that kills within days and is caught by the most common of things and kills within days, basically depending on the person's immune system and the incubation period. Also highlighting how it affects the world and the society falling apart.

The greatest thing about this movie is that its so so close to reality. We see these things happen around us all the time with no realization of such at all. Like how diseases are spread!? A normal hand shake, hug, simply talking, using someone's phone, or the home land line. For instance, I am using the computer right now and when I get up, my sister will use, using the same keyboard and mouse! We go to a cafe, order a drink, say if one has a cough and uses that glass, one has finished the drink and the glass is washed but it still may have that particular germs and someone will use that glass in the cafe. Best example is in the picture below that how Beth Emhoff is 'wishing luck' in the man's dice. That is transmission.

Contagion starts with Elizabeth Emhoff coming back to her home in Minneapolis from a business trip in Hong Kong, she is feeling sick but feels its just jet-lag. Two days later, her son is also sick and Beth collapses and begins to have seizures. Her husband, Mitch rushes her to the hospital where her seizures continue and she dies suddenly. No reason is stated yet. (*Not a spoiler, her death is shown in the trailer of the movie.)


When Mitch is told about her death, he just doesn't get it, he doesn't understand what happened to her and with absolute no cause of death. He goes back home where he gets another shock that what has happened and he is emotionally destroyed. Along with Beth, many other people around the world are shown dying in the exact same manner as Beth.

Now with many deaths around the globe and no cause known, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the CDC becomes active in determining the cause. They first get hold of the virus from Beth's deceased body and begin to study it but with it, they get no where! no conclusions and not much known about the bodies in it.

The head of the CDC, Dr. Ellis Cheever is the head for the case and every nation, every country's head and official contacts him to find out what exactly is happening, with no answers he sends Dr. Erin Mears to Minneapolis to track down the main cause for Beth's death and her colleagues and everyone in contact.

Later in the movie is shown a very stressed Cheever who also pushes boundaries to get the vaccine for the disease and also get his wife saved from everything.


Dr. Erin Mears, and Epidemic Intelligence Service officer is called in by the CDC and sent to Minneapolis immediately to track down on field the main cause and also prevent in every way to spend, that also includes talking with the government officials, who are worried of what to tell the local people as still they don't know what they are fighting and no facts to present.

As she reaches her destination, there is no rest. She gets to work right ahead and after meeting the government officials, she sets off to Beth's office where she talks to her colleagues, her husband to know if she had complains of sickness or if she met on trip someone who was sick or anything, anything at all! She starts the prevention activities within 24 hours but still has many problems to face and a great great endangering obstacle. She is really really nice and wants to help in every darn possible way she can to stop the disease from spreading and get the origin of it.

The world Health Organization sends Dr. Leonore Orantes to London to find the cases of death there and from there is sent to Hong Kong where the sickness originated and how it started to spread, while she is there she finds out Beth is was the first one who had the disease. When she was to go back to Geneva to W.H.O, she is kidnapped by epidemiologist to use her as leverage to get the first vaccines for his village.

I won't tell how each of the plots end, you have to watch it for yourself and trust me, its totally worth it!!

Contagion premiered at the 68th Venice Film Festival and released publicly on 9th September 2011. On the very first week, the movie grossed $25 Million, debuting on #1, ending The Help's three week stay at number 1, by the next week, it grossed $55.5 Million worldwide. With a budget of $60 Million, its a great gross number data and is a SUPER HIT at the box-office.

The movie met wet great critical acclaim where everyone praised the director's effort and the story that was so close to reality, also applauded is the great A-list cast for each of their roles. Rotten Tomatoes, a critics movie site gave the movie an approval of a staggering 84% (Rotten Tomatoes are very harsh and usually give less marks to movies), also gave positive reviews.

The greatest thing about the movies is that it is scientifically accurate. Scientists also gave the movie a positive review complimenting the director's efforts that he made proper research and made a movie on a subject that is most likely to happen, GOD FORBID.


To me, Contagion was a great horror movie, because it really does scare you deep down you actually feel the chills. I mean, I am really scared to use anyone's glass or anything. My review for the film is 'TWO BIG THUMBS UP'. Its a very well made movie, one of the best of 2011. The director has pointed an idea, giving us a hint to be careful, hygienic. Literally. I think everyone should watch this movie and learn something from it. It speaks of deadly diseases, how society falls apart under the most dire of circumstances. The acting was outstanding. Matt, Laurence, Kate, Gwyneth, Marion were just amazing!
The movie got excellent reviews by professionals, even I have praised it, so just watch it.

-A Must Watch! Highly Recommended!

My Ratings: 9/10