Contagion Movie Review
Matt Damon, Marion Cotillard, Laurence Fishburne, Jude Law, Gwyneth Paltrow, Kate Winslet, Bryan Cranston.
When you look at these names, the names of these absolutely stellar actors, and find out that they are all going to be titled in the same credits; that they are all going to be acting together in the same movie – but not just any movie! – a movie on a global scale, showcasing the panic and paranoia that comes from the worst (fictional) virus epidemic in modern history; when you discover this movie, a movie that critics have praised as “smart” and “scary,” you can’t help but be excited for it. You have to see it.
This movie was Contagion.
And it was the worst film I have seen all year.
The basic premise of Contagion is that there is a virus outbreak in Hong Kong, which infects Paltrow’s character – who is on a business trip – in the very beginning. She is one of the first to be infected. From the time she lands in Hong Kong, to the time she comes home to the U.S., everyone she touches – and everyone that touches what she touched – becomes infected as well, and the virus quickly spreads, killing every one-in-four people. To stop this outbreak, all the different world governments must work together in a race to find a cure or a vaccine before it’s too late. In concept, this sounds like an excellent idea for a movie – and it very well could have been! After all, the TV show 24 did virus epidemics in at least two of its eight seasons, and pulled them off with much success.
Unfortunately, Contagion did not.
My expression throughout most of the film...
In this reviewer’s opinion, the thing that hurt this movie the most was the main draw for audiences – the cast. There were too many characters. Matt Damon was set up to be the main character in the film, but honestly I did not feel that there was a main character. Each actor received more or less the same screen time – which is great in theory – but when you divvy up an hour and forty-five minutes between seven characters, each of which have their own stories, it begins to feel spread thin. Each actor did a fine job, of course (save for Damon’s emotionless character), but none of them got to shine. There was no “star.” As Bilbo says, it was “like butter scraped over too much bread.”
Most. Pointless. Character. Ever.
The result is what appears to be inconsequential scene after inconsequential scene after inconsequential scene, all strung together with the idea of this highly contagious and deadly virus, of which the main character themselves know nothing about. Everything they come up with as a solution or theory is nothing but guess and conjecture, which is fine to begin with, but we do not need four different organizations telling us they don’t know what’s going on or how to fix it throughout the entirety of the film. Throw in some very random scenes and turn of events that have nothing to do with the overall plot, and a largely unsatisfying conclusion, and you have the movie Contagion.
My expression when the credits started rolling...
I wish I could say there were any redeeming parts about this film – anything at all that would make me say, “Even though it has its flaws, you should really see this movie for x reason,” but I simply cannot. In my opinion, there is no redeeming quality of this film. The characters are forgettable (half the time I was wondering why some of them were even a part of the story), the plot is boring, and the music is surprisingly generic (consisting mostly of techno-beats and rhythms, what little there was).
I am greatly disappointed that this film did not live up to its reputation. I was very much looking forward to it, and I tried my very best to enjoy it, but it was a pain to endure.
And movies should never be a chore to watch.
Final Verdict: 2 out of 10 stars.
Glad I chose Real Steel instead! That was entertaining!
October 21, 2011 at 11:41 pm
I wish I had seen that instead! How was it? I hear it’s good, but it looks cheesy. :P
October 21, 2011 at 11:43 pm
What can I say? I am kind of a big kid. I love all sorts of movies. Lately I’m into “feel good” movies. This one lived up to my expectations. I have enough seriousness in my life. Give me fantasy and scifi anytime. Add cartoons and I’ll be all set :)
October 21, 2011 at 11:59 pm
I *love* Sci Fi and fantasy! And as long as Pixar and Studio Ghibli never cease to exist, I shall remain a happy man. ;)
October 22, 2011 at 12:02 am
How sad. I was really looking forward to seeing it. Well, thanks for saving me the price of admission. I can see it when it hits Netflix or pay-per-view. It would have been very disappointing to pay the ridiculous prices at the theater and have the film fall this far from the expectation.
Thank you.
October 22, 2011 at 12:24 am
I write to serve. ;)
But yes, I would wait for Netflix. :P
October 22, 2011 at 12:27 am
Maybe they made it feel disjointed on purpose… after the virus spreads, their lives no longer have meaning, so why would they devote a whole movie to one person’s story? it sounds like it’s everyone’s story…
October 22, 2011 at 10:35 am
I can see your point, and I actually thought of that as I was watching the movie, but the execution was not there. What was set up as a great story fell completely flat.
October 22, 2011 at 10:58 am
I thought the same. Kind of like The Moonstone in which Wilkie Collins didn’t want it to be about one character, but how the stone’s existence manipulated the events around several.
But I haven’t seen it and it sounds like whatever the idea, it was poorly done.
October 22, 2011 at 9:14 pm
It was. :P
October 23, 2011 at 12:01 am
*In my opinion. ;)
October 22, 2011 at 10:59 am
For some reason, I really did have a little bit of fear in my system, but sure as hell not as much as Soderbergh wanted me to and for some reason I just never felt involved with these characters and their stories. Nice review.
October 23, 2011 at 9:05 am
I know exactly what you mean. And thanks, Dan!
October 23, 2011 at 9:57 am
hmmm, thank you for the heads up… now I won’t bother to spend precious time waiting for it to load online :)
October 23, 2011 at 12:33 pm
You’re welcome! :)
October 23, 2011 at 12:38 pm
I saw the movie and I thought it was as magical as when the penguins fly on giraffe heads through the purple clouds of peanut butter and dash through the cool yellow oceans of pee and the three eyed crickets croak just as a slimy orange tongue snaps out of nowhere and pulls them into a toads mouth and when the purple moon sets it hops away on it’s one crusty leg. That’s when the grass grows and blends into the night sky and grows so high that it hits a pink monkey flying peacefully through the air as it squirts pickle juice out of it’s butt and it hits you right in the eye… that’s when the magical mighty emperor sourceror steps out of it’s layer and transforms you into a massive wolf that only eats dog hair…
October 23, 2011 at 9:42 pm
Uhhh, winner for best comment ever…? xD
October 23, 2011 at 9:45 pm