“Contagion” directed by Steven Soderbergh, starring Marion Cotillard, Matt Damon, Laurence Fishburne, Jude Law, Gwyneth Paltrow and Kate Winslet / Z-View

Contagion (2011)

Director: Steven Soderbergh

Screenplay:  Scott Z. Burns

Strs: Marion Cotillard, Matt Damon, Laurence Fishburne, Jude Law, Gwyneth Paltrow, Kate Winslet, Bryan Cranston, Jennifer Ehle, Sanaa Lathan, John Hawkes and Elliott Gould.

Tagline: Nothing Spreads Like Fear

The Plot…

Beth Emhoff returns home from a Hong Kong business trip feeling a bit under the weather.  Two days later, Beth is dead.  Her young son who became ill shortly after her return soon dies as well.

When others around the country show the same symptoms as Beth and quickly die, the Center for Disease Control and Homeland Security go on high alert.  The CDC has never seen a virus like this.  Scientists must develop a plan to minimize deaths caused by the virus as they search for a cure.  Masks, distancing and other steps are accepted by some but not others.  Meanwhile Homeland Security works to discover if this outbreak was a planned attack.  If so, they must work out the appropriate response.

As the virus rapidly spreads, and the deaths mount, conspiracy theories abound.  They only create more confusion, doubt and distrust.

If a cure isn’t found, millions more will die.  The clock is ticking.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

I saw Contagion when it was first released.  I thought it was a good film. I recently watched it again and thought it was even better.  Although made nearly a decade before COVID, so much of the events covered in the film actually took place during the COVID pandemic.

In December 2019, Contagion was listed in 270th place in Warner Bros.’ catalogue.  Since the COVID pandemic the film has become much more popular rising as high as #2.  After COVID Contagion also reappeared at the top of ITunes rentals.

The head used in Gwyneth Paltrow’s autopsy was actually created for the movie Se7en and reused here.

Contagion (2011) rates 4 of 5 stars.