Contagion - One Touch Is All It Takes Movie Review
The first reviews are beginning to come out of Venice, concerning the new blockbuster Contagion. With an all star cast that includes Gwyneth Paltrow, Matt Damon, Jude Law and kate Winslet, it screams success just by the Actors alone. But what is the film about? Well, Contagion. And lots of it. We have all seen loads of films about viruses, or alien flu, but this film is different. In fact it has been reported that the first people to see it in the Cinema actually scooted away from the nearest person who happened to cough near them! That's the power of the film Contagion.
The trouble with this Latest Movie is that it is too believable! At this point I have to admit to only watching the various trailers that the Film Company have put out. But believe me when I say this will touch a nerve. Well, every nerve in your body in fact! If you happen to be like me, a person who washes her hands every time she goes to the store, or even to the nearest mall, then after the film, I will probably be wearing extra thick disinfectant gloves with a personalised electrical field to stop anybody getting near me!
Contagion is directed by Steven Soderbergh who quoted at the Venice showing, 'I chose such a heavy Star Cast because it's helpful to have as many well known Movie Stars as possible to make the film more personalised. Everybody will recognise these faces. Hopefully it will help the audience to get a good reference point.
Contagion The Story
Crossing all continents and creating a structure of full scream ahead panic, the film shows how the world will have to cope with such a huge pandemic. A mystery illness, with no known cause or treatment, makes the tension build until you will be sitting very uncomfortably on the edge of your seat! Well, even more so, you will probably be standing so as not to touch the seat.
Covering all aspects of how it spreads, and the full scale panic of the population, compared to the false calm of the Scientists who are trying desperately to combat the disease in the middle of all the furor, the story is very believable. The fact that in other situations of worldwide illness, we have at least a small chance of keeping safe as long as we don't mix with infected people, or are lucky enough to have an immunity to the disease. But in the case of this film, the main headline of the story says it all.
One touch is all it takes.
The story starts with Gwyneth Paltrow as she picks up a handful of peanuts at the Airport. After complaining to her boyfriend that she has the sniffles, she then hands over her credit card to pay for her flight. The virus is now on the move.
At this point the Camera begins its journey, following every movement of the germ as it starts to infect the population. This, I believe, is a chilling way to show the viewing public of how such a small germ or virus can spread so easily. We have all seen the adverts on how to wash our hands after the outbrake of Swine Flu last year, but how many of us actually take notice? This Camera view should influence many people into seeing just how easy it is to spread and infect you and the whole world. All because of a tiny creature that is so small you wouldn't barely see it, even under a microscope.
Throughout the film, an underscore is flashed onto the screen telling the viewers how many people have caught the virus, and in how many minutes or hours. By this time the audience will be wriggling on their seats and casting anxious glances at the man or woman seated next to them.
At one stage in the film, there is a yucky moment when, after Paltrows demise, the mortuary assistant is cutting open her head, and seeing the size of her brain, suddenly steps back and yells 'Oh my God, step away from the table'!
Along with the all the panic and emotion, there is the political story of how to move the President away from the virus and keep him safe, Chicago being shut down and taken over by the Army and of course the Technological aspect of how communication becomes important in the race to try and find a cure for the Contagion.
So if you like being scared to death, want to wash your hands everytime you go outside, or develop a really bad case of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, then this is the film to watch.
Hold onto your seats. Or perhaps not!
Film Released 9/9/2011
Copyright Nell Rose