Featured Audience Ratings

• xGary X

  
  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… More
  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.

• Mark B

  
  Wow. Powerful movie, especially for those like me that have traveled so much and spent so much time in China/Hong Kong.

• paul s

  
  In Contagion you have Steven Soderbergh's compelling yet somewhat clinical exploration of both the cause and the effect of a global pandemic. It ably asks and answers via its ensemble cast the big sci-fi question "what if?" What would happen IF there were a global… More
  In Contagion you have Steven Soderbergh's compelling yet somewhat clinical exploration of both the cause and the effect of a global pandemic. It ably asks and answers via its ensemble cast the big sci-fi question "what if?" What would happen IF there were a global pandemic? Would there be mass hysteria, and would some try to profit from the terrible epidemic? The answer is kind of a no brainer, and yet we need to be reminded of the times we live in and that "humanity" and "civilization" are tenuous propositions at best, taking not much at all to shed the venire and reduce mankind to base instincts of survival. The film is filled with A list stars, but this is not a character driven film, as each of the many actors fulfill a part of the big picture, giving the film less emotional impact than it might, while leaving you with the uncomfortable feeling that this could indeed happen at any time. Soderbergh's pacing here works well, slowly building while the seemingly unconnected characters all eventually fall in line as the medicos search for the source of the contagion. Of course politics gets in the way, which, while frustrating, gives the film a chance to show a bit of humanity when some Chinese children are thrown under the bus in a political move under the auspices of "we don't negotiate with terrorists" - sure, what's a couple hundred children when your motto is at stake? There are eerie scenes of vacant streets as the populace is told that the best way to NOT be infected is to have no contact with others. Matt Damon's character takes this to the extreme by placing his daughter under house arrest - something she bemoans, not realizing that Dad is probably saving her life (as usual teens think that they're invulnerable). There are false prophets on display here as well (or should I say prophets for profit). This dark bit of profiting from the pain of others is once again something that happens on a regular basis, and yet something we tend to sweep under the carpet. Further showing the base side of humanity are the well shot sequences of rioting and mayhem - chaos and anarchy fueled by fear and me first survival instincts. I couldn't help but think and hope that, faced with the same situation, I would behave with a bit more dignity, even when the rules of society are being bent all around me. This is not a happy film, but I think a necessary and successful one, as it sure gave me pause and made me think about who and what we are as a species. About the only part of this film that struck me as incomplete concerned the tagging of those who had been given the "cure" (the manufacture and administration of enough cure to inoculate the entire planet taking years). The film showed a happy scene of Damon's daughter's boyfriend finally being allowed into their house as he proudly shows off his wrist tag. This left me wondering about the pariah effect - the possibility of apartheid, separating those who have not been inoculated. Then my feeble brain took it a step further, imagining that there would become a black market for fake wrist tags... perhaps another film might invest the time to explore this aspect - but here it would only add to the distasteful look into "humanity".

• Emil K

  
  Steven Soderbergh's typically cold and fatally clinical approach to Scott Z. Burns's screenplay is one of the biggest flaws of this uneven and fragmented film. Soderbergh who is known for his experimental, almost chameleon-like ability as a director, does not show much of… More
  Steven Soderbergh's typically cold and fatally clinical approach to Scott Z. Burns's screenplay is one of the biggest flaws of this uneven and fragmented film. Soderbergh who is known for his experimental, almost chameleon-like ability as a director, does not show much of his usual visual flair in here. Contagion is a film that lacks emotion, passion and originality. It is none better than the silly 90's thriller Outbreak which was pretty weak if mildly entertaining film. Soderbergh's approach might seem more down to earth but in the end this is just lame entry in paranoia-genre from him. He has succeeded much better as a director with films like Solaris and Traffic, but even those films suffered from his clinical style. Soderbergh is a director who has loads of talent, but his filmography is so mixed and uneven that in paper it just look like a mess. There are the good ones with The Limey, Traffic and Solaris and then there are the many bad ones with Kafka, Schizopolis, Full Frontal, Ocean's 11 & 13 and most notably here with Contagion and his new Haywire. All in all he has more misses than hits in my opinion as a filmmaker. I still have to give credit for his bravery and imagination as a filmmaker. At least he tries different styles and give us almost each time something different than before. Contagion has fantastic cast which includes talents like Marion Cotillard, Jude Law, Kate Winslet and Gwyneth Paltrow, but their potential is completely wasted by Soderbergh's lazy direction and even worse screenplay by Scott Z. Burns.

• Tyler R

  
  So obviously, people have been praising everything about this film. The acting, the realism, the fact that it made people afraid of viruses again. Well in my opinion, this movie is just plain boring. This film starts out promising, but ends dismally. As a matter of fact, it plays out… More
  So obviously, people have been praising everything about this film. The acting, the realism, the fact that it made people afraid of viruses again. Well in my opinion, this movie is just plain boring. This film starts out promising, but ends dismally. As a matter of fact, it plays out dismally. The first 15 minutes of the movie starts out with Gwyneth Paltrow getting sick and a montage of people around the world catching the same illness. The beginning got me hooked into the movie, but I might as well have been walking into a cave where the first 10 feet was made of candy, whereas the next 90 was made of shit. So now that the virus is spreading, we get introduced to the characters played by an all star cast. It has Matt Damon, Laurence Fishburne, Kate Winslet, Marion Cottilard, Jude Law and Bryan Cranston. (I hate that guy) They really went all out in making sure well known actors were in the movie....only to waste their time. All the characters were just shallow, one dimensional bores. I didn't care whether they lived or died at all. The movie is just so convoluted with all the different storylines. Jude Law is some conspiracy nut, Damon is caring for his daughter, Paltrow gets her head sawed open, and Cottilard does almost nothing. (Aside from being really hot.) Seriously, we get introduced to Cottilard's character for a few scenes, then she dissapears from the movie for about 45 minutes. When she reappears, she dissapears again and we never see her again. What was the point of her? (Besides being hot) Not only is the film a disjointed mess, it's also really slow and boring. We see like 5 minutes of the effects the virus is having on the world and the rest is just a bunch of confusing dialogue that only a medical expert could understand. Why would you give a general audience all this scientific stuff. That's like reading "Finnegan's Wake" to pre-schoolers. The absolute worst thing about the movie is the ending though. To start, you can't even tell when the ending is coming. The ending just happens out of now where in the middle of explaining something. The film leaves almost everything virtually unanswered. I left the theater feeling like nothing was accomplished in the movie. So many people said this film had them worried about an outbreak of a virus, but the only thing I was thinking of after the film was over was "I'm thirsty."

• Tired of P

  
  Directed by Steve Soderberg, Warner Bros. Pictures, 2011, Starring Matt Damon, Gwyenth Paltrow, Laurence Fishburne, Kate Winslet, Jude Law, et al Genre: Action, Sci-Fi, Thriller Question: Are you a germaphobe? If you are, you might want to skip this review. If you aren't,… More
  Directed by Steve Soderberg, Warner Bros. Pictures, 2011, Starring Matt Damon, Gwyenth Paltrow, Laurence Fishburne, Kate Winslet, Jude Law, et al Genre: Action, Sci-Fi, Thriller Question: Are you a germaphobe? If you are, you might want to skip this review. If you aren't, you might be after watching Contagion - trust me. I must confess I am a bit of a germaphobe because 2 years ago I contracted a heart infection that nearly killed me because the doctors couldn't figure out what was wrong with me for weeks. They finally did and it started with a simple common, everyday ailment that I picked up from someone else. So when I saw the preview for this movie a few months back I was unsure if I really wanted to see it. Plus, I felt like this story was told before with movies like Outbreak or the beginning of every zombie movie. There really is nothing new with Contagion - as far as the plot goes. Of course, it is a about an outbreak - a new type of influenza that quickly spreads across the planet. Sound familiar? Yeah, I know. However, there is one thing different with this film. It was completely realistic with how much we move around the globe, touch things others have then touch ourselves - our faces specifically. Here is where you germaphobes may freak a little. I even jumped in the theatre when someone sneezed right behind me during the movie. I even went as far to make sure I didn't touch the arms on my chair for the rest of the movie. Imagine if something like this did happen. Well, it did back in 1918 with the Spanish flu pandemic where 50-100 million people died because there was no vaccine. Yes, that many. Now I know we had the outbreak of N1H1 in 2009 but it was quickly contained and a vaccine was made. Now think if a virus was so new and nothing we already had as a cure could stop it. There's Contagion. The film-makers took the approach to tell a story about a modern-day pandemic with an ensemble cast and multiple stories intertwined. This approach fascinated me. There really was no set "lead" actor or specific story that stood out unless you want to say the "virus" was the lead character. That was the common element, although many of the stories were connected, which also had me thinking how this story seemed so "real". It starts out with who were the first few victims and how powerful this strain was and how it was able spread to others. Governments soon become involved by sending workers around the world to figure the out pandemic. People died left and right - no one seemed immune...well, that isn't exactly true. You'll see. Anyway, the pandemic started out listing either day 2 or day 3 - I can't remember exactly, and for the next 100 minutes or so the story was tagged with counting of the days. I won't say anymore about the details of the story except to say I really liked the ending for two reasons. One, many things were left unanswered. I know some won't like that but, to me, that's what made it scary and....real. The second reason...well, I'm going to leave that one a mystery. Sorry. There are so many actors listed in this film that it is hard to talk about all of them. Matt Damon should be mentioned. His wife was one of the first victims and his reaction to her death was powerful. I also enjoyed Kate Winslet's performance but if I say much more I will be giving things away. Silence. Laurence Fishburne must also receive a mentioning in this review. His character works for the CDC and from behind the scenes he sees how the virus is destroying the world he knows. He comes face-to-face with some decisions that no one would like to make. There is one particular scene that almost had me choke up at his response to one of his decisions. You have to see it. So, grab your Purell and head to the theatres for this one. Oh, and for you bloggers out there, you might enjoy Jude Law's character. My favorite thing: That's a hard one - I think it would have to be the last few minutes and how they ended the story. My least favorite thing: Finding out how many times we humans touch our faces and how viruses are spread by doing that. I kept catching myself touching my face and quickly having to pull them off during the movie. Are you touching your face right now? Rating: PG-13 Length: 105 minutes Review: 7 out of 10

• Chris W

  
  Featuring an all star cast who give some really solid performances, this is a very sharp, realistic, intense, medical thriller epidemic film from acclaimed director Steven Soderbergh. Since he's behind it, you know it's gonna look great, be stylish, and be one of the better… More
  Featuring an all star cast who give some really solid performances, this is a very sharp, realistic, intense, medical thriller epidemic film from acclaimed director Steven Soderbergh. Since he's behind it, you know it's gonna look great, be stylish, and be one of the better films of its type, especially since there's a high degree of medical and scientific accuracy on display. The film follows the origins of an unknown but highly lethal virus as it spreads across the world at a fast rate, with the efforts of scientists, researchers, and others as they all find a way to deal with the situation as society begins to succumb to the disease and break down. This is, in many ways, a horror film in the same vein as something like Children of Men. This isn't quite as fierce and intense as that one, but it's still pretty frightening at times. It does start to lose some steam by the third act, but it never falters enoguh to totally kill the overall grade. Had it not (slightly) dipped though, I'd definitely be giving this an extra half star. Cliff Martinez's score is awesome, and really highlights the tense atmosphere of the situation, the cinematography and editing are superb, and Sodderbergh's direction is dynamite. I'm not going to list all of the cast memebers here, because there's too many to take the time ot list, but there's lots of A-listers and award winners and nominees (Oscars, Golden Globes, etc) here, and, even though only some get more screen time than others, all bring something to the table, and it's great seeing this much talent actually be put ot good use, unlike the way it is wasted in the recent films of Garry Marshall. All in all, this is some terrific, nightmarish stuff. Definitely check it out. It'll make you think, but probably a bit paranoid as well.

• Anthony L

  
  No action, no unnecessary heroics, no Monkeys, already Contagion was the grown up version of the 'Epidemic' movie. It is intelligent, beautifully filmed, well acted (by a great cast), is full of suspense, completely realistic and believable and is a real breath of fresh air… More
  No action, no unnecessary heroics, no Monkeys, already Contagion was the grown up version of the 'Epidemic' movie. It is intelligent, beautifully filmed, well acted (by a great cast), is full of suspense, completely realistic and believable and is a real breath of fresh air that the genres needed. Seems the public don't want intelligence though, shame.

• Alexis N

  
  I watched this on the plane, maybe it wasn't the best idea. I was convinced everyone was going to get me sick.. when I woke up. I fell asleep half way through this movie. Saw Gwyneth get her head cut off in yet another movie, took a nap, woke up to find some pig, bird, bat thing… More
  I watched this on the plane, maybe it wasn't the best idea. I was convinced everyone was going to get me sick.. when I woke up. I fell asleep half way through this movie. Saw Gwyneth get her head cut off in yet another movie, took a nap, woke up to find some pig, bird, bat thing started the whole outbreak. It had an all-star cast, so there's that.

• JY S

  
  Steven Soderbergh's <i>Contagion</i> goes epidemic and spreads the virus in a matter of minutes.<p>Jumping right in at what is considered day 2 of the outbreak and then spanning another 100+ days of unfolding the issue, <i>Contagion</i> wastes little… More
  Steven Soderbergh's <i>Contagion</i> goes epidemic and spreads the virus in a matter of minutes.<p>Jumping right in at what is considered day 2 of the outbreak and then spanning another 100+ days of unfolding the issue, <i>Contagion</i> wastes little to no time at getting to the point. The story plays out with a high sense of realism, and while this does make for an intriguing 100 minutes, the film lacks that extra punch and sense of excitement.</p><p>What does help pass the time is the plethora of characters to follow. Each, more or less, has their own subplot, thanks to the epidemic taking place worldwide, but there is interaction between some of them from time to time.</p><p>With a number of characters to go around, there isn't a lead to single out. It really is a collaborative effort made up of many recognizable faces. There are solid performances to go around; however, no one stands out above anyone else.</p>Ultimately, <i>Contagion</i> has the makings of an epic movie; however, it doesn't necessarily come across like one. Still, it is a picture to behold.</p>

• Albert K

  
  "Nothing spreads like fear"... that's right except the fear isn't conveyed to the audience in a way where the epidemic has a claustrophobic and isolating quality. Don't get me wrong, "Contagion" is expertly crafted with didactic, sharp dialogue, an… More
  "Nothing spreads like fear"... that's right except the fear isn't conveyed to the audience in a way where the epidemic has a claustrophobic and isolating quality. Don't get me wrong, "Contagion" is expertly crafted with didactic, sharp dialogue, an incredible ensemble, and stable direction. Kate Winslet? Matt Damon? Count me in... The story is absolutely compelling and engaging. The most realistic movie you're gonna face in terms of an epidemic. "Contagion" covers all spectrums of such a situation -- political, national security, depravity, the infected and non-infected. As the movie rolls on, it seamlessly swings its attention all over the place with a very steady-hand and level-headed approach. Unfortunately, the only time the gravity of the epidemic of it becoming an extermination of the human race is conveyed, is only when characters are uttering numbers and statistics of the atrocities or the audience's viewings of only a few of the key characters. Yes, of course we see depravity running its course through numerous unnamed and unknown characters but to witness the entirety of our world to be brought in humility through an exterminating virus without a great impact on emotion is a big gaping flaw. Call me heartless. I know there were plenty of key characters that were shown dealing with this virus, but as for the other millions of people that are affected? I'm not expecting a huge scale of people bowing down in tears and crying out to God, but I was expecting much more of a riveting impact on my senses and emotion. For some characters, like for instance the Emhoff family, there IS character development and emotions flying around... but on the other sectors of the story, not so much. Otherwise, "Contagion" was a highly engaging thriller that fails deliver the weight of the fear and emotions of a possible apocalyptic disease throughout the entire movie.

• Stuart B

  
  Very good film. Thought provoking and scary. How easily something like this could happen.

• Sergio G

  
  What a great cast for this Steven Soderbergh movie that emulates all the consequences that could bring one of those viruses like AH1N1. That caughts everyone unaware, no vaccines available, no time for research, panic, terrorims and conspirancy theories. The approach is very good, the… More
  What a great cast for this Steven Soderbergh movie that emulates all the consequences that could bring one of those viruses like AH1N1. That caughts everyone unaware, no vaccines available, no time for research, panic, terrorims and conspirancy theories. The approach is very good, the direction is fantastic. Unfortunatelly we have seen this kind of movies many times. This view is different and I like it.

• Christopher H

  
  Feels like "28 Days Later", except nobody turns into zombies. What I admire about the film is its attention to realism, the filmmakers also do a pretty sublime job at building up tension as the deadly disease spreads across the world. The film also benefits from a… More
  Feels like "28 Days Later", except nobody turns into zombies. What I admire about the film is its attention to realism, the filmmakers also do a pretty sublime job at building up tension as the deadly disease spreads across the world. The film also benefits from a star-studded ensemble cast that do a pretty good job overall, despite their individual characters lacking development. Unfortunately, where the actors succeed, the film fails. Scott Z. Burns, who previously worked with director Steven Soderbergh on the corporate espionage thriller "The Informant", struggles to balance a complex and multi-layered plot. This leaves the overall message of the movie hard to decipher and none of the film's multiple story arcs are given adequate resolutions. Combines this with the film lacking any big pay-off, the movie drags and seems to sizzle out in the second-half. It is almost as if the movie is missing a third act. Contagion comes off as "Traffic" but without most of the intrigue or emotional resonance that made that film good.

• Alexander D

  
  What makes CONTAGION so engaging is how understandable and crystal clear it is. I began watching, nervously expecting a film similar to Michael Crichton's 1960s novel The Andromeda Strain, a work about a plague that only a doctor of the medical field could possibly comprehend.… More
  What makes CONTAGION so engaging is how understandable and crystal clear it is. I began watching, nervously expecting a film similar to Michael Crichton's 1960s novel The Andromeda Strain, a work about a plague that only a doctor of the medical field could possibly comprehend. Instead, it seems more similar to Stephen King's 1970s novel The Stand, or its television mini-series adaptation, with a different sense of horror.

• Tim S

  
  Contagion is a film that I've been hearing about positively since its theatrical release and I decided to go out and rent it for the evening. I have to say, I was pleasantly surprised by the film. What could have been a generic, by the numbers, Outbreak-type movie turns out to be… More
  Contagion is a film that I've been hearing about positively since its theatrical release and I decided to go out and rent it for the evening. I have to say, I was pleasantly surprised by the film. What could have been a generic, by the numbers, Outbreak-type movie turns out to be a more clinical and much better made film than that. It has a lot of star power thanks to the directorial draw of Steven Soderbergh, including Matt Damon, Jude Law, Laurence Fishburne, Kate Winslet and many, many others. The entire plot of the film is the arc of a viral outbreak from inception to cure, and a bit beyond. The film looks and sounds great (as is usally the case with Soderbergh's work), but it feels more akin to an HBO original movie to me than a major theatrical release. I also don't find it engaging enough to warrant seeing multiple times. I'm sure that seems odd of me saying given my rating, but it's one of those good movies that you don't particularly want to see more than once. Once the arc of the story is over, there's nothing so compelling to make me want to revisit again. I could eat those words, but that's what I was feeling at the end. There's some good performances, good score and some nice direction, but you might not want to see it again after seeing it once. Not that it's bad, it's just not that interesting. It's very much Traffic, but in a different situation. That's my take, anyway.

• Dan S

  
  A well-constructed ultra paranoid thriller concerning an epidemic outbreak and how the world handles it. With no lead character, the story has a lot of different ways it can go, and Steven Soderbergh goes all across the globe while giving us the bare minimum about his many characters.… More
  A well-constructed ultra paranoid thriller concerning an epidemic outbreak and how the world handles it. With no lead character, the story has a lot of different ways it can go, and Steven Soderbergh goes all across the globe while giving us the bare minimum about his many characters. The film still works as a whole, however, thanks to the scarily realistic atmosphere and outlook it possesses, a soundtrack eerily similar to "The Social Network" which has a lasting effect, and a stellar cast who come across as normal people just doing their best to survive a chaotic world overwrought with an incurable disease. Another minor piece that Soderbergh can add to his very decorated, versatile belt.

• Jameson W

  
  Really good! Jude Law is fantastic...

• Sophie B

  
  It seemed to go very fast and didn't really give much time for events to sink in. I get why they used such big names, however it really broke the realism and just reminded me that this was a film, not a reality. Very scary concept though.

• MisterYoda ?

  
  three stars...

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