Contagion is lean, mean and quietly terrifying topic



DVD Review: Contagion moves so fast it requires a clear head just to track all the characters. A chemistry degree would also be handy to decode all the science babble.


Contagion review.
Matt Damon as Mitch Emhoff in Contagion (Picture: Warner Bros)

The guidelines for watching Steven Soderbergh ’s pandemic epic are simple – if someone coughs behind you, switch seats. If your date goes to the bathroom, demand proof that hands have been scrubbed. And whatever else you do, don’t even think about sharing popcorn…


Beth ( Gwyneth Paltrow ) goes on a business trip to Hong Kong, stopping off for some extra-marital nooky on the way back. Forty-eight hours later she drops dead, leaving hubbie Matt Damon desperately looking for answers. Worse – Beth’s far from an isolated case and soon half of Hollywood is scrambling for a cure or rioting in the streets until they get one.


Contagion is not a movie to see with a sniffle. Not only will the fatal flu premise give you palpitations, the complex plot moves so fast it requires a clear head just to track all the characters. A chemistry degree would also be handy to decode all the science babble.


Soderbergh’s films tend to be cerebral and clinical, which makes the master technician a good match for this chilling and credible material. Nothing remotely sentimental or showy happens as the unseen killer cuts through his A-list cast. The only special effects are Soderbergh’s clever camera and crisp editing.


Lean, mean and quietly terrifying, this is a superior film – but you may want to wait for the DVD.


VIDEO:Watch the trailer for Contagion.