(May Contain Spoilers)
Spookily accurate, Contagion is like watching New Tonight during the Coronavirus. I gave this film four jewels because I thought its accuracy on today's pandemic is uncanny, however feel that if this global virus did not occur, I would maybe not have rated it so far or even watched it! Contagion has an all-star cast and surprisingly, in the same vein as Game of Thrones (2011-19), doesn't care about killing off its main character within the first 15 minutes of the film! I thought this film had some great performances and moments of tension, but the spooky reality beckons the question, if a film knew how to deal with a pandemic, why did it take the world so long to realise when it happened for real?!
Beth (Gwyneth Paltrow) is flying home from a business trip in Hong-Kong when she develops a nasty cough (sound familiar), she gets more ill and dies in hospital baffling doctors over the cause when they do an autopsy. Sadly it follows that her son Clark (Griffin Kane) has contracted the disease from her and also dies, because Mitch (Matt Damon) is the father and husband, tests were run and he was quarantined and later immune. Meanwhile, other cases in the world begin to go viral with a video of a Chinese man collapsing and foaming at the mouth on a bus goes public. Alan Krumwiede (Jude Law) is a conspiracy, narcissistic blogger who catches onto this video and think there is more to tell, he follows the case, which leads him to be seen as a trusty figure in the public eye, even recommend quick fix cures. It follows that the federal government arrest him for spreading lies but gets bail through public funded money. As the death toll rises, the world begin to riot and supermarkets are looted leaving no food, barriers to other states are closed. Therefore, the federal government team up with world health organisations to figure out the cause and the cure.
Dr Leonora Orantes (Marion Cotillard) is tasked with finding the cause and is flown to Hong-Kong where Beth stayed, she discovers that Beth came into contact with other people who have since then died and found the casino was a hub where the disease began to spread. The casino owners get worried and kidnap Dr Orantesand taking her to their village, a hidden part of town, where she is told she will be the ransom in exchange for a vaccine. In addition, Erin (Kate Winslet) is employed to help track back contacts to prevent the spread of the virus, she suggests the virus is spread through touch so to self-isolate, wash your hands and don't touch your face; however it follows that she catches the disease and dies also. Later, Dr. Ellis Cheever (Laurence Fishburne) and Dr. Ally Hextall (Jennifer Ehle) create a vaccine and get it shipped out to the world.
A scary disaster flick, not for late night watching. It is safe to say I got nightmares as this film has become reality and it shows you show the lengths that some people will go to in order to survive. We haven't heard of much looting or robberies happening in the news, but it doesn't mean that it hasn't happened. Times like these are frightening and this movie just shows how safe you should be by staying and home and preventing the spread of this pandemic, the sooner we get a vaccine, hopefully the sooner we can go back to normal. My fear is normal is a while away!
Available now on Netflix
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