Gwyneth Paltrow as Beth Emhoff in the thriller "CONTAGION," a Warner Bros. Pictures Release. Photo by Claudette Barius

Audiences Are In For Feverish Excitement

Many people may ask, “Why do I want to see a film about a bunch of people dying?” My response: because it’s more than that; it’s a race against the clock, it’s a study on human nature in a crisis, it’s a “grown up” thriller, one that educates the audience while making them squirm. The cinematography, editing and acting intensify the story. Packed with one great sequence after the other, “Contagion” was shot in a variety of worldwide locations, including Chicago, Hong Kong and San Francisco. What the movie lacks is character development, perhaps by trying to take on too much in a two-hour span.

Howie Mandel, a self-proclaimed germaphobe, is sure to be feeling a bit smug. He, and others like him, will likely be joined by masses of people with the release of director Steven Soderbergh’s latest film. A powerful cast, including many award winners and nominees, is just icing on the cake of this wonderfully directed screenplay. Soderbergh, who won an Academy Award® for “Traffic” (2000), has directed many memorable films, including “Erin Brockovich” (2000) and the “Ocean’s” trilogy. For “Contagion,” he teamed up again with “The Informant” (2009) screenwriter, Scott Z. Burns, and Academy Award® winning actor Matt Damon.

The star-studded thriller follows the story of a swift moving pandemic, beginning with Day 2 of the onset. The origins of the disease, Day 1, are wisely held until the end of the film, adding an element of mystery to the script. After seeing this movie, you will think twice before extending your hand for a shake, touching your face, or giving your hands a “quick rinse.” You will leave the theater feeling the weight of human vulnerability. My two tips for the day − go see “Contagion” and buy stock in companies that manufacture disinfectants and hand soap.

In the opening scene, Beth Emhoff (Academy Award® winner Gwyneth Paltrow) awaits a connecting flight in Chicago, having just returned from a business trip to Hong Kong and going home to Minneapolis. Within seconds, she coughs, looking haggard. She tells the person on the other end of her cell phone that she’s merely jet lagged, but we know better, as the camera zooms in on her hands and all that they touch. Before her death, a mere two days later (just a handful of minutes for viewers), we realize that the boogieman in this film is unlike others. It is living, but it doesn’t hide under the bed or in the dark recesses of the closet. It hides in the daylight, in public places − on door handles, credit cards, unwashed drinking glasses, our hands − right under our noses.

Before Beth’s husband, Mitch (Damon), has time to make sense of his wife’s sudden and untimely death, his stepson also succumbs to the flu-like symptoms exhibited by his wife. During Beth’s autopsy (the most gruesome scene of the film), the pathologist realizes the cause of death is not what he thought to be meningitis or encephalitis. When his assistant asks him if he should call someone, the doctor replies, “Call everyone.” This whirlwind all takes place within the first few minutes of the movie, and the pace does not slow down.

As the World Health Organization (WHO) and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (DCD) begin working furiously to learn more about the virus’ origin and a possible cure or vaccine, Mitch is simply focused on how to keep his daughter safe from the pandemic. The global virus spreads like wildfire, as does the fear, fueled by an activist blogger, Alan Krumwiede, played by Jude Law.

Joining Paltrow, Damon and Law are Laurence Fishburne (Dr. Ellis Cheever), Kate Winslet (Dr. Erin Mears), Marion Cotillard (Dr. Leonora Orantes), Elliot Gould (Dr. Ian Sussman), Bryan Cranston (Lyle Haggerty) and Jennifer Ehle (Dr. Ally Hextall). Although all of the characters hold an important place in the story, the large numbers make it difficult for the audience to become fully invested in them. Viewers will likely connect with Damon’s character more so than the others.

Bottom Line: Technically, this film is first-rate, most notably the direction by Soderbergh, but it’s the “reality of the possibility” that will make this thriller a hot topic at the water cooler − hopefully, a thoroughly sanitized water cooler.

Tyna S. Cline © Sept. 7, 2011