MOVIES: Contagion

[matt1985]

Has anybody seen this? I felt it was one of the most boring films I ever remember watching. That was my big take away. Sheer boredom. It wasn’t technically “bad”, just dull. But this is the worst thing a film can be to me. I don’t pay 20$ to see a Ben Stein like lecture.

I didn’t like that the film claimed that Drug Companies discouraged people from taking Homeopathic remedies and other alternative medicines in order to make money off of illnesses. One character seems to think that homeopathy could save the world from a pandemic, but the drug companies prevent this from happening. I think this mentality is one of paranoia. I think you need a real medicine in this case.

 

[havana1]

Boring? Did you see the same movie I did? The movie starts on “Day 2” and you’re not wondering what happened on “Day 1” or/and what Gwyneth Paltrow did to catch the infection? (Not a spoiler.) Jude Law’s character - not the movie - was the anti-pharma guy, who - again, just as a reminder - did face adverse consequences for that attitude. (Sort of a spoiler.) I thought it was pretty accurate vis a vis CDC’s over-reaction to the avian bird flu, so much so it was even a line of dialogue.

It reminded me a lot of “The Trigger Effect” (of one my all-time faves) and that 9/11-themed Bruce Willis/Denzel Washington movie “The Siege.” Very, very similar to “The Siege.”

I LIKE movies that make me think. And when it’s PG-13 and contains very little profanity or violence (I thought it was PG and it’s definitely suitable for mature kids), all the better.

Thumbs up here. Great movie.

 

[Heuchler]

I thought the movie was different from most movies and couldn’t make up its mind on what it wanted to be and who to focus on. I think it could have been a lot better if it focused more on how society would fall apart instead of the one or two scenes that barely show this. At other times it was trying to be a horror story. They included characters and roles that really weren’t needed (Matt Damon and Marion Cotillard) It looked like there would be more of a purpose to these people like they would be important but there is really nothing to them. So, from a literary perspective it was a terrible movie. And did anyone notice the little bit of anti-capitalism at the end along with other jabs at corporations throughout the film. It really did try to hard to have a bit of everything.

But, I don’t know if this happened to anyone else, after seeing the movie I notice every cough and sneeze and think of that movie and the future pandemic which we are overdue for. So, because of that, I think it did a good job of at least scaring us a little and leaving itself in our minds. For that reason, I, too, have to give it a thumbs up

 

[matt1985]

I think the film should have spent more time dealing with the social unrest that would have went on if the modern day version of the black plague returned. I mean, if this happened, there would be riots all over. There would be sheer anarchy.

I liked Outbreak much more than Contagion. There was a TV film called Pandora’s box that was better as well. This dealt with a plane where the people on it had a virus that was deadly and was much more exciting.

 

[Irish_Pride]

I haven’t seen it .I want too but based on some of the reviews here and else I am not so sure .

 

[havana1]

I haven’t seen it .I want too but based on some of the reviews here and else I am not so sure .

Just FYI:

The Catholic Bishops Conference (actually a guest reviewer) called it “a compelling, moment-by-moment account of a deadly virus’ march across the globe.”

It has an 83% “fresh” rating on Rotten Tomatoes, i.e., 83% of the nation’s critics liked it.

 

[DaveBj]

I’ve read the good comments and the bad comments, and Miss Bonnie and I will probably watch it, but not until it’s in a format where I can pause it when one or the other of us has to go to the bathroom.