Contagion

WARNING: This review is hidden because it reveals the content of the film.
Click here to show this review. This is a difficult movie to rate. I found it extremely interesting, but unfortunately one has to have a basic understanding of how the health system reacts to an epidemic, and how society might deal with a medical emergency, in order to fully appreciate it. Underlying the narrative are references to documenting the spread of the contagion and then developing and distributing a vaccine. But the focus of the movie is on all of the peripheral facets: legislators seeking to make political hay; local politicians seeking to cover their asses; homeland security trying to find "the enemy"; medical practitioners striking because of lack of "procedures" and "protocols"; the breakdown of law and order leading to looting and food riots; corrupt medical officials and criminals seeking preferential access to the vaccine; and individuals refusing to accept that their personal preferences must take second place to assuring the common good. And I felt that the advertising for this movie was a perfect example of name-dropping; Matt Damon and Gwyneth Paltrow in fact play relatively minor characters; the character on the hot seat trying to control the contagion, Dr. Ellis Cheever, is played by Laurence Fishburne, with help from Marion Cotillard, playing Dr. Leonora Orantes, and Kate Winslet, playing Dr. Erin Mears. A good movie; go and see it, but understand that the narrative line is not complete.