Contagion

Nestled in the disaster genre starring an unfeeling Matt Damon, the solid Laurence Fishburne and an irritating Jude Law Contagion goes up against popular films such as Outbreak and comes up short. One of the most talked about aspects of the film was the early departure of Gwyneth Paltrow, which she depicts in brutal realism, but she flits through the story in memories and reconstructions and is perhaps the second strongest element of the film. By far the best presence is the performance of Kate Winslet. She plays the part of a scientist tracking down the cause of the disease and her gritty engagement reflects the tragic nature of the theme. But her story grinds to a halt and leaves the viewer wanting more as she is let down by the vastly experienced Director, Steven Soderbergh, whose involvement no doubt guaranteed the excellent cast. Contagion, although intriguing, feels empty when something so terrifying is happening to all concerned.

43/100