Movie Review: Contagion

Steven Soderbergh-directed Contagion works exceedingly well not just as a portentous warning in a world that has already seen the likes of Anthrax, H1N1 and SARS, but also as a cautionary tale depicting the darker side of media, showing how (dis-)information spreads faster than the disease itself and how social media platforms can be misused to sow unwarranted fear and mass hysteria, leading to collapse of social order. The unnerving science-fiction thriller, armed with a riveting script from Scott Z. Burns, juggles multiple plot-lines cleverly, switching from Hong Kong to Minneapolis to Atlanta, while simultaneously revealing the haplessness of the situation, the scientific response to the pandemic and the science behind it convincingly and accurately through its several characters. At the same time, it is also a story of conscience, questioning the lengths to which one would go to protect his loved ones in the wake of such a disaster. Backed by excellent performances from its lead cast, Contagion is that no-nonsense thriller that will have you on the edge of the seat. Watch out for the last scene which is one of the film's indubitably chilling moments.