Gwyneth Paltrow in "Contagion"; photo courtesy of Warner Brothers

“Contagion” (Warner Brothers)

“Contagion” is a new film about an old subject. At least it seems we have seen this story many, many times before. In the Dustin Hoffman/Rene’ Russo starrer “Outbreak” we had a story about a virus on the loose, and in “Contagion” we have a story about a virus on the loose. Once again it is up to the scientific folk to find an antidote before the world is wiped out. Some might even view “Contagion” as a sequel to “Rise of the Planet of the Apes.” The last event in that film could give rise to the events in this movie.

In any case this movie starts with Beth Emhoff (Gwyneth Paltrow) eating some nuts out of a bowl at a bar in Hong Kong. When she gets home she isn’t feeling good but she embraces her family anyway. Shortly thereafter she and her young son die leaving her husband Mitch to face life, and a rapidly spreading virus, alone.

A who’s who of Hollywood battles the virus. They include Laurence Fishbourne as the head of the CDC in Atlanta, Marion Cottilard as a World Health Organization worker, Elliot Gould as a research scientist, Kate Winslet as a CDC field operative, Jude Law as a blog reporter and Bryan Cranston as a military officer. Some of these people come on the scene for a few moments and then disappear, while others drop in and out throughout the film. There is not enough information given about any of them to make you particularly care about them.

The audience is kept uninvolved with the action on the screen. The horrific events that are transpiring are interesting but there seems to be a wall between the humans being portrayed and the viewers who want to get emotionally involved with the story. Even the talented Winslet and Damon can’t break through and connect.

The film is rated PG-13 for profanity, violence and disturbing medical scenes.

Steven Soderbergh is a talented director but you wouldn’t know it from this film. He doesn’t control the story, rather the story controls him. You never know what element of the story he is trying to project and what appears on screen is not totally interesting in an entertainment sense.

“Contagion” is a movie that raises fears of the spread of viruses but does not do it in a blend of  ntertaining/informing. Audiences will find themselves being a bit dispassionate about the whole thing.

I scored “Contagion” a contained 5 out of 10.