Contagion [2011]

What do you get when a pig mixes with a bat? An epidemic. At least that's what Contagion is about. Apart from multiple scenes of grotesque vomiting and foaming at the mouth, the only value I see this film serves is educating you on terms used by epidemiologists.

Matt Damon (Mitch Emhoff) displays the role of loving father better than to be expected for a famous ruthless killer named Jason Bourne in a previous life. Mitch loses his wife and his son both in the same day to the virus and to make matters worse, he finds out his wife had been cheating on him as well as he must be placed in quarantine away from his only living child - his teenage daughter. You immediately sympathize with this guy because of the evil this apparent blight has played on him. And through yet another superb performance by Matt Damon, you grow to love him more and more by the end of the film. I generously give Matt Damon a hand for an excellent performance during an otherwise boring and unattractive movie.

Kate Winslet (Dr. Erin Mears) puts on a successful role-play as well. Unfortunately, that's exactly what it is - a role play. You can tell she's acting. Which as every actor knows is not a good thing unless the film calls for the actor to play an actor (i.e. A Midsummer Night's Dream). Dr. Mears is a research epidemiologist working with the CDC. She is tracing the origin of the virus as well as helping facilitate the creation of a vaccine. During her searches, she comes in contact with the virus and gets fatally ill. The character Kate Winslet plays doesn't seem to fit the usual personas of her other films. So maybe her commanding a  new role was actual a challenge for her. IF that be the case, I applaud her on a job well done; however, I fear this is by no means a new role to her, therefore I am inclined to turn my cheek and look elsewhere for a great in acting.

Laurence Fishburne (Dr. Ellis Cheever) did a mock up job on his role in this film. Ever since Morpheus in the Matrix, it's been hard to displace Fishburne from the rockstar-looking, butt-kicking, gun-wielding, super kung-fu philosopher I'm used to seeing in one of the best movies of all time. With that stereotype forever etched into my 80's born noggin, I saw Dr. Cheever as a poser trying hard not to be a cold-blooded killer.

A few things to note:

1. Due to the medical nature of this film, there are a lot of needles, blood, and gross medical images. If you are not a fan of any of these. DO NOT watch this film. Otherwise, enjoy the abundance of them to your heart's content.
2. No sexual content! A few innuendos are made but because of the highly serious nature and horrifyingly disturbing sequences there is no need for it.
3. NOT a kids movie! Even though the movie is rated PG-13, I would not recommend this for anybody who scares easily or is very impressionable.
4. You may find yourself more bored and bemused then entertained and educated with this film.

Overall, a movie that might have some educational value but besides that, a film that I wouldn't recommend watching, renting, or buying. In fact, just leave it on the digital shelves of iTunes or Redbox and save yourself the $1.29-$4.00 to buy your wife/girlfriend some chocolate.

I give this film 1 out of 5 syringes (because suicide jumps are too mainstream).

Thanks for reading.

~From the library of J.B. Wadsworth