Pass the anti-bac hand gel

Germophobes turn away now - Contagion tells the story of a deadly virus as it spreads. You may think you’ve seen it before (Outbreak, 28 Days Later, 12 Monkeys), but this is a valid new take. The film begins with Gwynth Paltrow returning home from a business trip, unknowingly carrying the deadly virus, and we see just how easily a chain of contamination forms.

While the medical community rushes to contain the virus and find a cure, society at large is breaking down as panic takes over. The audience is shown the Centre for Disease Control and the World Health Organisation rushing to action while conspiracy theorist bloggers are, unwittingly, inciting violence.

What makes Contagion interesting is the way there is no bad guy, apart from the virus, and there is no hero, apart from the people who are doing their jobs under horrific circumstances. The stellar cast portray characters that are real people, with flaws and who make mistakes. Unlike a lot of its predecessors, this is not a fast-paced action movie – scenes are driven by meticulous dialogue and are beautifully shot. None of which helps the viewer escape the message that when it comes to a deadly outbreak, no one is safe.