Page 20 THE VILLADOM TIMES I, II & IV • September 21, 2011 Protagonists rush to cure a killer virus in ‘Contagion’ by Dennis Seuling Disasters were all the rage in the 1970s cinema, whether by earthquake, shipwreck, killer bees, or an airplane in danger of crashing. In “Contagion,” directed by Steven Soderbergh, the danger is perhaps more threatening than in any of those earlier films because it derives not from technology or natural disaster but from a new airborne virus that kills. There is no known cure, and the virus is spreading rapidly. Soderbergh follows the disaster film formula of introducing several major characters so viewers see the effect of the virus on people’s lives firsthand. Mitch Emhoff (Matt Damon) has just welcomed his wife Beth (Gwyneth Paltrow) back from a trip to Hong Kong. She is feverish and weak, but these symptoms of flu turn out to be something far more dangerous. He takes her to the hospital, where she dies. There are other victims of this unknown affliction, word spreads, and Drs. Ellis Cheever (Laurence Fishburne) and Erin Mears (Kate Winslet) of the Centers for Disease Control brainstorm to figure out the source of the virus. Mears is hastily sent into the field to gather information. Meanwhile, other researchers amp up their efforts to isolate the virus and develop a vaccine. Among them are independent biologist Dr. Ian Sussman (Elliott Gould) and World Health Organization employee Dr. Ally Hextall (Jennifer Ehle). Complicating an already bad situation, Internet blogger Alan Krumwiede (Jude Law) is spreading rumors that the virus is a government conspiracy. The film gives a credible look at what might happen if such a health threat came to pass, and has an almost documentary feel as multiple aspects of the story unfold in parallel time while locations shift from city to city and country to country. The characters are well drawn. There are no stiff military types, square-jawed heroes, or helpless damsels in distress. “Contagion” skips those clichés in favor of realistic people who, though they may act heroically, do not make a big deal of it. Damon, a traditional leading man who has played tough action heroes, portrays Mitch as a man deeply grieving for the sudden loss of his wife and son while trying his best to protect his daughter. Mitch is one of thousands who are trying to hold it together for the sake of loved ones. “Contagion” is an intelligent movie with uniformly good performances, but there are not enough dramatic peaks. The film moves along at a uniform pace, unhurried and deliberate. Soderbergh paints a tense but generally self-disciplined populace with the exception of one scene when a line of people waiting for vaccine turns Kate Winslet stars as Centers for Disease Control agent Erin Mears in ‘Contagion.’ into a mob upon learning that not enough doses are available. The film’s primary weakness is the character of Krumwiede, whose reason for being is never quite clear. He is seen as a force to be reckoned with as he draws the attention of Homeland Security, but he is also seen talking with a hedge fund investor later. Is he a profiteer or a savior? He gets considerable screen time, possibly to enhance conflict, but whenever he comes on screen, it’s as if Soderbergh has constructed a tangential subplot to nowhere. Interestingly, the numerous stars in “Contagion” do not have the typical heroic roles. They serve the story, so the charac- ters could easily have been played by any other actors. None of the stars give their characters an indelible mark. The star names are evidently for assuring healthy receipts at the box office. Rated PG-13 for violence and some strong language, “Contagion” provides a thoughtful spin on the Hollywood disaster film. Though the formula is borrowed from the blockbusters of the ‘70s, “Contagion” is far more reflective, allowing the viewer to witness a huge problem from assorted points of view, observe selflessness in time of crisis, and note the value of cool heads when millions of lives depend on them.