New Release: Contagion
September 9th 2011 14:19
Contagion is a 2011 American thriller film centered on the threat posed by a deadly disease and an international team of doctors contracted by the CDC to deal with the outbreak. The film is directed by Steven Soderbergh, and stars Marion Cotillard, Matt Damon, Laurence Fishburne, Jude Law, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Kate Winslet. The film was released on September 9, 2011.
Beth Emhoff (Gwyneth Paltrow) goes to Hong Kong on a business trip to participate in a groundbreaking ceremony for a new factory. While in Hong Kong, Beth visits a casino and plays a dice game with colleagues from the plant. Once the ceremony is complete, Beth flies back to her husband, Thomas Emhoff (Matt Damon), and daughter. Later that night Beth collapses on the floor in an what appears to be a seizure. Beth is rushed to the McDonough District Hospital for treatment and succumbs to an unknown cause. Thomas is informed that his wife has passed away and is asked to come in the next day to give information regarding possible causes of Beth's death. Thomas' only assistance is that Beth complained of jet lag.
Dr. Ellis Cheever (Laurence Fishburne) of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention leads an investigation into thirty-two disease related deaths, all exhibiting similar symptoms. At first, suspicions of a man-made disease are discussed, only to be discredited by Dr. Cheever, who alleges the avian flu has mutated itself to afflict humans on its own. Investigations in to cures via treatment protocols or vaccines prove fruitless. As the contagion spreads, hearings are set up to discuss possible solutions, airports within the state are shut down, and the national guard is deployed to Chicago to cordon off the city, set up treatment centers and provide general order. In an effort to quell public concern, Dr. Cheever appears on a news talk show to discuss the disease; only to find out that the show hypothesizes a billion person outbreak around the globe.
Meanwhile, fearing the cordoning efforts Thomas and his daughter head north from Chicago north to the Wisconsin state line. Arriving at the Illinois/Wisconsin border, Thomas and his daughter encounter a choke point manned by National Guard troops preventing anyone from leaving the state. Thomas returns home to handle the aftermath of surviving in a society coming apart.
At the CDC, the contagion is identified as having evolved into an airborne virus and forces the adoption of bio-hazard gear by those involved with entering Chicago. With the multitude of deaths, clean-up efforts are begun in Chicago to bury the dead. The outbreak is eventually determined to have evaded the cordon zone and has become a global virus that kills within days.
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