Contagion Movie Analysis

Most of the time, whenever there is any discussion about infectious diseases in the Hollywood movie, things seem to be sensationalized to an extent. The idea on the part of the Hollywood studios is to make sure that the imagery is created that can thrill and entertain the audience at the same time. Contagion, though, was a different movie as it raised questions about the sort of treatment people are supposed to be provided and some of the ethical and moral concerns that are witnessed in the aftermath of the pandemic. How the actions of the people have been depicted, and some of the decisions that they have taken are some of the main premises of the movie. The other thing that needs to be taken into the reckoning is the fact that how the actions and the reactions of the people changed with the death and other calamities with the passage of time.

Now, there were researchers who were on the side of the victims during the whole movie. One of the researchers who has shown complete support for the victim is Dr Leonora Orantes. One of the reasons for the whole ordeal was an effort on her part to make sure that she was seen to be very concerned about the possible outbreak of diseases in different communities. The idea on her part was to make sure that she could get a better understanding of the scientific as well as the cultural issues that are witnessed during the due process of the movie. She was the first person who got to know about the extent of the issue as well as the fact that the virus can spread from one person to another. Thus, there is a conscious effort on her part to make sure that she gets to trace the origins of the victim. It is due to her closeness to the village people that she actually cares and goes to the villagers to make sure that at least they are warned about it. The irony is that the viewer is left in the shadows regarding whatever happened to her in the aftermath.

On the other hand, if one talks about any character who is shown to be on the side of the virus, it is Alan Krumwiede. From the start, he is the sort of person who is shrewd about what he wants to get and has clear-sighted goals regarding how MEV-1 comes across as a blow weapon and that weapon is being used during the course of the Thanksgiving weekend to make sure that the only purpose was to ensure that the mass terror is created during the course of the weekend. He pretended during the whole time period to get him infected and create the cure for the given virus from the forsythia. Later on, he was arrested on the charges of manslaughter.

Another vital cog in the story is Mitch Emhoff and the way his actions and motivations change with the passage of time. His character is seen as the embodiment of the everyday man and his thoughts and actions with the passage of time. He went through emotional turmoil due to the fact that he was not only struggling to make sure that he could protect his daughter from the risk of the infection but also got to know his wife had been unfaithful to him during the course of the whole time period. From the initial care of the victims around him, his thought process changed, and he was later more concerned about making sure that how he would be able to protect the life of his daughter.

Works Cited

Wahlert, Lance. “I Caught It at the Movies”: Reflections on Medical History, Movie Theaters, and the Cinema of Contagion.” Journal of Homosexuality 63.3 (2016): 323-328.