By FELICIA ROOPCHAND
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4 stars out of 5

“Contagion” is every germaphobe’s worst nightmare; a disease with a fatality rate of over two million that is easily spread through physical contact. The pandemic starts in Hong Kong and quickly works it’s way through the United States, parts of Europe, and eventually the entire world.

It was a star-studded cast with Gwyneth Paltrow, Matt Damon, Jude Law, Kate Winslet, Laurence Fishburne, Marion Cotillard, Demetri Martin –just to name a few. Most would think that a cast like this would distract from the plot, however, they delivered an excellent and, overall, realistic performance.

“It’s good to watch how people would react,” said Mark Palmese. “If something similar were to happen, I believe people would react the same way.”

The portrayal of how society would react to a deadly virus was spot on; from the scientists looking for a cure, to government officials trying to control the situation without going over budget, to the journalist just searching for the truth. This movie tells the story from almost every point of view in society, giving the audience a 360 degree look at the situation, and allowing them to make their own decision on what is the right thing to do.

The actual spreading of the disease is what will effect viewers the most. It is spread via simple physical contact such as touching hands, door knobs, or basically any surface and then touching your face. It’s something we all subconsciously do so often that once it is pointed out in the movie, you find yourself leaving the theater with your hands in your pockets.

“Everything was a chain reaction,” said audience member Lindsay Pagett. “The message was good,” said Pagett.

The tagline for the film, “Nothing spreads like fear,” just about sums up that message. The fear of getting the disease spread faster than the disease itself, causing human beings to turn against each other during the worst of times.
This movie was quite in enjoyable and plot is so simple yet utterly terrifying at the same time. So before heading to the theater, make sure you take some Airborne and keep your hand sanitizer nearby to enjoy this thrilling flick.