Contagion
Metascore
70 out of 100

Generally favorable reviews - based on 38 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 33 out of 38
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 38
  3. Negative: 1 out of 38
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  1. Salon.com
    Reviewed by: Andrew O'Hehir
    Sep 9, 2011
    90
    A chilly, fascinating thriller at odds with itself.
  2. Movieline
    Reviewed by: Alison Willmore
    Sep 8, 2011
    85
    Contagion's restraint is marred by one element - Alan Krumwiede, the San Francisco-based activist blogger played by Jude Law, a conspiracy theorist who wields claims about uncovering the truth like a blunt instrument intended to menace.
  3. Portland Oregonian
    Reviewed by: Shawn Levy
    Sep 8, 2011
    83
    The film is enthralling, even as the tale becomes more and more dire, with scores of millions dead and societal upheaval imminent. The circumstances depicted in Contagion are terrifying, but the power with which the film is made blends the horror, as only the best art can, with beauty.
  4. Entertainment Weekly
    Reviewed by: Lisa Schwarzbaum
    Sep 8, 2011
    83
    Here's a scare-the-crap-out-of-you medical thriller about a viral pandemic that will have the immediate post-screening effect of causing a handwashing stampede.

User Reviews

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User Score
6.4 out of 10

Generally favorable reviews- based on 304 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 75 out of 129
  2. Mixed: 25 out of 129
  3. Negative: 29 out of 129
  1. Doug
    5
    Totally average in every way. No character development whatsoever. The most developed character in this film was "the government", and you know they are always the bad guy. And that whole thing with Lawrence Fishburn made no sense whatsoever. It's like they may have had something in the first cut, but then they had to cut the movie down to 2 hours. As a result, the audience was left with nothing to attach itself to, except the virus.… Full Review »
  2. Light
    5
    A real disappointment, given a good director and such a good cast. Just very mediocre all the way around, starting with a premise that his been done before (Outbreak, The Andromeda Strain), but those films showed more imagination and established more compelling relationships between the characters. It's good filmmaking, but not a great story.… Full Review »
  3. fantasy
    2
    This is a sorry excuse for a movie. There is no character development whatsoever and other than people dying from an unexplained virus there is nothing much going on. There are more plot holes that Carter has little liver pills. There isn't one character in this movie that you even remotely care about it. The Government is always the bad guy no matter what. Matt Damon the star picked up a nice check but exactly for what I have no idea. If anyone can tell my his job occupation I sure would like to know.… Full Review »
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