Soon after her return from a business trip to Hong Kong, Beth Emhoff dies from what is a flu or some other type of infection. Her young son dies later the same day. Her husband Mitch however seems immune. Thus begins the spread of a deadly infection. For doctors and administrators at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, several days pass before anyone realizes the extent or gravity of this new infection. They must first identify the type of virus in question and then find a means of combating it, a process that will likely take several months. As the contagion spreads to millions of people worldwide, societal order begins to break down as people panic.
I’ll start by saying that I liked this movie.. although, i’m hesitant to call it a movie. This is a fictional story of the spread of a pandemic in modern times, with global air travel spreading the disease across the world. It’s a scary situation, and one that might happen.
However, this seems less of a movie for entertainment, and more of a cautionary P.R. story for the CDC. Almost bordering on propaganda. Something I’d expect to see on the Science channel, rather than in my DVD collection.
However. Pandemics are real. The story put down in this movie is frightening in how real it is.
As for the movie itself, it’s top notch in acting, direction and realism.. but in its distinct lack of sensationalism, it’s dull. It’s like watching the cable channel that covers the House and Senate.. sure, it can be interesting to see how a law is passed.. but it’s boring.
I’m not a doctor.. but I imagine that this would be a good one to show anyone getting ready to go into medical training.
