Contagion DVD Blu-Ray Available January 3rd, 2012

SYNOPSIS: Matt Damon, Gwyneth Paltrow, Jude Law, Laurence Fishburne and Bryan Cranston, along with medical journalist Sanjay Gupta, explore the real science of global viruses and what they mean to the human race. The world is preparing for the next biological disaster…but is it too late?

With a cast like this, how would you NOT want to at least give this flick a go? And with director Steven Soderbergh on board, the movie is bound to be a hit, right? Well, for the most part.

Contagion is a flick that will have you engaging in your own obsessive compulsive behavior of hand washing. Although the multiple characters and storyline center around one subject (the viral pandemic ready to infect the planet), the acting is adequate. We get to experience the feelings of crisis that a disaster film should bring but it is the insufficient response by the government agencies that really brings a lackluster to the film. There is an uncertainty in the film early on that ends with the more predictable end result. Sure there are a few surprises within the main story, but ultimately, it is what you would expect a movie like this to be like.

As for the extras on the disc, we do get some fun behind the scenes of location shoots and some blah information on pandemics.

The Reality of Contagion (11:29, HD): Cast, crew and experts in the field of epidemiology and public health discuss the dangers of a viral pandemic and the efforts by the filmmakers to make the movie as accurate as possible.

The Contagion Detectives (4:57, HD): The cast and crew share their personal impressions of the medical professionals depicted in the film; in turn, medical professionals comment on the film’s level of accuracy.

Contagion: How A Virus Changes the World (2:01, HD): TakePart.com offers an amusing explanation of how pandemics work.

My question is where is the expert commentary from Soderbergh?

I give the movie 3 of 5 stars. The movie is worth seeing but nothing to write home about.

Image via Warner Brothers