Having watched during the COVID-19 pandemic, the accuracy of this film released almost 10 years previous is eerie. Contagion does not skip on the science, and every scene was like a dramatic recap of press conferences in reality. The level of detail the filmmakers went into is phenomenal, and they cannot be credited enough. Even beyond the science of a virus, the human reaction is spot on, notably Jude Law's character, a convincing keyboard warrior.
The cast is packed with A-listers, and although there are a lot of characters, they all have a relatively compelling arc to follow. Evidently it is a big budget film, and the use of sporting venues as medical centres, etc., is perfectly life-like. Obviously, this fictional virus is a lot more aggressive than what is being witnessed currently, but it would be a very dull film if this wasn't the case, and it does well not to jump the shark and doesn't succumb to the urge to make the virus something truly cinematic.
Having said all this, and whilst I don't think for a virus film it could be improved, I do feel that living through something spookily similar does desensitise the audience. You're compelled by the accuracy, but the shocks of the progression and decline of society are hugely lessened when they're lived through every day.
