Contamination

Original title: Contagious

TV Movie
1997
PG-13
1h 43m

IMDb RATING

YOUR RATING

When some shrimp from Colombia, tainted with cholera, is served to some people on a plane bound for L.A., an outbreak ensues. And a doctor sets out to find the source and contain it before i... Read allWhen some shrimp from Colombia, tainted with cholera, is served to some people on a plane bound for L.A., an outbreak ensues. And a doctor sets out to find the source and contain it before it turns into a epidemic. And if things weren't bad enough, a drug smuggler who was carryin... Read allWhen some shrimp from Colombia, tainted with cholera, is served to some people on a plane bound for L.A., an outbreak ensues. And a doctor sets out to find the source and contain it before it turns into a epidemic. And if things weren't bad enough, a drug smuggler who was carrying some drugs on him contaminates the drugs and are sold on the street. And to top things o... Read all

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

5.4/10

416

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

Awards
- 1 win total

Photos3

User reviews13

5.4416

Featured reviews

3MovieLuvr-1

Ouch.

I normally aspire to write reviews which are witty, thought-provoking, and provide true insight into a film's artistic merits. This made-for-TV movie, however, deserves no such effort. This is probably one of the worst TV moves - no make that movie in general - that I have ever seen. The acting is horrible (I have seen better performances in high school drama class productions), the plot is rambling and pointless, and even the cinematography is more soap-opera than any movie ever should be. Pure trash - avoid at all costs.

8phd_travel

Quite a lot going on

These outbreak style movies have been done before but this one is quite good for TV. The way the disease spread is interesting and also the way they found the source. There is a drug thing going on for excitement and a rescue in the woods. Lindsay acts well.

Worth a watch.

4eurograd

Formulaic, extremely predictable and stereotyped

This is not only a budget production but a bad, bland and extremely predictable movie.

Deadly virus that comes out of some exotic corner of the World? Check.

Doctor who struggles between familiar drama and her call to save the World? Check.

Young enthusiastic but socially awkward doctor/scientist assistant? Check.

All of this comes with uni-dimensional characters, cliché attitudes you can predict after first 5 minutes, lousy soundtrack and just zero novelty or creativity. It is just a reshuffle of countless bio-hazard movies with nothing new and noteworthy.

10dazduke01

If you like edge-of-the-seat thrillers you'll love it.

There is a drug dealer who has been exposed to cholera but he dies of an overdose. Anybody who takes the drug contaminated with cholera will contract it. Anybody who eats food that has been touched by them will contract it.

An epidemiologist has to deal with her own demons and deal with hundreds of patients in all the hospitals in the city in order to control the outbreak.

peterjamesyates

Lindsay with ham better than no Lindsay at all.

Must admit, one of the first in this screenplay's body count - the bearded drugs gang member - shouldn't have moved his eyelids when he was supposed to be dead but, then, these productions are expected to have reasonably competent directors.

But any TV movie with Lindsay is surely worth a look out of idle curiosity. Maybe she isn't the world's greatest actress and, doubtless, she could be more selective of material. I wouldn't mind having the opportunity to work with her.

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Storyline

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Did you know

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Trivia
Linda Ko's debut.

Goofs
The establishing shot for "Taipei, Taiwan" actually shows (now closed) Kai Tak Airport in Hong Kong, clearly recognizable by the runway configuration and the numerous buildings surrounding the airport and the end of the runway.

Quotes
Medical Examiner: When they brought him in here I was sure he was another mule who OD'd, we got a bunch of them slit open like pigs for slaughter. Now usually I don't get people starting my work for me, but whoever did him made such a mess looking for the drugs I just naturally looked there first.
Dr. Hannah Cole: You sure cocaine was the cause of death?
Medical Examiner: Oh yeah yeah, the blood levels were through the roof, the stuff must've been almost pure. Listen, I know you don't get to look at ODs much, but I do and this one looked really strange.
Dr. Hannah Cole: You prepare a culture in a smear?
Medical Examiner: Mm-hmm.
Dr. Hannah Cole: Where's it set up?
Medical Examiner: Right here.
Dr. Hannah Cole: [takes a look] It's cholera. You ever seen vibrios?
Medical Examiner: No.
[looks through microscope]
Medical Examiner: Nasty looking, aren't they?
Dr. Hannah Cole: Who's this man?
Medical Examiner: Oh, who knows? He's a John Doe found on Canyon Road but you know nobody swallows balloons of coke unless they're smuggling, right?
Dr. Hannah Cole: Yeah but from where, and when? I mean we need to know everyone this man came in contact with. Now *you're* gonna have to be tracked for the next five days.
[dials phone]
Dr. Hannah Cole: It's Hannah, the body at the coroner's has cholera... yeah, I'm gonna have him send you samples to be cultured, meanwhile we need to alert every county emergency room right now. Mm-hmm, okay, thanks, bye.
[hangs up]
Dr. Hannah Cole: Police brought this man in?
Medical Examiner: Uh, yeah. You think it's more than just this one guy?
Dr. Hannah Cole: I sure as hell hope not. I need to know if you find anyone else like this. Okay?
Medical Examiner: Yeah.