As the world adjusts to the ongoing pandemic, some films have seen a rise in interest since this whole thing started, especially the thriller Contagion. The Steven Soderbergh film stars the likes of Matt Damon, Kate Winslet, and Jude Law in a grounded look at a deadly virus that spreads around the world.
Though the movie didn't make much of an impact when it was released in 2011, it has become extremely popular recently due to its similarities to the COVID-19 crisis. We've already looked at some of the great movies that share similarities to Soderbergh's thriller, but luckily there are plenty more to add to your watch-list. Here are some more movies to watch if you like Contagion.
Demolition Man (1993)
Another film that has found a renewed interest recently is the '90s action movie Demolition Man. The film is set in the future in which a cryogenically frozen madman is brought back to life as well as the cop who arrested him all those years e[tldr_position]arlier.
While the film doesn't deal with a pandemic, it does present a future in which society is careful to avoid physical contact whenever possible. Though it is certainly goofy, Contagion gives a glimpse at post-pandemic life that might share some interesting parallels.
World War Z (2013)
While Contagion is a very grounded thriller, the story of a pandemic does share a lot of similarities to most zombie movies. World War Z is one of the larger zombie action films and stars Brad Pitt as a government worker who travels around the world looking for a cure for a zombie outbreak that threatens all of humanity.
Like Contagion, this film explores the global impact of such a crisis. Instead of confining the story to the United States, it shows how countries around the world are dealing with zombie problems.
Panic In The Streets (1950)
Panic in the Streets may be decades separated from the other films on this list, but it is still a compelling look at this kind of story. Set in New Orleans, the film follows a doctor and a policeman who hunt for a killer infected with a plague, who threatens to spread it across the city.
Given the era the film was made, it feels similar to Contagion in its lower-key story. Panic in the Streets is a thrilling movie with intelligent protagonists trying to keep the problem from growing into a disaster.
28 Weeks Later (2007)
While its predecessor, 28 Days Later, is the more acclaimed film, 28 Weeks Later shares a lot more with Contagion and other pandemic pictures. The movie takes place months after the initial outbreak of infected rage-filled people terrorized London.
The movie shows how the world is getting back to normal and attempting to start a new life. But carelessness allows things to spiral out of control and the threat to return in a deadlier way than before. It is an intense and scary film featuring a stellar cast, including Idris Elba and Jeremy Renner.
Train To Busan (2016)
The South Korean horror film Train to Busan is another zombie movie that once again proves that the genre shares similarities to the kinds of stories like Contagion. The film is set on a train heading to the city of Busan when a zombie plague begins consuming the passengers.
Like Contagion, the film looks at how panic and fear in such a situation leads to civilization falling apart. People begin turning on each other and acting in their own self-interest while others find the courage to look out for others.
Shaun Of The Dead (2004)
In trying times, it's nice to find a movie that can give you a laugh, even if the situation seems familiar. Shaun of the Dead is the first film in Edgar Wright's Cornetto Trilogy and follows an aimless man trying to win his girlfriend back in the midst of a zombie apocalypse.
Though it is an outlandish zombie comedy, the way in which Shaun and his friends deal with the crisis in mundane ways is similar to Contagion. The idea of barricading yourself inside and cutting off the outside world is something most people are very familiar with by now.
Invasion Of The Body Snatchers (1978)
For a change of pace, Invasion of the Body Snatchers is a thrilling alien invasion film rather than a zombie movie. It is set in a small town where aliens have begun assimilating with the human society by creating duplicates of the townspeople.
The film is a remake that actually improves on the original. It shares the same type of clever protagonists as Contagion, who battle the encroaching and paranoia-filled threat with their intelligence first and foremost.
The Crazies (2010)
For an underrated horror-thriller, The Crazies is an excellent film to check out, as it also involves a small town being taken over by a dangerous virus. Timothy Olyphant plays a sheriff who discovers that a government experiment gone wrong is turning people into mindless killers.
The movie is a sharply written and entertaining ride that takes a darker look at some of the aspects of a pandemic seen in Contagion, such as government quarantine, the threat of exposure, and containment.
REC (2007)
The found-footage genre also has a compelling pandemic horror film worth seeking out. REC centers on a journalist following a crew of firefighters who respond to a call at an apartment complex. With cameras rolling, it soon becomes clear that the apartment's residents have been infected with a strange virus.
The film makes great use of its format with the found-footage style making the idea of being trapped in this building all the more terrifying.
I Am Legend (2007)
Will Smith has had to save the world in many of his movies, but this time he finds himself as the last man alive. Smith plays a scientist living in abandoned New York City following the outbreak of a virus that turns people into mutants.
I Am Legend is more of an action film, with Smith playing his typical action hero role. But his desperate attempts to find a cure for the virus feels familiar to Contagion. Audiences today will likely relate to his attempts to find activities and movies to fill his lonely days in isolation.