Soundtrack Review: Contagion (2011)

Reviewer: JØrn Tillnes
Contagion Soundtrack Review

Contagion Soundtrack Review: This is a review of the film score Contagion by Cliff Martinez.

"As an album, it's representation is rather flawed."

Contagion is the latest Hollywood scare about a deadly disease that is about to kill everyone. Steven Soderbergh is directing this star studded film starring Matt Damon, Gwyneth Paltrow, Laurence Fishburne and Jude Law. The score is composed by Cliff Martinez.

Track List

1. They're Calling My Flight****
2. Chrysanthemum Complex***
3. Placebo*
4. Move Away From The Table*
5. The Birds Are Doing That***
6. Get Off The Bus**
7. 100 Doses***
8. Affected Cities****
9. Bad Day To Be A Rhesus Monkey***
10. I'm Sick**
11. Get Us To The Front Of The Line**
12. Don't Tell Anyone****
13. Forsythia****
14. It's Mutated**
15. Merry Christmas***
16. They Didn't Touch Me****
17. There's Nothing In There***
18. Handshake****
19. Bat & Pig*
20. Contagion***

This film has gotten a lot of hype, understandably because of the star power. I've also been asked repeatedly by many to review the score so I am curious. The score represents Martinez 4th release this year so you can say it has been a good year for him overall. Contagion is all about what would happen if an outbreak of a deadly disease happened and how it is dealt with. There are so many ways you could imagine this score to be, but since it's Martinez you already know what the style will be.

The problems with this score are many, specially when you are listening to it without having seen the film. There are cues here that are virtually unlistenable like 'Placebo', 'Move Away From The Table' and 'Bat & Pig'. These are barely sound effects and even then you are stretching it.

There are some good cues in there though so all is not bad. Cues like 'They're Calling My Flight' is a catchy one, specially when the long synth that bends upwards is being played. It is still stuck in my mind and represents ingenuity and creativity from Martinez. Sadly, there are too much noise here to fully appreciate the score on it's own.

Conclusion

As an album, it's representation is rather flawed. There's not much to cheer about here as it goes from track to track with seemingly no attempt at something melodic, something beautiful. Granted, the deadly desease depicted in the movie is ugly as they come but that doesn't mean the score has to. Sadly I was disappointed in the score which represents Martinez worst score so far this year.

CUE RATING: 56

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Listen to the Contagion soundtrack by Cliff Martinez below:

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