This is a decent body horror film, period. It delivers, more or less, what you would have expected from the trailer. If you wish to see this movie purely for the horror aspect then you won't be disappointed; the grotesque metamorphosis of our main character is done brilliantly. However, it is also a hard-hitting social commentary. From reading some of the other, mostly negative, reviews I would suggest that people are getting confused somewhere along the line as to exactly what a movie like this is trying to tell its audience. The problem that most reviewers have seems to be with the suspension of disbelief; she wouldn't act like that, a doctor wouldn't behave in that manner, people would realise something was very seriously wrong... in real life. This is not real life, it's a film; it's art (a funhouse mirror reflection of reality intended to teach us something about the nature of our existence). If you want realism, then watch a documentary. This film is clearly intended to warn about the risks of unprotected sex with strangers, first and foremost. It does this in an effective, and straight-forward manner. Some reviewers have a problem with the fact we never learn anything about the man, I believe this is one of the strengths of the movie. It is more poignant; an indifferent stranger that you may never even see again can completely destroy your life if you put yourself into a position of vulnerability. It's a solid piece of storytelling. This film also reflects on the way in which society largely responds to addicts, or the severely ill; in a state of denial. We, the audience, can see our main character falling apart both physically and mentally before our eyes, and yet the secondary characters hardly notice. Even when she is doing everything she can, without directly asking, as a cry for help people are largely indifferent. Society has no place for those who are not functioning correctly within the group ethos; the boss that expects you to work yourself to death, the mother that treats your problems like self-harm, the friends that use you as a pawn in their social games... society has no place for damaged individuals, and will either deny their existence altogether, treat them as a mild irritant or indeed blame the victim themselves for their problems. There are many other social themes present here to varying degrees of subtly; the nature of rape culture, the unacceptance of sexuality, the critique of Christian values, peer pressure, gay militancy, crying wolf with self-harm, taking ones health for granted, and the amount of trust placed in authority to name a few which spring immediately to mind. Contracted portrays a bleak, indifferent world view in which the victim is treated like a criminal and can largely be seen as a dressing down on how society treats its most vulnerable.
Review of Contracted
