While watching “Contagion,” I enjoyed myself and after it was over and I was asked how it went, I answered that it was a good movie. But now as I write this I’m having a difficult time finding a worthwhile thing to say about it. The problem isn’t writer’s block, but something worse: It was an uninspiring movie.

“Contagion,” the story of the spread of a disease from a few isolated incidents to a global epidemic with a death toll in the tens of millions, is about as straight-forward as movies come. And that’s intentional.

Everything from the understated acting (somewhat of a waste, given the all-star cast) to the (I assume) accurate science makes it certain that this movie was meant to be an exercise in realism. In fact, it often feels like a documentary, albeit one of a fictitious event. “Contagion” is clearly trying to buck the trend of disaster movies being overly contrived and outlandish. In that respect, director David Cronenberg succeeds with this film, and I must commend him for it.

But the harsh truth is that all this extreme realism doesn’t leave a lot of room for much excitement or profundity. For example, the movie keeps the viewer mostly in the dark about the true scope of the disaster. Occasionally, a number of the dead is given, but it’s a faceless number, one not truly felt. This is done to mimic the feeling of unknowing felt by those people in the middle of it, left ignorant by a secretive government and a saccharine media.

Although thematically this makes sense, it hampers the feeling of foreboding and urgency that could have made the movie more thrilling and engaging. And on top of that, the movie is so concerned with the biological that all matters psychological or social seem to have fallen by the wayside. There isn’t much of a lesson to be learned or an idea to ponder beyond ‘wash your hands.’ And so the viewer will inevitably be done with the movie intellectually by the time the credits have rolled.

“Contagion” isn’t a bad movie by any means. It’s excellently made and moments of greatness do manage to shine through. I just wish it hadn’t let its desire for accuracy get in the way of its potential for entertainment and stimulation.

3 out of 5 stars