There is a contagious blindness disease. The optometrist (Mark Ruffalo) who treats the first case also gets it. The authorities round up the sick under quarantine. The doctor's wife (Julianne Moore) doesn't get the blindness but she stays by his side. Soon the sick are left on their own and the strong starts taking advantage of the weak. Doctor's wife keeps her sight a secret as the prison descend into hell.

The start is pretty slow and I don't think it's necessary. My main problem is that there are a few unbelievable things in this movie. A minor problem is how quickly the quarantine is imposed. For such a weird sickness, the authorities seem unusually brilliant. The main problem is the unwillingness of the wife to use her sight. The plot seems to be bending over backwards to get to its points. There is a very provocative plot here. I wish it could be done more naturally.

When a big city has a mysterious outbreak of blindness, the victims are quarantined by the government in a hospital without any medical care, treatment or hygiene. Among the first people affected by the so called "white blindness" are an ophthalmologist (Mark Ruffalo) and his reluctant health wife (Julianne Moore) that has not lost her sight but stays with him to help him in the difficult moment. The place immediately crowds and a group of criminals takes the power, demanding jewels and electronics first and sex later for the limited ratio of food they control. When the bandits are beat, the woman guides her husband and a group of strangers to her house forming a family with them.

"Blindness" is a scary study about blindness and human nature, where the best and the worst of the humanity arise after an epidemic and how chaotic and primitive is the behavior of the society in danger. Selfishness, cruelty, opportunism, but also sympathy and capacity of adaptation are disclosed in this weird and pessimist movie. The redemption in the open conclusion is a little disappointing, but it is worth watching this weird movie where the characters have no name. Last but not the least, Julianne Moore is awesome as usual, supported by a great cast. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "Ensaio Sobre a Cegueira" ("Essay about the Blindness")

After one man becomes blind, it turns out to be contagious as the whole city eventually becomes blind. They are rounded up and placed in large prison type hospital with no sighted supervision except for one woman (Julianne Moore) who is unaffected by the disease. She pretends to be blind and aids those who are. Things de-evolve to their base level, a movie whose theme is similar to that of "Lord of the Flies."

The acting is good, but the movie drags on. It is about the relationships that develop among blind people as an insight into society as a reflection of individuals...I think. There doesn't seem to be any over powering metaphor that most likely existed in the book. As science fiction it fails on many accounts and must be viewed NOT as science fiction but metaphorically. Even with that in mind, I didn't find the film overly entertaining.

This film is available in a 6-pack "Contagious Outbreaks."

Parental Guide: F-bomb, nudity, sex, sexual assault.