In 2012, New York city is in ruins and only one man survives. An epidemic of biblical proportions has wiped out most of mankind, the survivors are either immune or have been turned into crazed night creatures. A scientist, Robert Neville (Will Smith), struggles alone to find a cure.

Will Smith’s portrayal of a man obsessed with finding a way to reverse the effects of the disease is the finest thing about this movie. Smith brings a vulnerability and craziness to Neville whose battle with loneliness and depression is a constant spiral downwards. This is no alien kicking, gung-ho, in your face performance and the change of pace is rewarding to watch.

The depiction of an empty and decrepit New York by director Francis Lawrence is superbly done. However, I think he missed an opportunity to make this into a really suspenseful horror movie. Even just the addition of a chilling soundtrack could have brought a whole new dimension to the film. In the end it feels more like an all out battle between Smith and the night creatures.

The script is based on the 1954 novel of the same name by Richard Matheson which turns the population of Los Angeles into vampiric monsters. Lawrence’s creatures retain the aversion to sunlight and a lust for blood but are let down by the CGI effects. Unfortunately they come across as if they have been hired straight out of DOOM. There is a real video game feel that strips away a large slice of realism from an otherwise effective world. Waves of these CGI characters don’t bring terror but the sense that you’ve just made it to the next level of the game.

It’s a shame as the script really does put Neville in some heart wrenching situations. The pace of the movie is perfect. With the drama and action scenes neatly stitched together, you’ll find yourself routing for this lone survivor and his bitterly sad life. If only his opposition put up more than a snarl and blood curdling sneer. Creeping out of the shadows they should have stolen the movie from Smith.

This is definitely worth a watch if for no other reason that to see Smith’s performance and the post apocalyptic setting. Taken as an entertaining way to spend a couple of hours you can’t go far wrong. I’ve given it a grade of B when I so wanted to see an A movie. Disappointing not for the movie it is but for what it could have been. This film should have had you sitting on the edge of your seat all the way through instead of comfortably snaffling popcorn on your sofa.

Seasoned actor Will Smith stars in this film as Robert Neville,  a brilliant scientist who survives a terrible virus that was seemingly unstoppable, incurable, and man-made. Somehow immune, Neville is now the last human survivor in what is left of New York City and maybe the world.

Director Francis Lawrence (CONSTANTINE) makes the most minimal use of music in this film, allowing the haunting silence of the deserted remains to linger in one’s senses.    The savage zombie killers never speak, yet they are intelligent, and consider themselves the rightful heirs to the planet that the humans once dominated.  While the film does raise a lot of points it never manages to answer (how a cancer cure could wreak such strengthening havoc on a person’s genetic makeup),  the film does manage to pull enough out if it’s hat to make it work – largely in part due to Smith’s incredible acting performance.  The entire crux of the movie seems to rest on the shoulders of Smith’s ability to portray the vast loneliness and desparation one would imagine finding themselves in such a situation.  Had anyone lesser been cast in the role, I don’t think the movie would have been able to pull it off nearly as well.

While I’m not necessarily looking forward to any sequel to where the film left off, I did find myself entertained enough to not wander off during the movie, as well as being left with a bit deeper appreciation for Will Smith’s ability to act.  Maybe I’ll finally be able to shed my memories of him as the Fresh Prince of Bel Air and see him for the rock solid actor he has matured into.

 The film is rated PG-13 for intense sequences of sci-fi action and violence.