Another gem from Will Smith (POSSIBLE spoilers)

Rating: 10/10 (5 March 2008)

Will Smith plays Robert Neville a scientist and it seems the last man on Earth. Even he with all his abilities could not stop the deadly virus that was meant to cure all diseases on Earth. Instead, it wiped out most of the population on Earth turning the dead into vampire cannibals that hunt at night. Aware of the danger, Neville sticks to a strict routine element to his survival with only his dog for company for 3 years. He scavenges food supplies in the city of New York where wild animals roam free too. But the danger mostly he faces is probably from himself, evidently his mental state deteriorating when he addresses mannequins in shops as real individuals and asks his dog not to throw him a surprise birthday party. Watching all this in the shadows are his mortal enemy  "the Infected" the vampire cannibals excited by the prospect of fresh meat and enraged that Neville kidnaps them to cure them. Yet, Neville keeps his hopes up by sending out radio messages faithfully, in desperation to find other survivors; knowing his immunity is becoming increasingly tempting to the "infected".
This movie for me was never disappointing even with the lack of booms and bangs in terms of action. In fact, was refreshing. Maybe, it was the fault of the critics or even the company that mislead many to believe this movie would be as action-packed as 'I-Robot' but for me it was a pleasant surprise (that's not saying that there weren't any heart-stopping moments). As a fan of Will Smith I just love the way he tackles such diverse characters and then goes and does a movie that not only shows his acting abilities but flexes those muscles. I can tell you that is great viewing. What people fail to understand or see in this movie is the raw power of emotions Will Smith portrays, when he teases his dog like a child to eat his vegetables, when he politely makes conversation with a mannequin in a store. He showcases a lonely man, a Robin Crusoe, desperate for the taste of civilisation that once was. It's a nightmarish situation that Will Smith portrays incredibly, believably through his determined movements around his house and the city. Nonetheless, he can't cut his self completely off from his past as through his flashbacks we realise the sacrifice he makes to make sure his loved ones survive but that's not just what tears at him. His morals are called into question the day he lets his family go as he watches a mother in the early stages of the virus begging him to save her baby whilst crying tears of blood.
His morals and ethics are continuously tested though, throughout his 3 years of solitude when he has to kidnap the night creatures to cure them. Each time he fails the pain is just more than visible on his face, an internal battle rages. His failure means their 'death' and no cure but Will Smith shows that Neville doesn't for one moment believe that it is a mercy killing. Instead, as the anguish shows on his face it becomes clear that he believes that he is murdering them; so he lays the only tribute he can, by recording their deaths in profiles and gives them a number. The failure dampens his determination at times as he rages but as he steps outside the door of his house you can see the fire lighting up Will Smith's eyes again but only just.
His tantrums frighten and shock, his depression deepens which to another man this sense of 'freedom' may have been liberating or shattering but ultimately we understand through Will Smith's incredibly acting that the wrong man was chosen. This man lives in his past to break the silence and looks after his dog because his daughter handed it to him. Putting it to bed, giving it a bath, its meals are his concerns when not in his lab. His dog is his baby which is shown when he sleeps curled up with it in the bath. The simple quiet action is so intimate and superb that you can actually see Will Smith clinging on to it as though he is his only lifeline. All boundaries of society are forgotten and Will Smith penetrates the viewers' defences into thinking that Robert Neville is not mad but starved of affection and human company. If that doesn't give you the chills then I don't what will. Admittedly, though the graphics were a bit of a disappointment but the convincing acting and the hair-raising shrieks are enough to frighten you and you soon realise that not only are they vicious but intelligent as Robert Neville Nonetheless, I wasn't too broken up about it them; after all, the legend that inspired terror was Robert Neville not "the Infected." I could keep going but I think I'll stop now. So, now it's just a case of watching out for Will Smith's next movie!