Film okay, actor breathtaking

Rating: 7/10 (16 January 2008)

Okay, I gotta be fair. I'm not much of a sci-fi fan. And dystopias are not among my favorite sorts of literature or films. Anyway, I needed to see this movie, just because of what I read in the papers about it.
The first half is just breathtaking. New York City, and no one's home. To see all these deserted streets with Christmas decoration rotting in the hot sun and plants growing over the pavement and buildings was enough to make this film a memorable one. The zombies/mutants were silly though. On the one hand they were supposed to be "mindless killing machines driven only by their fear to starve", on the other hand they manage to trap Neville and to set up some kind of a war strategy. The computer animation wasn't very good either. But to be honest: It was enough to tie me to my seat. The best thing about this movie is Will Smith's performance. I knew that he's a good actor. But it's really hard to put this amount of emotional depth into a film about a lonely fighter fighting to survive. I will not forget his grief over the loss of his dog and his attempt to get an answer from a doll in the video store. Or the fear that he puts into his voice when his dog disappears in this dark building.
Even for someone who does not like unrealistic futuristic storytelling this film is a must see. Just because of Will Smith.