Very good sci-fi thriller

Rating: 8/10 (16 November 2008)

Recap: Aiming to cure cancer a humanly engineered virus is tried on humans. However, it mutates and starts to spread widely in the population. The effects are horrendous. The infected become highly light-sensitive, extremely aggressive flesh-eating monsters. Only a few are immune, and most of them are killed. One survivor is Robert Neville, an army virologist expert. He stays in NY fighting for his own survival, every day working to find a cure to save the planet.
Comments: This is a very good sci-fi thriller, and it is that because of many reasons. Mainly, it is because it keeps the suspense throughout the movie. Sure, there are no major twists or surprises, but most scenes are filled with suspense. Either from some impending threat or by using flashbacks to explain how everything came to be like it is.
Secondly, I really liked that we for once could have a epidemic without having all turning into zombies and turning the movie into a blood-dripping slasher-movie. Sure, there is blood, there are action but it is not the main theme. Instead the focus is much more on Neville's loneliness (portrayed very good by Smith) and lack of human contact than monster-hunting. A very wise decision by director Lawrence, in my opinion.
Director Lawrence's skill and ambition are evident in my third point. The details. Sure, there are some goofs. Some that should have been avoided, quite easily at that. But most are not that important. What I really liked however is the details, some are just lying in the background. A lot of the story is told by articles posted in the background, for example on Neville's refrigerator. And I don't think the inclusion of Bob Marley or the extensive part from Shrek (loneliness) is coincidental. And what about the butterflies... With this and Constantine (2005) in his repertoire, Lawrence's future work is worth looking out for.
I had expected a more action packed blockbuster but got a nice surprise. This is a pure thriller with a lot of talent in it.
8/10