To find a cure or not to find a cure, that is the question.

Rating: 8/10 (20 February 2008)

A lonely man with his German Shepherd drives around Manhattan as the last survivor of a man-made virus-attack. The virus has killed most of the Earth's population, turned a lot into zombie/vampire-like creatures and left around 1% of Earth's population unaffected as they are immune to that virus.
That man is Robert Neville, a Colonel in the American army and also a scientist who is trying to find a cure.
The story that is told the best here is the story of being lonely and how that affects our protagonist as well as showing us show he try to deal with it. The relationship with the dog becomes very essential and is portrayed with great skill without ever becoming sentimental. But that relationship of course isn't enough. In a very fundamental way Robert also needs the companionship of other humans and therefore he goes into the same store each day where he engages in light and everyday conversation with mannequins. We can both identify with his need and still it is very unsettling to watch him have these conversations. Again this works very well in the movie.
In my opinion the weak part is from the point where the confrontation with the affected becomes more direct. From that point on it's more like an action-movie and the suspense and eeriness, that works so great in this movie, is therefore absent.
I think that it is often easier to build-up an atmosphere but just as difficult to honor that in the climax. Also because, that what is unknown to our mind often has greater potential to scare us than what we know, no matter how horrifying the truth might be (it is rarely "stranger than you dreamt it"). In this particular movie "the truth" is, as stated in other reviews, CGI-made zombies/vampires and because you notice the illusion right away you calm down very much. The open fight in no way matches the paranoia and loneliness as far as scariness goes.
The ending is very weak and feels very "rushed" and I don't think that this sort of movie in the first place appeals to people who wants a happy end.
Still I would recommend this to all who likes to explore, through empathy with Robert, the feelings of loneliness, paranoia and despair.
Regards Simon
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