"Nothing happened the way it was supposed to happen. We are seeing mutations. Cannibalistic hunger. Typical human behavior is now entirely absent."

Most audiences will predict a few elements of this tense and emotional experience, but Will Smith’s tour de force performance (similar to Tom Hanks' in Cast Away) and high level of audience involvement still produce a great film. The strong themes include family, hope, perseverance and, most importantly, survival.

Will Smith again shows this considerable talent holding the screen all by himself for the majority of the picture as Army officer Robert Neville. He thrives on the theatrical set-up of each scene on all levels. He encounters situations reeking of fate and purpose, which yield strong reactions from the characters and audience.

A charismatic actor who can switch from hunter to scientist to resourceful survivor in a heartbeat while echoing his previous performances - his necessary physical training (I, Robot), steadfastness against overwhelming odds (Ali) and realistic sentiments (Pursuit of Happyness) provide his obvious motivations. These roots produce great results while sustaining the plot right until the very end. Smith certainly won’t get an Oscar nomination for his performance because action thrillers are rarely recognized (definitely if there was a category for best athletic performance), but continues to prove his worth as one of Hollywood's most talented actors.

Robert’s canine companion, Sam, also takes top dog in one of the most emotional connections with audiences since Old Yeller. Other actors, especially Alice Braga, do a great job filling in the holes of Richard’s past, present, and future, but it’s the startling scenery that wins the bronze medal in this film. You can’t determine if backgrounds have been matted in while filmmakers create several authentic action sequences where Smith looks like he’s taking the fall and the ending hit… literally. The seamless special effects create a bleak, realistic canvas that makes Neville’s quest even more emotional.