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I have not read the Richard Matheson novel or seen the previous film versions (THE LAST MAN ON EARTH or OMEGA MAN) of this story, therefore I cannot compare Francis Lawrence’s new version with any of the other forms. Adapted by Mark Protosevich and Akiva Goldsman, this Will Smith vehicle is a refreshing genre film in a year of disappointing blockbusters. Filmed with patience and attention to character, this sci-fi horror tale has emotional resonance, as well as thrills.

Robert Neville (Will Smith, I, ROBOT) is a military scientist who seems to be the last man in New York City, or possibly Earth, after a genetically altered virus turns humans into vampire-like night dwellers. He hunts rogue wildlife around the empty streets of NYC by day and barricades himself in his house once the sun sets. His only friend is his dog Sam, who was given to him by his young daughter on the day the city was quarantined. He continues his research to develop a cure, while he sets up mannequins at the video store so he can try to hold onto a bit of the world he once knew. However, the isolation has begun to make him crack, and his paranoia will affect his actions along the way.

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