Will Smith as the last man on Earth in New York City in 2010...how can this movie not be good?
Seriously, Will Smith is golden as Dr. Robert Neville, seemingly the last survivor of a virus that wiped out 90% of the population and turned 9% into "dark seekers," basically vampire/zombie hybrids who only exist in (you guessed it!) the dark. Smith's only companion for the vast majority of the film is his dog, Samantha, who immediately earns a spot in the Pantheon of Great Dog Actors with Lassie, Beethoven, and Hercules from the Sandlot. Getting back to the plot, Neville hunts and looks for a cure by day, and then locks up his Washington Square mansion at night to stay safe from the beasties. Saying any more would be giving away a crucial part of the plot.
Bottom line, this is Smith's film. As the only person in nearly the entire film, he has to carry it and does with the best performance of his career hands-down. Smith portrays perfectly a man dealing with aloneness, guilt, and grief through his day-to-day struggle to survive. He does it with some help from director Francis Lawrence, who oversees a desolate Times Square and an empty New York City that looks AWESOME. One major negative here is the dark seekers, who are all CGI and look pretty bad. They scare you because they're loud as hell basically. Even though they don't look good, this movie gave me the chills with suspense lurking around every corner.
Bottom line: This is a blockbuster done right. Smith carries the movie with help from a dog, some awesome visuals, and...well, I won't spoil the ending. To me, it's not a typical Hollywood ending, and it's the best way by far to end the story. Go see this movie.