[late comment, because I only just saw it for the first time myself last night]
Given that the earlier events of the movie do form a convinving argument for the non-existence of God (and one which the protagonist makes quite explicit)
I am not so sure. That is, yes, the protagonist makes this point quite explicitly, but I should have said that earlier events in the movie form an even more convincing argument that the protagonist is pretty strongly in denial about a number of things. For Neville to react to the girl's mention of God with such a vehement rant at that point in the story, seemed to me to support the thought that God was indeed at work here, and that made the ending a Conclusion where, stictly plot-wise, it was barely a mid-point.
I will admit that I've only ever seen one film version before, and forgotten that, so I was seeing it with absolutely no preconceptions or prior context, for good or bad. And I agree with your final verdict: definitely recommended, though not as much so for those who've had to put their dog to sleep within the past week.
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Given that the earlier events of the movie do form a convinving argument for the non-existence of God (and one which the protagonist makes quite explicit)
I am not so sure. That is, yes, the protagonist makes this point quite explicitly, but I should have said that earlier events in the movie form an even more convincing argument that the protagonist is pretty strongly in denial about a number of things. For Neville to react to the girl's mention of God with such a vehement rant at that point in the story, seemed to me to support the thought that God was indeed at work here, and that made the ending a Conclusion where, stictly plot-wise, it was barely a mid-point.
I will admit that I've only ever seen one film version before, and forgotten that, so I was seeing it with absolutely no preconceptions or prior context, for good or bad. And I agree with your final verdict: definitely recommended, though not as much so for those who've had to put their dog to sleep within the past week.