This film was poorly done, considering it had 2 mega stars. The stars seemed out of place: Malcovich seemed like he was playing Shakespeare to a HS class; Bullock seemed like she was bored and just finished reading her part moments before shooting the scene. But it's definitely not a post apocalyptic film; it's not about surviving after a holocaust. It's about hope. For me, the final moments of the film - the message of hope - was worth sitting through the meandering of the film until then. It was a lot of meandering and yet, looking back you realize that the film was setting the stage for what it was; too many people complain about what it wasn't. The trailer that makes it look like a post apocalyptic piece is appealing to the wrong audience. I especially was disappointed in Bullock. She was never my fav actor but I think she really was miscast here. Not only is she too old to play the part of a pregnant woman who manhandles a rifle and has the attention of a 29 y/o hottie, but we can't figure out what age the film wants us to see her, as an introverted artist who got knocked up by a roommate. I actually thought she looked a lot older than 54 in many of the shots. I did not read the book, but I feel safe in saying it was probably a lot better entertainment. that is often the case with book-to-film. Steven King has said there are only 2 accurately done films of his novels. The rest were disappointments - at least for him.