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I Am Legend (2007)A mainstream Hollywood actor who seems committed to igniting science fiction features, Will Smith chalked up another sizeable hit in the shape of I Am Legend, the latest cinematic adaptation of Richard Matheson's book of the same name.
This time, Smith plays Robert Neville, the last man on an Earth emptied by a deadly virus that he continues to try and find a working vaccine for. With just his dog for company, and the fear of the vampires that haunt the night never far away, I Am Legend quickly establishes itself as a taut, highly watchable blockbuster, with plenty of reasons to gnaw at your nail. Where I Am Legend really scores is in the excellent first half. The scenes of a deserted New York are quite staggering, and it's also to Smith's immense credit that he holds the attention even though for the most part he's the only person on the screen. It's a quite wonderful opening hour that the film enjoys, and one that easily stands repeat viewings alone. The back half of I Am Legend is, almost inevitably, not quite the match of what's gone before, as the threats of the night don't, when you finally see them, live up to expectations. Nonetheless, for Smith's performance, and the sheer quality of the build up, I Am Legend can stand side-by-side with the last take on the story, the Charlton Heston-starrer The Last Man On Earth. Take either home, and you're in for a rollicking good night in front of the telly. --Jon Foster |
Average User Rating: 60% (117 Reviews) | |
| 3 / 5 | One man and his dog
customer "robp2002" - 14 February 2008 Pro's The opening half of the movie...in which New York is vividly recast as post-apocalyptic dystopia. Smith's portrayal of a man slowly going insane. Considering this is a big-budget Hollywood movie, this is subtle and quietly moving. Flashbacks to pre-apocalypse confusion are interspersed with care and inform Smith's character and the plot. The idea that it is Smith who is now the monster. After all, from the perspective of the other residents of the new New York it is Smith who is the outsider. He lurks in his basement like a Frankenstein conducting lethal experiments on innocent subjects he captures. The sense of dread. This is built slowly and cumulatively. The scene where the dog runs into a dark, seemingly empty building is exquisitely tense. Sam the Dog. Seems strange to praise a dog for its acting, but for most of the film it's just Smith and Sam and they make a fine double act. Con's The second half of the movie. Once the monsters are revealed in all their CGI glory the movie turns into a loud, shouty action flick. The psychological and moral arguments are shunted out of the way and we are left with a series of ever-louder explosions. I'd consider this an interesting but flawed movie. The first half is great - filled with loads of striking imagery and interesting thoughts about isolation, survival, personal morality, the boundaries of sanity and human arrogance. The second half is more interested in bombs, guns, and monsters. Worth watching for the performances of Smith and Sam. ... Read Full Review » |
| 4 / 5 | 3.5--Three Times A "Legend",
Jenny J.J.I. "A New Yorker" (That Lives in Northern Nevada) - 8 February 2008 I was really looking forward to seeing "I Am Legend", from the moment I found out earlier this year. In preparation to seeing the movie, I watched Vincent Price in "The Last Man on Earth" and Charlton Heston in "The Omega Man". Even though the main ideas of the two prior versions were the same (last man, virus, night creatures, etc.), the delivery varied for their particular time. So I was intrigued to see how the storyline would be adapted to our time. The first thing that struck me was the set. Growing up in New York City, it really hit me hard to see the devastation and isolation of the city that "Never Sleeps". The streets, the abandoned cars, the bridges, the U.N.,etc. It really hit home. Then we see a much slender, leaner Will Smith trying to cope with the fact that he was alone. His portrayal of Robert Neville is great. Very moving. I find the origin of the virus quite interesting as it comes as a side effect for a cure for cancer. The prior two movies used a plague (The Last Man on Earth) and germ warfare (The Omega Man) to explain the virus. The use of a cure that transforms into a virus gives it an ironic twist. The film opens well, and continues that way until the introduction of the other two human characters, but that's about an hour or more of Smith, alone in Manhattan after a genetically-altered version of the measles has either killed or mutated the rest of humanity into super-violent creatures who prey on those unaffected, but only at night. They're killed almost instantly when exposed to sunlight. Smith, playing Robert Neville, was an Army Lieutenant before the virus was unleashed three years prior, and he spends his lonely days walking and stalking on the grown-in streets of Manhattan with his dog, Sam. At night, he locks himself in his apartment and attempts to find a cure. It's interesting seeing Smith carry the movie with only himself, Sam, some various wild animal species, and some mannequins. He does an excellent job, and I'm sure that's not an easy task for an actor. This is easily the most likable character he's ever played, and he brings a lot of great stuff to it, including humor and a scene that had me on the verge of tears. Will Smith and the strength of the story outweigh the two mot glaringly bad things about this film. However, the creature effects are WAY too over-reliant on CGI, but then again, so are most horror films these days, so you might be used to it. Animatronics and foam rubber latex effects pioneered well over thirty years ago look a lot more believable than this cartoonish junk. And the other thing is the ending. It's not terrible, and it won't make you dislike the rest of the film, but the original story's ending is very sad and ironic, and this, like the other two adaptations, just can't seem to cope with the magnitude of the situation, so they always leave you with something WAY to hopeful for what we've seen throughout the rest of the film, and also, it seems that they're afraid to teach you the incredible lesson the original Matheson story had to offer. This is a good adaptation of Richard Matheson's 'I Am Legend.' So far, none of the three have nailed it, due to the inability to just use the story's ending, but this one comes close and is certainly one of the best of the three (the other two are good flicks so I recommend them all). ... Read Full Review » |
| 3 / 5 | This film murders one of the greatest books ever...
Rob (England) - 10 April 2008 I know it seems annoying when people open up the book vs film debate especially if you haven't yet enjoyed one of the components, however, this production is a heinous crime against literature! If Men in Black is your favorite film ever or you really like Will Smith then you will enjoy this film - no doubt. It just seems such a shame that all of the issues and the whole point of the book is missing as well as changing everything and I mean everything. There are only 7 similarities: 1) He is living alone in a city in America (book is in 1970s LA, film is in present day New York) 2) He has a dog (for a week in the book, for around 2 and a half years in the film) 3) A woman shows up and he acts strange in the beginning (motives for women being there are completely different) 4) He listens to music (in the book he listens to classical and in the film its Bob Marley(!?)) 5) He tries to cure the virus/bacteria (in the film he is a scientist in the US military and in the book a regular guy who tries to learn enough to make a difference) 6) There is a colony/new society (the premise for the new societies are entirely different) 7) He had a wife and child (causes of death are completely different) Basically the film is completely different and annoyingly so because everything it changes it makes worse and the clever underlying point of the book is removed so all you have left is a very predictable hero movie. I would recommend 28 Days Later or Resident Evil Extinction as better post apocalyptic films because this one misses the point. I really do hope that someone makes a vaguely faithful film from the book one day and that will surely be a classic. ... Read Full Review » |
| 4 / 5 | Absorbing Sci Fi Study Of The Human Condition...
Adam Jackson "Symphonic Metal Fan" (Stoke On Trent , England) - 25 April 2008 This surprised me! Id seen an awful lot of negative press for this film so i didnt have the highest hopes. I was expecting an american take on 28 days and this film is nothing of the sort. Yes there are action setpieces and theres lots of atmospheric location but this film centre's on a stunning performance from Will Smith. I never thought that he could have carried (almost singlehandedly)this film as well as this - acting of real depth & emotion - and not one line of 'Bad Boys' style dialogue!!! Couldnt be more different than previous scifi offerings, Men In Black & Independence Day. This is not a popcorn movie by any means! This films central topics are isolation, loneliness & the inherited need for human contact Much has been said about the Mutated Plague Victims & the CGI effects used to render them - well ive seen a LOT worse. There are a few shots (in particular when they are seen running in packs) where the movements are a little 'off' but generally they work well especially in close up ie skin tone etc. Id best describe them as physiologically similiar to the Reapers as seen in Blade 2. Pale, hairless & emaciated with the same wide open mouth type scream (a bit like the monster in Aphex Twin's Come To Daddy video). They move fast, VERY fast, mostly in packs ala 28 Days but they are different from those films. One thing that isnt here is gore - theres no flesh eating or eye gouging here. There is action but not at the brutal level of Danny Boyle's films, Theres more blood & guts in the Romero films but this doesnt impact the film as its more about mood and short,sharply executed bursts of action than gleaming entrails. There are also a pack of mutant feral dogs that are a highlight although only seen briefly in the movies most tense setpiece Some scenes depicting crowds panicking, civil disturbance & National Guard deployments kind of reminded me of War Of The Worlds (2005) & Cloverfield. The New York locations, both before The Plague & 3 years after in which the film is set are both vivid & disturbing. One area where the CGI has been highly succesful is enhancing the decay of Manhattan's post-apocalyptic Avenues & Skylines. Director Francis Lawrence effectiveley recalls the opening scenes of the 70's Omega Man adaptation starring the late, great Charlton Heston (Classic film) Very good cinematography & editing too. The film looks fantastic. WARNING:(SPOILER) IF YOU ARE A DOG LOVER, THERE IS ONE SCENE THATS A BIT OF A LUMP IN THE THROAT (you can see it coming a mile off but its still very sad and Smith really tugs at the heartstrings - if youve seen the Fly 2 you will know how it goes) I would best recommend the 2 Disc Special Edition (which is the one ive purchased) for its excellent documentary on the science of Viralogy & its link to the film and mainly for the Alternative Cut of the film with a VERY different (more optimistic)ending Excellent transfer too (and on the Special Edition)... Read Full Review » |
| 1 / 5 | The 14th Worst Film Ever Made.
Lexx (Worcestershire, UK) - 1 May 2008 Before you get your knickers in a twist, I think it is one of the worst films ever made for the following reason: for the sheer mind-numbing amount of time, money, technology, art direction and general man-hours, THIS PATHETIC EFFORT is the best they can do?! It's NOT EVEN HORRIFYING, so it fails ( like so many studio horror films ) to fulfil its main objective. The worst thing of all though, is that they squandered all the great, quirky, and original ideas of the book ( it's a classic FOR A REASON - ! ), and had the usual bunch of Hollywood HACKS attempt to put their own stamp on it. These people obviously have delusions of adequacy, or they wouldn't have the cojones to mess with the book in the first place. Matheson, the original author, was a top screen-writer, and couldn't have made it more easy for anyone wanting to adapt it. But no - instead of taut, psychological horror, we get Will Smith playing golf off an aircraft carrier. Very Jerry Bruckheimer. And of course, I can't let this go without mentioning the CGI: If they wanted to suck out any atmosphere and suspense built up by the first hour, they couldn't have done it any quicker than with the cheaply rendered, animated zombies on display here, which were so bad they made Ang Lee's Hulk look good. When is Hollywood going to finally grasp that CGI looks ridiculous, and preferably should only be used to tidy up the details? Lastly, how about this for an alternative ending: instead of wasting TWO HOURS of my life watching this weak, failure of a movie, I have no recollection of it at all, and I'm living in a parallel universe where I still live in hope of seeing a worthy adaptation of the superb source material. Go see 'Dawn Of The Dead' ( 2004 version ), '28 Days/Weeks Later', or 'REC'. All brilliant end-of-civilisation movies. ... Read Full Review » |
RRP
£20.99
Release Date
21 April 2008
Price Range
£9.99 - £17.84