Customer Reviews

I Am Legend (Widescreen) (2 Disc Edition w/Limited Edition Steelbook Packaging + Digital Copy of Film)

5 star:		(245)
4 star:		(225)
3 star:		(153)
2 star:		(78)
1 star:		(93)

 

 

"I Am Legend" is not a film that sticks closely to it's source material. While that is it's biggest flaw, it is also where it shines. If you ha told me two years ago that I'd get misty-eyed watching Will Smith sing "Three Little Birds" in a big budget motion picture I'd have laughed myself silly, but this adaptation of Richard Mathson's untouchable novel that -while itself being a vampire story- inspired the entire zombie film genre as we know it takes the story we all know whether we've read the book or not and turns it into an exceptionally personal affair for all of us. One man. One dog. A familiar metropolis deserted by day, but crawling with death by nightfall. This is our setting and it's one that never gets old for me.

The plague that wipes out Robert Neville's world is never fully explained, simply inferred to be the result of some sort of failed cure for cancer. Gone from the novel and the original Vincent Price classic, The Last Man on Earth, is the long struggle of Neville to save his ill daughter, his wife's tranformation, and the shocking actions of the US government to contain the plague. What it left is simply one man, alone trying to maintain his sanity and hopelessly searching for a cure to a disease that has already wiped humanity off the face of the earth and left the "survivors" as rabid vampiric horrors. It's sad, it's pathetic, and it's perfectly human. Will Smith has a penchant for picking terrible, schmaltzy films to star in, but no one can deny his talent and charisma as a leading man. Naturally, this is a film he must carry single-handedly and he does an awesome job of it; he's dramatic, he's relateable, and at times, he is funny. The humor is that of the dark and inappropriate kind, but in a world like his, that is all there is left.

The vampires/zombies/infected in this are all CG and more than a bit reminiscent of Gollum from The Lord of the Rings. I'm not a fan of these kind of effects when practical would have been more effective and was acutely aware of the fact that I watching computer-generated monsters, but they worked nonetheless. The infected prove to be terrifying foes for Neville to face, combining suprising cunning, inhuman strength, and impossible agility (hence the CG). Their only weakness is that sunlight kills them almost instantly. Neville plays a game of cat-and-mouse with them, gathering supplies, researching cure, and searching for survivors by day while making sure to get back to his fortified apartment before nightfall when the creatures come out to hunt for his hiding place. More than a few shades of 28 Days Later are present in this film, which is funny considering the book and it's film offspring are largely what provided the elements of that film. So I guess the genre has officially come full circle now.

Ultimately, it's the personal touches that make "I Am Legend" such a treat. Bob Marley provides both the soundtrack to Robert Neville's day and the inspiration for his work, which is both ironic and uplifting at times. This may sound strange for a horror flick, but if you are a fan of Marley (himself a Legend) it makes all the sense in the world as you watch. Watching Neville attempt to interact with mannequins he's set up as he returns the movies he rents (in alphabetical order, one at a time) and seeing him snap when one of the figures is moved is both amusing and, at times, intensely disturbing. When relief finally comes, Neville finds he has lost the ability to interact with other humans at all and is relegated to performing lines from "Shrek", which is playing on his television at the time. The ending is a complete 180 from the book which is disappointing, but not as corny as it could have been. The novel I Am Legend has one of the most brilliant and darkly ironic endings ever put on paper, but director Francis Lawrence didn't ruin it by go for the happy ending either. The result is a compromise between the pitch blackness of the book and the cloying cheese that many Will Smith fans love. It turns out a bittersweet and hopeful conclsion that should satisfy both while not thrilling either. But I left the theater with "Redemption Song" still ringing in my ears and a satisfied feeling. If only every movie could do that for me.

"I Am Legend" fails to adapt the book of the same name to the big screen, but succeeds in so many other ways. I can't give it a perfect score, but I will give it a very hearty recommendation to fans of Will Smith, zombies, vampires, and Bob Marley. Enjoy.

I Am Legend can't get a fair shake. This Will Smith-led production is the third attempt Hollywood has made to adapt the brilliant novel. None of the adaptions have truly done the novel justice (which is a shame), but this version has come the closest.

Here we have a brilliant beginning; footage of a scientist (played beautifully by Emma Thompson) saying humbly that she's discovered a way to cure cancer. Fast forward a few years, and New York is utterly devoid of human life, save for Robert Neville (Will Smith). As the first half of the film progresses, we learn about his meager living, spending the day harvesting and trying to discover a cure, even now, while spending the night huddled in his protected home as creatures prowl.

His only companion, a wonderful dog named Sam, protects Neville as Neville protects him. They have a friendship based on loneliness and the human need for someone or something to hold onto. Sam is Neville's only connection to the past and the only way to represent what little humanity is left, either in the world or Neville himself. This period in the movie is pitch perfect, puncuated by one or two terrifying sequences that instill genuine horror.

Unfortunately, the last half of the film deteriorates into an action movie that completely changes the meaning of the words "I Am Legend." Don't get me wrong, it's mostly done really well. Constantine director Francis Lawrence has a good handle on the action and delivers some good scenes. But, it becomes muddled and veers off completely from the novel. My biggest complaint, though, is the use of CGI. Instead of using real flesh and blood actors, all of the creatures are created with CG and they look incredibly fake when lined up next to real people. In the beginning, it's not a problem but as you see more of them (and you will) it's glaringly obvious. And annoying.

All of this I was expecting going in, though. Considering that the film was co-written by Akiva Goldsman who also wrote I, Robot, I knew this version would stray from the source material just as I, Robot did. As a movie, it's genuinely thrilling and creates the perfect balance of tension and action through most of its entirety. And, surprisingly, Will Smith shows that he's a really good actor as he has to not only tackle many conflicting emotions during the two hour run time but he also has to do so without having much of anyone to react to. Spending a good hour or so without another single actor for Will Smith to work with was a gamble and it paid off.

Your enjoyment of the film is entirely based on what you bring to the table. If you're coming to this film expecting to see the book come to life you'll be sorely disappointed. However, if you're looking for a good action movie that actually has a good story and a human aspect, you'll be hard-pressed to find one as thrilling recently.

This third incarnation of Richard Matheson's masterpiece is superior to its predecessors in every way, but in spite of that achievement the film is still lacking and comes across as a disappointment in too many ways.

I can't bear to rehash the plot as nearly everyone knows this story by now, and if you are one of the few unfamiliar with this story, then please read Amazon's well-written synopsis or Trashcanman's excellent review in the Spotlight review section. I just plan to hit what I enjoyed about this film and what was so disappointing.

The Hits:

(1) Another top-notch, winning performance by the ever reliable and likable Will Smith.
(2) Outstanding set designs combined with CGI effects of a desolate and abandoned New York City make this film seem more important than it is.
(3) Best adaptation of Matheson's highly influential novel (even if it isn't the most faithful to the story in a literal sense --it captures the spirit of his work extremely well).

The Misses:

(1) The most glaring problem with this film, in my view, is the CGI effects for the vampire-like survivors of the plague. They are too cartoonish for me and appear far too much like video game villains. A good example of this for me is the early scene where Smith's character enters a building to get his dog and finds some zombies hiding in a corner. They are real people, not CGI, and they are frightening; however, later, when he's attacked by CGI zombies, it is unintentionally humorous as they appear like Gollum from LOTR on acid. The CGI effects are either not believable or just too over-the-top, thus, the scenes with them lose their punch.

(2) Uneven pacing of the story is a problem here. The opening segments give the impression that we are going to see a masterpiece here, but the second half of the film never matches the first half and it feels very rushed. It has that "hey, guys, we just ran out of money, so we have to wrap up this film up this week" feel to it. In a film with a deliberate and nearly dignified opening to fall into a shoddy rushed finale severely hurts this film and leaves a bad taste in one's mouth.

The film is still solid entertainment in spite of its obvious and significant flaws. It is probably one I will even buy when it becomes available on DVD later, but it is rather disappointing for a film that seemed to have so much going for it. Its box office receipts may reinforce that perception as it set opening weekend records with a take of about $77 million, but by its third weekend it only grossed about $15 million and that is a severe drop off. For a film that reportedly cost $150 to make it has grossed a disappointing $228 after a month at the box-office. That doesn't even qualify it has a hit with a mere $78 million dollar profit at this point. I do think it will be a hit after it's been released world-wide.

BTW: Some may ask, "What is a hit by today's standards?" That's a good question with really no one set answer, however, Hollywood traditionally likes to see a film generate double what it cost to make in order to classify a film as a hit. This film with a cost of $150 million to make is expected to earn $300 million to be considered a hit, but certain stars, like Will Smith, are expected to bring in better than double the cost of the film (hence, why this may end up being considered a "disappointment" at the box-office even if it hits the magic $300M mark).

Richard Matheson's novel "I Am Legend" has been made into at least three motion pictures -- "The Last Man on Earth" (Vincent Price), "The Omega Man" (Charlton Heston), and "I Am Legend" (Will Smith) -- and has served as inspiration for dozens of others. The story combines science fiction and horror in a bleak, pessimistic view of the future of mankind.
In the latest version, "I Am Legend," Smith stars as Robert Neville, a scientist who was unable to halt the spread of an incurable, man-made virus. Immune to the fatal virus, Neville is the sole human survivor in what remains of New York City and possibly the world. His only companion is his dog, Samantha. But mutant plague victims -- the Infected -- lurk in the darkness, watching Neville's every move and waiting for him to make a fatal mistake. Day to day, Neville is driven by a single mission: to find a way to reverse the effects of the virus. To do so, he must use his own immune blood.
"I Am Legend" is by far the most ambitious of the three screen adaptations of Matheson's novel. The opening scenes, showing a deserted Times Square overgrown with vegetation, are spectacular, and Smith manages to keep the story flowing in the early scenes even though he's the only person we see. Flashbacks illustrate the stages leading up to the present near-obliteration of humanity and are elaborately staged by director Francis Lawrence. The film's third act resorts to a fairly routine formula of the hero versus the monsters but, overall, "I Am Legend" is an impressive effort.
The "I Am Legend Ultimate Collector's Edition" is just the thing for sci-fi and Will Smith fans. The three-disc box set contains two versions of the movie, one with a controversial ending; a digital copy of the film; four animated comics; 12 never-before-seen deleted scenes along with filmmaker's commentary; a 44-page concept sketch book; a lucite commemorative piece featuring images from the movie; and hours of featurettes covering filming on the aircraft carrier Intrepid, canine training, making New York City look deserted, assistance provided by the U.S. Military, and the integration of CGI images with live action footage.

Richard Matheson's book has a 'hook' that has never been exploited in any adaptaptation (although the Vincent Price version is the closest) and that is the variation on the 'One-Eyed Man in the country of the blind...'
The Vampires have taken over - there is no cure
Accept it - they have
And that's the point. When you are the only odd one in a world that has been turned topsy turvey - night is day and day is night - then you are the monster and the monsters are normal. Civilization continues in the hours of darkness, and mankind somehow adapts. It is perfectly logical that they would try to destroy the creature that's killing them while they sleep, and that they would fear him. Neville's final words in the book "I am anaethema - I am legend." sums it all up. When mutation is normality - the normal man is a monster to be feared and destroyed.
Someday, some screewriter and director will figure this out and tell Matheson's story.
This isn't it.

Heads up! The Amazon description says that the digital copy is "for PCs and ipods." In a word... no. The packaging says no iPods. In fact, it also says no Mac, no Zune, no anything but Windows Media Player 10.

In fairness, I suppose that since it's on the box it's my fault for buying it. I just didn't realize I needed to get out a magnifying glass at the store and read the fine print.

To make it even more laughable, the insert that tells you how to "activate" the digital copy says that the "offer expires 3/18/09."

Just when you think the MPAA may finally be getting a clue...

Will Smith survives a mutant virus that has him running for his life from most of the other "survivors." So begins "I Am Legend."

The "I Am Legend" film is different from all previous versions of this story. Many of the new plot and story elements will appeal more to today's audience. Some of the esoteric and philosophical messages of the original story are lost, but this film stands on it's own.

First of all, the burning questions: Is this film worth seeing in the theatre, or should I wait for the DVD to release?

Answer: GO SEE THIS IN THE THEATRE!!! Also, films like this will make their HD DVD counterparts more attractive as well. But I digress.

The visual elements of this movie are worth the price of admission alone. Everything is done well together - special effects, lighting, sound, aspect. The in-movie songs used could have been more diverse, but the score more than makes up for it. Bottom line, I would pay to see this in the theatre again, and I can't wait to see what it looks like in HD with 7.1 surround sound at home.

Now, how about the acting? Will Smith is really great in this movie. Women will no doubt drool at the work-out scene that was put in every trailer. He gives a very real portrayal that's more than just eye candy.

Now, some of the story elements go backwards in the second half of the movie. But I think that was done intentionally, agree or disagree. They really wanted to show him fighting to keep it together, and breaking down at times, and the plot suffers as a result.

As for the plot, there's no need to re-hash that or give spoiler details. We all know the basics from the trailer. See the movie and be surprised.

One thing I am very interested in the future DVD is potential alternate endings. Since this story deviated from the original, I wonder if there was any waffling on that. We'll all have to wait and see.

Overall, this is a very good movie for SCI-FI fans and special effects lovers. The story stands on it's own and is a very good production despite some minor technical blips.

Enjoy!!!

By far my dumbest review title, but it gets to the point. What's the point? Every time civilization is engulfed in some sort of cannibalistic, zombie-esque plague many questions get begged and then I fail to enjoy the movie. I hate it when I ruin movies with logic. I have much more fun when I can let things go. Unfortunately for me and my wife reality reared its ugly head while watching this film. Fortunately for the movie, reality does not make it a bad film. What am I getting at anyway!!? To save all of us some time, here is a list of bullet statements to explain my problematic reality check of civilizations end (again):

(Some of this might be considered "spoiler" material so consider yourself warned)
-Why do plagues always turn people into cannibals? And when they turn into cannibals, why don't they eat each other? In this film the plague-ridden are maniacal, night dwelling blood suckers. Don't any of them have blood in their bodies to share?

-If animals get said plague, as is the case in this film, why would they not try to eat their plague infected masters? If the plague turns people into animals does it turn animals into... ...more animals?? I guess we should assume that getting the plague and going nuts ends all bigotry and discrimination not only between races, but also species. If you have the plague you're cool. If you don't you're dinner. Hey, another upside to getting the plague!

-In real life a plague weakens and kills people. In movies often the plague that ends civilization turns people into super beings. Not such a bad deal really. If I could run like the wind, scamper up walls like a squirrel, knock over cars by running into them and endure copious amounts of pain I'd consider taking up the plague voluntarily and become a superhero. Of course I'd need to work around that urge to eat my fellow man.

-Do the infected reproduce (am I nuts or am I the only one in the theater thinking about this stuff?)? I mean, if they don't do "the act" aren't they going to disappear after a couple of generations? If they do commit "the act" do the female plaguies eat the male plaguies when they're done? I know the zombies don't do it, but you never run out of dead people. Although, at some point after everyone is a zombie, there is going to be a big rot-fest and everyone will just fall to pieces. Don't want to be there for that. In "28 days later" people eventually die of the plague, so that works out nicely.

-Since plaguies are crazed animals (sort of) and they don't really do anything but hunt for food and since they don't eat each other, wouldn't they eventually run out of food? What happens when they eat all the healthy people and animals (Whom they greatly outnumber btw)? Since they don't eat members of the club, this presents a problem.

-Are the plague-ridden impervious to extremes in temperature? Since they seem to have lost most capacity for manufacturing and electricity is becoming a distant memory, how will they stay warm in the winter? They run around in rags with nothing on their feet, so finding new cloths seems a low priority. Do they migrate? Hardly seems likely with that inconvenient allergy to UV light. They do have a high metabolic rate so maybe that helps. But, without fur covering there skin, it is more than likely that northern Plaguies would eventually die off due to exposure and cold.

-Why do plaguies suddenly have the ability to stretch their facial bones every time they want to yell out with an attack scream? This is kind of a rip-off from "The Mummy" movie and really looked fake and out of place in this movie. I liked it in "The Mummy" because that was pure fantasy. This is sci-fi and it didn't look right. Using CG was OK for everything else because of the superpowers plaguies possess. I just don't understand why their jaws needed to stretch.

-Does immunity to a zombiesque plague cause you to lose your mind or miss the obvious? At a crucial point of the movie, we learn that Will is not the sole survivor (a woman and her son pop in). The woman insists that there are more survivors in a nearby colony. Will insists there is no one else (boy, does he miss the obvious). When Will asks the woman why she believes there are more survivors she tells him (paraphrase) "God says so.". WHAAAA?!?! She really does not get fact-based debate. The correct and obvious answer should have been "We're here, aren't we?" Both people missed the most obvious things and that's just not what real people do.

-Do any of us want a future with Will Smith in it? The prospects are bleak; Alien invasion wiping out most of humanity. Robot rebellion. Plague infested world full of vampires. I pick the robots.


In the Chuck Hesston version "Omega Man", the plague victims become cult members. Never is cannibalism ever mentioned. They simply want to get Chuck because he's not one of them and he wants to "cure" who they are. That makes things a lot more feasible in the long run. "I Am Legend" makes a similar point. He treats the plaguies like animals (a reputation well earned) and subsequently becomes their enemy. In the end, there are questions who the bad guy is (at least I thought so).

There are plenty of tense and scary scenes in which Will Smith does a great job. A very well made movie that beg lots of silly questions from one silly guy. These questions kind of ruined the movie for me though. I would actually recommend avoiding at the theater and buying on DVD. Theaters are just too expensive these days and there is little advantage to seeing it on the big screen. Overall a fun movie but you will need to stop asking so many goofy questions if you want to enjoy it.

*SPOILERS*

I was into I AM LEGEND completely. All the way up to the revilation scene, when Robert Neville (Will Smith) finds out that he isn't alone and quite frankly, I AM LEGEND fell completely off the table and crashed into a million pieces.

I AM LEGEND had a premise that we've scene hundreds of times. OMEGA MAN. 28 DAYS LATER. You can't be out after dark. Zombies, or forms thereof. The only survivor of an incredible catastrophe. Yet, what it didn't do, is anything different. When you thought it was going in a cool direction and you were seeing something completely new and a completely original twist on an otherwise overused premise, you realized... nope... same old stuff. Nothing worth remembering.

The scenes of Will Smith racing through the baron, littered and grass covered streets of New York City, hunting deer and avoiding Lions were top notch. The scenes of him using the video store as a social outlet, with strategically placed mannequins, were well done and poigniant. The scene where he reluctantly followed his dog into the shadowed building that housed the infected humans were frightening.

Everything was going so well... and when Neville used a trap to capture one of the infected and then the infected turned the tables on him, instituting their own trap, I was sold. That was followed by some heart-wrenching moments and a confrontation scene that was creative and realistic. I AM LEGEND was right on. A memorable, hit movie. And then....

I AM LEGEND became just another movie. There were characters introduced that broke the movies rhythm. Anna & Ethan? They're clean. Calm. They appear out of nowhere, but have no knowledge of what happens after dark. She manages to save Neville from an onslaught of infected, but then shows no sign of being battle or survival tough.

There are moments where the audience isn't allowed to play along, like when the infected find Neville's hideout. It is explained by a single line of dialogue and has little to zero impact.

Ultimately though, I AM LEGEND started off unique and just became forgettable and uneventful. When a premise has been done hundreds of times, it's time for a shakeup... something new... we didn't get it with I AM LEGEND. We got 1 hour of unique moments followed by 40 minutes of the same old same old.

I Am Legend by Richard Matheson has to be one of the most frightening books ever written in the 1950's. But it seems all of the theatrical renditions of this movie have not hit the point of it's clever title. In "The Last Man on Earth," "The Omega Man," and the recent "I Am Legend," all Neville characters are portrayed to be legends of men- the Last man ever to live on Earth.

However, the book's true meaning has been warped in all three motion pictures,(though I have to say "The Omega Man" is, sorta, the closest). The novel's Robert Neville is not a legend among men, but among Vampires. As the crowd of vampires look fearfully up at him as he is about to be executed, the author describes that Neville was really like a vampire to them- Coming during their resting hour to slaughter them during their sleep, just as a vampire would a man. See the connection?

Over all, if I had not read the book afterward, 2007's "I Am Legend" was entertaining, suspensful, and, I'll admit, a bit frightening. But I'm afraid that too many people would not have understood the real meaning of the film had it been made directly according to the book. Maybe that's why.