Review: I AM LEGEND

There is something all too familiar with I AM LEGEND. It feels like a story we have seen before, one man, alone in a world once bustling with the noises of people and life, trying to survive on his own, and seeking a future that seems all too hopeless. Part 28 DAYS LATER, part CAST AWAY, this adaptation of Richard Matheson’s 1954 novel THE OMEGA MAN, which is also a 1971 film of the same name staring Charlton Heston, features one distinct difference from these other survivalist’s tales, the casting of Will Smith. Will Smith has officially made himself the new Teflon Tom (Tom Cruise) in becoming a consistently bankable Hollywood star. His past several films including I-ROBOT, HITCH, and the PURSUIT OF HAPPYNESS have all become multi-million dollar hits. What can I say, people just love him, and the fact that he picks films with some degree of gravitas only improves his and the filmmakers chances for greater success.

I AM LEGEND consists of two very distinct stories, the first is one of pure survival in the aftermath of an apocalyptic type event that leaves one man (Smith) alone in New York City with only the companionship of his faithful German Shepard, Samantha. But what the trailers and marketing materials quickly reveal is that our hero and his furry friend are not alone. What we soon find out is that a supposed cure to cancer that was injected into cancer patients has mutated, turning its users into blood thirsty monsters who can only come out at night due to their ultra sensitivity to light, which tends to melt there skin. Smith’s character, Colonel Robert Neville, has remained in the abandoned city in order to research a cure for their condition.

In part one of I AM LEGEND we get an in-depth look into what life might be like if you were alone in an abandoned city. Imagine hunting dear in a mustang, hitting golf balls off of an aircraft carrier, scavenging for food, and finding ways for keeping your sanity. This is the part of the film where Smith and the story truly shine. The audience is given a glimpse into an apocalyptic world, and a hauntingly plausible future, that is both riveting to watch, and haunting to think about. Will Smith gives everything to the role that without him, might very well crumble completely.

In part two of I AM LEGEND we get introduced to the creatures lurking in the darkness of New York City. They cower in the darkness, just waiting for the light of day to set so that they can scour the city searching for more blood to satisfy their hunger. If part one of I AM LEGEND was about survival, part two is more about over the top action, gigantic plot holes, and a not so real or scary looking CGI monsters. What made JAWS such a monumental achievement was the fact that it begged the audience to imagine the terror that lurked below. By seeing the terror and dread that the monster (Jaws) caused, without actually showing the monster itself, allowed your imagination to instantly run wild with infinite possibilities of what it could be, and we all know how terrifying are own imaginations can be. The minute I saw the “monsters” in I AM LEGEND, it lost a lot of the edge that the beginning, the trailers, and the hype had been building up to. Also, the films climax will either leave you scratching your head, or down right angry.

For me, the parts of I AM LEGEND that worked, notably Will Smith’s passionate performance, Andrew Lesnie’s tempered cinematography, and James Newton Howard’s haunting score, were captivating, meaningful, and beautiful. Even with its many flaws, I AM LEGEND remains a provocative entry into the action/horror genre, and the fact that it’s an action movie that actually takes its time, that breathes life into psychological and physical state of its main character remains a pleasant surprise.

GRADE: B-