← Back to Reviews
in
Review #97: I Am Legend
After a cure for cancer is revealed, a strange side effect takes over the entire population of the world, and a virus that turns humans and most other animals into vampiric creatures takes hold.
In the middle of all this is Dr Robert Neville, who is immune to the virus, and his dog Sam who also appears to be completely immune to airborn strain of the virus but not to being bitten.
It's up to Dr Neville, the last man on Earth to discover a 'cure' or 'reversal' to this virus and save the planet from this awful fate.
Based on Richard Matheson's novel of the same name, I Am Legend is a closer take on the book than any of the other previous outings on the big screen (The Last Man On Earth in 1964, and The Omega Man in 1971).
What director Francis Lawrence has given the audience is a wonderfully put together screenplay and a brilliantly executed story told, in part, in flashbacks.
Though, like the big screen predecessors, there are one or two plot changes when converted to screen, this film makes well with the modern tech and virus paranoia of modern times to make the movie work in terms of storyline.
In the book it's a war that caused the virus, in this film it's a cancer cure.
Even so, the whole thing works.
One thing missing from the film is the sense of vampire lore that was used in the book ie; 'True Vampires' being the reanimated dead, and 'The Infected' are living people who simply succumbed to the virus.
It makes the film feel a little empty in terms of actual Legend.
The whole lonliness of Dr Neville and his relationship with his only surviving friend and cohort, Sam, is also wonderfully captured. Mainly in part by great canine training and Will Smith's on screen chemistry with the dog.
Which brings me to the acting.
Will Smith is basically the only thing on screen to start with. He's fantastically lonely and is extremely believable when he starts going nuts from the isolation.
Abby and Kona who, respectively, play Sam the dog are also fantastically trained and really loveable.
Alice Braga and Charlie Tahan as Anna and Ethan are also good in their roles, but being that these roles were rewritten by the filmmakers, they feel a little out of place, but not by much.
Sadly, the big fault with the film is the creatures that stalk the night.
Ok, they're based exactly on the novel which is something that the other movies didn't do, but it's the way they've been completely CG'd.
The animation is sketchy and cartoony at best and they're not at all as threatening as they should be.
If anything, they're scarier at the beginning of the film, when the audience is only able to hear them.
It's a real shame, especially after the CG work on the city landscape is so good and the acting and screenplay are so wonderful.
All in all, the best of all of the big screen outings for I Am Legend. Sadly it could have had a bit more to it, especially with the budget that was thrown at it.
It's still a film worth watching though as the screenplay, overall story and the acting are tip top.
My rating 83%
After a cure for cancer is revealed, a strange side effect takes over the entire population of the world, and a virus that turns humans and most other animals into vampiric creatures takes hold.
In the middle of all this is Dr Robert Neville, who is immune to the virus, and his dog Sam who also appears to be completely immune to airborn strain of the virus but not to being bitten.
It's up to Dr Neville, the last man on Earth to discover a 'cure' or 'reversal' to this virus and save the planet from this awful fate.
Based on Richard Matheson's novel of the same name, I Am Legend is a closer take on the book than any of the other previous outings on the big screen (The Last Man On Earth in 1964, and The Omega Man in 1971).
What director Francis Lawrence has given the audience is a wonderfully put together screenplay and a brilliantly executed story told, in part, in flashbacks.
Though, like the big screen predecessors, there are one or two plot changes when converted to screen, this film makes well with the modern tech and virus paranoia of modern times to make the movie work in terms of storyline.
In the book it's a war that caused the virus, in this film it's a cancer cure.
Even so, the whole thing works.
One thing missing from the film is the sense of vampire lore that was used in the book ie; 'True Vampires' being the reanimated dead, and 'The Infected' are living people who simply succumbed to the virus.
It makes the film feel a little empty in terms of actual Legend.
The whole lonliness of Dr Neville and his relationship with his only surviving friend and cohort, Sam, is also wonderfully captured. Mainly in part by great canine training and Will Smith's on screen chemistry with the dog.
Which brings me to the acting.
Will Smith is basically the only thing on screen to start with. He's fantastically lonely and is extremely believable when he starts going nuts from the isolation.
Abby and Kona who, respectively, play Sam the dog are also fantastically trained and really loveable.
Alice Braga and Charlie Tahan as Anna and Ethan are also good in their roles, but being that these roles were rewritten by the filmmakers, they feel a little out of place, but not by much.
Sadly, the big fault with the film is the creatures that stalk the night.
Ok, they're based exactly on the novel which is something that the other movies didn't do, but it's the way they've been completely CG'd.
The animation is sketchy and cartoony at best and they're not at all as threatening as they should be.
If anything, they're scarier at the beginning of the film, when the audience is only able to hear them.
It's a real shame, especially after the CG work on the city landscape is so good and the acting and screenplay are so wonderful.
All in all, the best of all of the big screen outings for I Am Legend. Sadly it could have had a bit more to it, especially with the budget that was thrown at it.
It's still a film worth watching though as the screenplay, overall story and the acting are tip top.
My rating 83%
