Directed by:
Francis LawrenceCinematography:
Andrew LesnieComposer:
James Newton HowardCast:
Will Smith, Alice Braga, Charlie Tahan, Salli Richardson-Whitfield, Willow Smith, Darrell Foster, April Grace, Dash Mihok, Steve Cirbus, Emma Thompson (more)VOD (3)
Plots(1)
Robert Neville is a brilliant scientist, but even he could not contain the terrible virus that was unstoppable, incurable, and man-made. Somehow immune, Neville is now the last human survivor in what is left of New York City and maybe the world. For three years, Neville has faithfully sent out daily radio messages, desperate to find any other survivors who might be out there. But he is not alone. Mutant victims of the plague - The Infected - lurk in the shadows... watching Neville's every move... waiting for him to make a fatal mistake. Perhaps mankind's last, best hope, Neville is driven by only one remaining mission: to find a way to reverse the effects of the virus using his own immune blood. But he knows he is outnumbered... and quickly running out of time. (Warner Bros. US)
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Reviews (13)
Atmospherically, it's an excellently executed piece of work, which, despite several undeniable virtues and innovations, unfortunately doesn't quite work. The depopulated New York is captivating, but the cause of that smacks of sloppy work and is very sketchy. The atmosphere is gripping, just like the sound effects with outdoor noises and echoes throughout the night. The villains on the other hand, are so awkward. They look very digital, meditating in an abandoned house without reacting to light for a moment, then behaving like a hungry pack with a brain the size of a pea, and in a moment, the leader (WTF?) throws orders and gestures cheerfully and without inhibitions. We actually learn absolutely nothing about their intelligence, strength, and way of life. Everything revolves only around the attempt to save and the abandoned Will Smith, who is excellent. The ending is predictably predictable and it remains to be stated that I Am Legend will not be a legend.
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The atmosphere, which is as thick as pure gold, is considerably diluted in the middle by a) digital monstrosities b) black-ass agitation. Point a) is well balanced by Lawrence's strictly authentic directing and Smith's charisma, but unfortunately, point b) remains hanging in the air menacingly like a rotten crucifix. The raw and hopeless prelude directly tempts to leave it at it is, because the resulting depression would definitely be more impressive than a nice village with a church and God on a cloud. Despite the final "apage satanas", I enjoyed the film. If it wasn't afraid to stay in the declining genre, it could paradoxically be much higher. P.S. If it weren't for the coward producers, the alternative ending would have ironed out the final impression...
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The first half is excellent, with a very good portrayal of a depopulated New York, Will Smith is brilliant and we don’t get to see much of the infected. But in the second half, when they start showing up more often and in their full glory, the quality declines because their CGI look is really not good. Also, the screenwriter deserves to be punched in the face for that ending. The rating is between 3 and 4 stars.
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I would have expected Akiva Goldsman to choose deeper material for his screenplay. On the other hand, he’s also the executive producer, who knows very well that to get a successful blockbuster, it is enough to develop a good premise into a superficial story, provide it with cool set designs and put Will Smith’s face on the posters. I Am Legend is the perfect commercial product. But if you want to see its premise reach its full potential, watch instead the tense and chilling 30 Days of Night, followed by the intelligent and technically advanced Children of Men.
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Francis Lawrence confirms his reputation as a versatile director, but unlike with Constantine, his higher budget also meant a noticeably lower quality screenplay. Mainly because of it, the excellent action and grand yet suffocating atmosphere are somewhat wasted. Some compromise is missing here at least. The line between drama and sci-fi spectacle is very winding here, confusing the viewer with transitions from bombastic yet "only" personal scenes to occasionally intimately portrayed fights. The biggest betrayal of the story is ultimately the whole theme. It mixes 28 Days Later, The Day of the Triffids, Planet of the Apes, and other battles of individuals against a mass of enemies, but the trailer promised much more than that. A satisfying conclusion and some ideological depth were sought in vain here.
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