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I AM LEGEND Send This Review to a Friend
After watching this sci-fi horror film about a virus that has destroyed nearly all humans save for infected, flesh-devouring, energy-charged wild men, I began fantasizing whether someone could create a virus that infected movie producers and rendered them unable to recycle old material into idiotic intended blockbusters. But then I reasoned that there would always be an antidote—box office expectations. I would guess that “I Am Legend” will make a bundle, but I grew increasingly bored despite the super special effects and the presence of charismatic Will Smith.
Directed by Francis Lawrence from a screenplay by Mark Protosevich and Akiva Goldman, “I Am Legend’ is based on the 1954 novel by Richard Matheson, which was already the source for “The Last Man on Earth” and “The Omega Man.” In this retread Smith plays Robert Neville, a scientist who is desperately seeking a cure for the virus that has decimated the world. He lives at Washington Square in Manhattan, and he roams the empty city by day, holing himself up at night.
The film is strong visually, with special effects rendering New York an eerie shell, but what else is new? It is no longer surprising to see excellent effects, as anything can be done digitally these days. Still, the look is compelling, as is Smith, who commands attention, whether he is walking about with his dog or fending off the crazed creatures. But basically, for all its pretensions, “I Am Legend” boils down to trying to shock us with an army of zombie-like lunatics bashing their heads against glass or any other barrier, taking giant leaps and inundating us as well as the hero with menace. I was ready to cry enough long before the end.
However, I don’t want to deter anyone who is immune to such viral movie assaults. If you are a gluttonous fan of such well made but mindless endeavors, so be it. “I Am Legend” pulls out all the stops, and it does have Mr. Smith. A Warner Brothers Pictures release.
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