My “I Am Legend” Review

Good. Thank God it ended better than the book. Further holy thanks for it ending better than The Mist and No Country For Old Men. I’m not saying the latter two were bad, I just didn’t particularly like the ending to either, which is most likely by design.

Okay, onto the good stuff. Will Smith has yet to do a crappy movie. I, Robot was not THAT bad. The plot was pretty straightforward and the effects were well done. I think people expected Asimov goodness and were disappointed that the only thing it shared with the entire SERIES of books by Asimov were the three Laws of Robotics.

I digress. This movie is very similar to 28 Days Later. This doesn’t make it bad, it just makes the plot a little worn. The difference is that Will Smith really makes you feel like he truly is the last man on Earth. His acting is powerful and as the only thing you see for most of the movie, his pain is palpable.

A brief synopsis: Humans develop a cure to cancer which mutates and affects humans and animals. The 90% it doesn’t kill outright it turns into deranged bloodthirsty zombies, or some such. Will Smith plays Robert Neville, a doctor who was trying to find a cure for the mutation, who is also immune to the disease. He lives in New York City, three years after the outbreak and he hasn’t seen another human for almost all of that. He shares his existence with his dog, Sam, whom he’s had since puppyhood.

The cinematography is well done, there are some excellent shots of New York, decayed and dying. Seeing the bridges torn to shreds really is a spell-binding sight. The CGI is shaky in a few places, particularly in some of the close-ups of the “Dark Stalkers” as the infected are called. It’s pretty much on par with the quality of CGI in The Mummy with Brenden Frasier.

Anyways, the movie feels a little rushed at the end but it ends well enough, and satisfactory to my discerning tastes for an actual DECENT non-crappy ending. This movie is worth seeing and you should throw in some popcorn and a soda while you’re at it.

One day when I’m not still irritated I’ll post a No Country For Old Men review.