I Am Legend Review

Posted by James McGee on 12.18.2007

Good, but far from Legendary (who didn't see that line coming?)

Will Smith—Robert Neville
Alice Braga—Anna
Charlie Tahan—Ethan
Salli Richardson—Zoe
Willow Smith—Marley

Directed by Frances Lawrence
Written by Mark Protosevich & Akiva Goldsman; based on the novel by Richard Matheson and the 1971 Screenplay by John William Corrington & Joyce Hooper Corrington
Runtime: 101 minutes
Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of sci-fi action and violence

In a recent interview, Will Smith wondered why all the “big” movies come out during the summer, but all the good movies arrive during the winter. I Am Legend is his attempt to meld the blockbuster with the Oscar-contender. With Richard Matheson’s groundbreaking sci-fi story as inspiration, and Smith’s near-infallible reputation towing the line, Legend seemed to be on course to do just that. Despite a strong performance by Smith, and a commendable effort in both the action and story departments, things slid off course somehow. In trying to be a little bit of everything, Legend comes up short all around.

In the aftermath of a deadly virus, Dr. Robert Neville is the last human being in the city of New York—perhaps in the world. But the last man on earth is not alone. The victims of the plague have transformed into sub-human monsters—“Dark Seekers” that emerge at sundown to feed. Neville spends his nights locked away in fear, and fills his days by searching for a cure and vainly trying to contact other survivors.

I am Legend tries to strike a balance between summer-blockbuster action and more story-driven cinema. Unfortunately, it winds up short-changing both in the process. The sequences of action and suspense are well executed, but they’re pretty few and far between, and don’t really give us anything we haven’t seen before. Plus, the “infected” suffer from a case of CGItis—the unfortunate malady by which over-use of digital effects rob monsters of the more human characteristics that give them scare-power. So, the story is left to carry the weight of the movie, but these quieter moments are a bit shallow, so they do more to drag things out than add to the film overall.

The pacing also takes a blow thanks to flashback sequences that explain how the world got itself into such a mess. These sequences don’t add anything that could not have been explained in a few lines of dialogue or even silent acting moments, so the movie would have been better served to see them cut in favor of adding more meat to Neville’s day-to-day survival routine. Seeing his means of coping with the loneliness and despair of his situation held the most promise, but again, there isn’t enough meat on the bones of this story to keep the audience’s interest from flagging.

I Am Legend’s failings certainly can’t be blamed on the leading man. Will Smith turns in an excellent performance as usual, made all the more impressive by the fact that he is not playing yet another variation of himself. There is some of Big Will’s trademark humor—scolding his dog for not eating her vegetables, for instance—but even these brief moments are tinged with desperation. Aside from his canine companion, Neville’s only “friends” are a group of mannequins in a video store. The dialogue he throws their way may be cute and clever, but the scene is permeated with sadness, and Smith makes no effort to mask the questionable sanity of a character who carries on conversations with inanimate objects. This is not the typical, cocky Will Smith that we all love, but that makes his performance all the more heartbreaking. Award lists tend to ignore sci-fi/fantasy films, which is a shame, because Smith’s contribution stands out in a film that is, otherwise, just slightly above average.

The 411: Great expectations may have tripped I Am Legend up a bit. Summer action combined with winter drama, a chance for Will Smith to show off both his blockbuster roots and untapped acting range—it all seemed like a sure thing. However, Legend gets stuck in the middle-ground of slowing down sparse action with too little story. It isn’t a complete failure, but it is certainly disappointing.

Final Score:  7.5   [ Good ]