I Am Legend
2007
Richard Matheson's classic chiller gets its third adaptation (after THE OMEGA MAN and THE LAST MAN ON EARTH) with this film from director Francis Lawrence (CONSTANTINE). Will Smith plays Robert Neville, the last survivor in a post-apocalyptic New York, but there's still danger left on the city streets. Read more
| Starring | Will Smith, Salli Richardson, Paradox Pollack, Alice Braga |
|---|---|
| Director | Francis Lawrence |
| Genres | Audio Descriptive, Horror, Sci-Fi/Fantasy |
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I Am Legend
Richard Matheson's classic chiller gets its third adaptation (after THE OMEGA MAN and THE LAST MAN ON EARTH) with this film from director Francis Lawrence (CONSTANTINE). Will Smith plays Robert Neville, the last survivor in a post-apocalyptic New York, but there's still danger left on the city streets.
| Starring | Will Smith, Salli Richardson, Paradox Pollack, Alice Braga, Charlie Tahan |
|---|---|
| Director | Francis Lawrence |
| Studio | WARNER HOME VIDEO |
| Run time | DVD: 1 hr 36 mins Blu-ray: 1 hr 40 mins |
| Certificate | |
| Collections | New releases |
| Genres | Audio Descriptive, Horror, Sci-Fi/Fantasy |
| Language | English, English Audio Description |
| Released | DVD: 21 Apr 2008 Blu-ray: 21 Apr 2008 Production year: 2007 |
| Format | DVD |
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Critics' reviews (2)
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Beware Emma Thompson bearing gifts. In the opening minutes of I am Legend our uncredited Em is interviewed on a US TV news show (you would think her news would merit a press conference). She... read more »
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Most helpful member's review
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218 out of 224 people found this review helpful
[Highly rated reviewer]
They're not Vampires or Zombies...
First off let's get some points straight. 'I Am Legend' is NOT based on Omega Man, 28 Days Later or any other 'zombie movie'. Instead it is an adaptation of an excellent little book from the 1950s called 'I Am Legend', written by Richard Matheson, which was in fact the inspiration for the above movies. Sadly the excellence of the book doesn't quite translate but this is still the best attempt so far to capture Matheson's story on screen.
Our 'hero' is Robert Neville, the last surviving man of an epidemic that swept across the United States and then the world, destroying the whole populace. But it didn't kill everyone as many were turned into mutant like creatures that stalk the night, eating any living thing they come across. During the day Robert must see to his own needs and try to cope with being alone for so long, with only a dog to keep him company. And this is where Will Smith excels, capturing the madness that is slowly taking over Robert's mind. From his conversations with mannequins in the DVD rental store to his accurate quotations from Shrek 2, Will Smith brilliantly plays a man on the verge of a breakdown. And mention must be made of the dog, possibly the best animal performance in film since Pirates Of the Caribbean's undead monkey.
Unfortunately despite the brilliant atmosphere of 'I Am Legend' (if you thought London looked creepy in '28 Days Later' wait until you see New York), combined with impressive performances from the lead, this isn't enough to entirely save a film from it's two major flaws: the ending and the 'mutants'. The zombies in 'Shaun Of The Dead' were more impressive than the creatures in this film. The director Francis Lawrence seems to have liked the CGI used on the city so much he decided to use it again for the mutants. Entirely. This makes them seem more cartoon than anything else and definitely decreases the fear factor substantially. Secondly is the ending which, without spoiling it, is nothing like the book and feels rushed rather than satisfying, though it does get the job done.
'I Am Legend' is really a 3 star film, but is lifted to 4 stars due to Will Smith, the dog, and the valiant attempt to deal with a complex psychological issue set in a terrifying situation. If you're after a scary horror film look elsewhere, but if you'd like to see an alternative treatment of the vampire/zombie genre (as the creatures are not referred to as either it's up to you which term to use), this is definitely worth a look. -
Most recent members' review
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3 out of 3 people found this review helpful
[Highly rated reviewer]
Great Action
Good film worth watching although ending could have been better
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News and features
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I Am Legend tops UK box office again
- 18 Jan 2008
Will Smith zombie thriller I Am Legend has topped the UK box office chart once again this week, according to AC Nielsen data. The film stars Smith as a virologist who believes he is the only human left on the planet after a disease wipes out half the population and turns the rest into light-fearing flesh-eaters. It stayed at number one again for the third week in a row, followed by PS I Love You and new entry Charlie Wilson's War, which stars Tom Hanks and Julia Roberts as powerful politicos in Read more
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- I Am Legend - BLU-RAY Version
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In I AM LEGEND, Will Smith joins the ranks of Vincent Price (in 1964's THE LAST MAN ON EARTH) and Charlton Heston (in 1971's OMEGA MAN) as the star of an adaptation of Richard Matheson's 1954 novel ... -
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- I Am Legend
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Richard Matheson's classic chiller gets its third adaptation (after THE OMEGA MAN and THE LAST MAN ON EARTH) with this film from director Francis Lawrence (CONSTANTINE). Will Smith plays Robert ... -