I Am Legend on DVD (2007)

They're not Vampires or Zombies...

Vivacia from London [Highly rated reviewer] , 02/01/2008

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.

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this movie WILLbe a legend for its dissapointment

A customer from London , 30/12/2007

this movie was so hyped up and the trailers were great, but actully watching the movie? let me tell you- a BIG dissapointment. There's just 1 person in the movie for three quaters of it, which makes it a little boring- not to say the least, and okay the special effects were good but whats the point if the rest of the movie is so bland?not much action and quite depressing. people do not waste your money on going to see this movie , i predict it to be a career low for Will Smith.

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Not quite a Legend more a Leg End.

A customer from Earth , 19/12/2007

Very poor remake of the Omega man.

But the special effects are quite good.

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Excellent Movie, Jump Right Back in Your Seat!

Julia Davison from Southend on Sea, England , 27/12/2007

Fantastic film. Saw it on the big screen and the suspense was unbelievable. Had to hold my mouth shut for shouting out. Will Smith is great as is his dog. The 'infected' are quite disturbing and the word 'hive' always freaks me out. The scene where they try to trap him is really on the edge of your seat stuff. I'm not old enough to have seen the Omega Man so this film was just fine by me without any comparisons except for possibly 28 Days Later. Would recommend to all except those with weak hearts and/or bowels.

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Refreshingly different

A customer from Ilfracombe , 24/01/2008

When going to watch this film at the cinema, i didn't hear any reviews,so didn't really know what to expect. However, i was blown away by the unique & remarkably plausible storyline.This film had me gripped from beginning to end.Tensely frightening without too much gore(my ideal film). I would quite happily watch it a second time, it had a lasting affect which left me thinking about it long after it had finished.Another fantastic performance from Will Smith.This film comes highly recommended.

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Legendarily Run of the Mill!

A customer from SW London , 03/01/2008

I really fail to see what is so special about this film and how it could have even been a box office success! It's no different to '28 weeks later' and others in the genre. The only thing that was good was Will Smith's acting: he is well worth every penny he was paid to be in the movie. The storyline etc... itself was run of the mill and quite unimpressive. Had I know I would've waited for it to come out on DVD instead of going to see it at the cinema.

In a nutshell, the movie is about redemption and it explores various themes about humankind. Nothing that hasn't been seen or done before, though.

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