I am Legend

Year of Release: 2007
Genre: Fantasy / Thriller
Rating: PG-13 for intense sequences of sci-fi action and violence.
Director: Frances Lawrence
Starring: Will Smith, Alice Braga, Charlie Tahan, Salli Richardson, Willow Smith, Darrell Foster.

Date Of Review: February 2008

The “I am Legend” movie poster states “The Last Man On Earth Is Not Alone”. That’s the hook that got people to the cinema and for most of the film, star, Will Smith is alone, apart from his trusty dog, a German shepherd that shares the screen-time as his faithful sidekick. It’s a little bit like Tom Hanks and that ball he talks to in “Cast Away” except that Smith is in a desolate New York City instead of a deserted island. “I am Legend” is based on the 1954 book of the same name, written by Richard Matheson. This version is the third big screen interpretation of the story. The first was “The Last Man On Earth” (1964) with Vincent Price and the second was “The Omega Man” (1971) starring Charlton Heston. Needless to say it has all been done before. “I Am Legend” is entertaining and works in a, I-have-been-there-before, sort of way. If you haven’t seen the earlier films you might get a bit more out of it, but let’s not take too much away from this new film. “I am Legend” is certainly a competently made Sci-Fi-thriller with some heart-racing horror elements thrown in for good measure. Do films need to be continually remade? Maybe Hollywood has just run out of fresh ideas. Nevertheless, a remake always sheds new light on a forgotten film or concept and sometimes initiates interest in the original versions.  Sometimes remakes are an improvement and sometimes they are not. So yes, remakes do have their place in film history.    

Aside from the break-neck opening car sequence, with Smith hunting deer in the middle of Times Square, the story unfolds at a steady pace allowing you to get involved in the day to day life of his character. Charismatic Smith is well-cast as the scientist that spends his days scavenging through what’s left of Manhattan’s concrete jungle while at the same time experimenting with vaccines in his underground lab. Smith’s aim is to discover a cure to a deadly virus that is slowly destroying the human race. Smith knows he is not alone and must return to his hideaway before sunset or face the certain terror that lurks in the dark of the city. Smith’s hope is to reverse the effects of the virus outbreak with his own immune blood.  As the film goes on we are shown brief flashbacks of Smith’s family that gives us some insight into what has happened before it. “I am Legend” is an intense, suspense-filled fright flick. It keeps us glued to the screen for most of its running time and I am sure the film will more than satisfy fans of the novel, fans of the earlier film versions, sci-fi aficionados and of course Will Smith’s legion of fans.  Take a chance on this remake, I am glad that I did.

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Other Versions of "I am Legend" - Now Available on DVD:

The Last Man On Earth (1964) [DVD]
Vincent Price stars as the title character, the one human unaffected by a mysterious plague that's turned the world's population into diseased vampires. The first screen version of Richard Matheson's novel "I Am Legend," this chilling sci-fi/horror tale co-stars Franca Bettoia and Emma Danieli. 87 min. Widescreen; Soundtrack: English Dolby Digital stereo. Plays All Regions.

The Omega Man (1971) [DVD]
Charlton Heston stars in this adaptation of Richard Matheson's "I Am Legend" as the only human survivor of the Last War. By day, he's alone in a desolate Los Angeles, but at night, he must contend with a crazed army of vampire-like mutants, out to destroy any remnants of civilization...including Heston! Fast-paced futuristic thriller co-stars Rosalind Cash and Anthony Zerbe. 98 min. Widescreen (Enhanced); Soundtracks: English Dolby Digital mono, French Dolby Digital mono; Subtitles: English, French.

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