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I Am Legend (2007)
Will Smith Survives.
Directed By: Francis Lawrence
Starring: Will Smith, Alice Braga, & Salli Richardson
MPAA Rating: “PG-13” (for intense sequences of sci-fi action and violence)
Starring: Will Smith, Alice Braga, & Salli Richardson
MPAA Rating: “PG-13” (for intense sequences of sci-fi action and violence)
Will Smith survived the apocalypse. He survived the massacre. But, can he survive horrible special effects and dull writing? The good news is that he does indeed make it out alive. The bad news is that the film is not nearly as good as it could...no, should have been. What was destined to be one of 2007’s best genre offerings ends up being decidedly good, but not great. The best thing that this film has going for it is, of course, Will Smith who gives a truly mesmerizing performance. It is always a pleasure to watch him work, especially when he seems to connect with the material as he did here. The film also succeeds in keeping the pot bubbling throughout, moving at a rapid pace and keeping the entertainment coming.
Robert Neville (Smith) is, as it would seem, the last man alive on earth. After a viral plague turned much of the world’s population into violent, savage, and completely inhuman creatures, these monsters proceeded to feast on the survivors. After all of this, Robert still remains, living in a house in Greenwich Village that is barricaded by steel shutters at night to keep out the monsters. In his house, he has a laboratory in which he desperately looks for a cure for the disease, hoping to one day restore normalcy to the world. His only companion is his dog, Samantha, that was given to him by his young daughter just moments before she and Robert’s wife were killed in a helicopter crash. When he learns of a commune of survivors in Vermont, a small glimmer of hope returns and he continues his desperate quest to save the world.
The main problem with I Am Legend is that there really is never a well-developed flow to the whole thing. We are given the set-up within the first thirty minutes and then the rest of the film mainly relies on the creatures jumping out of the darkness, attacking something, and causing a multitude of problems. This may not have been such a debilitating problem had the creatures looked frightening or even realistic. Instead, they are all computer-generated and they are ugly, clumsy, and boring. In a film that sports amazing visual effects in the building of an abandoned New York City, the creatures look especially bad. When did we become so desperate to abandon prosthetics or even some well-applied makeup effects? The creatures are, of course, humanistic in appearance and so the excessive CGI was unnecessary. Why waste bad CGI on a good movie?
I Am Legend works as fast, easy, and perfectly enjoyable entertainment. However, it lacks the weight and social importance that should have been a key ingredient. The best moments in the film involve Robert’s relationship with the German Shepherd. They are at times powerful and poignant without ever seeming sappy. The scenes with Robert and his family are also especially touching and tastefully-done; they never feel exploitative. Many have commented on the film’s religious symbolism and other similar elements and, though there are moments that hint at this, I do not think that I Am Legend is really smart enough to contain and develop such symbolism. It is just popcorn fluff stuff and that really is all there is to it. Fortunately, it’s fun and well-polished fluff that, sporting a great performance from Smith and an impressive set design, is perfectly adequate. Still, I cannot help but wonder, “What could have been?”
Robert Neville (Smith) is, as it would seem, the last man alive on earth. After a viral plague turned much of the world’s population into violent, savage, and completely inhuman creatures, these monsters proceeded to feast on the survivors. After all of this, Robert still remains, living in a house in Greenwich Village that is barricaded by steel shutters at night to keep out the monsters. In his house, he has a laboratory in which he desperately looks for a cure for the disease, hoping to one day restore normalcy to the world. His only companion is his dog, Samantha, that was given to him by his young daughter just moments before she and Robert’s wife were killed in a helicopter crash. When he learns of a commune of survivors in Vermont, a small glimmer of hope returns and he continues his desperate quest to save the world.
The main problem with I Am Legend is that there really is never a well-developed flow to the whole thing. We are given the set-up within the first thirty minutes and then the rest of the film mainly relies on the creatures jumping out of the darkness, attacking something, and causing a multitude of problems. This may not have been such a debilitating problem had the creatures looked frightening or even realistic. Instead, they are all computer-generated and they are ugly, clumsy, and boring. In a film that sports amazing visual effects in the building of an abandoned New York City, the creatures look especially bad. When did we become so desperate to abandon prosthetics or even some well-applied makeup effects? The creatures are, of course, humanistic in appearance and so the excessive CGI was unnecessary. Why waste bad CGI on a good movie?
I Am Legend works as fast, easy, and perfectly enjoyable entertainment. However, it lacks the weight and social importance that should have been a key ingredient. The best moments in the film involve Robert’s relationship with the German Shepherd. They are at times powerful and poignant without ever seeming sappy. The scenes with Robert and his family are also especially touching and tastefully-done; they never feel exploitative. Many have commented on the film’s religious symbolism and other similar elements and, though there are moments that hint at this, I do not think that I Am Legend is really smart enough to contain and develop such symbolism. It is just popcorn fluff stuff and that really is all there is to it. Fortunately, it’s fun and well-polished fluff that, sporting a great performance from Smith and an impressive set design, is perfectly adequate. Still, I cannot help but wonder, “What could have been?”
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