Movie Review: I Am Legend

Director: Francis Lawrence
Year of Release: 2007
Genre: Action / Horror / Sci-Fi / Thriller
Run Time: 101min

In this modern adaptation of Richard Matheson’s novel of the same name, we see Will Smith play virologist Robert Neville who it seems is the last human alive after some sort of viral break out of a man-made virus. Living in a post-apocalyptic New York City his day is regiment during the day and by night he locks down where he lives and sleeps in fear of the mutant victims of the plague. He lives there still because it’s “Ground-Zero” and the best place for him to work on a cure.

Directed by Francis Lawrence (Constantine) this is a movie I had looked forward to since I saw its first teaser trailer. I’m a fan of Will Smith as it seems even when the movie he’s in is awful he somehow makes it bearable to watch; Wild Wild West being case in point. The premise and story of the movie is one that quite nicely unfolds as you watch the movie in a series of flashbacks and recorded news programs. In these we see where it all started, an idea of what went wrong and then in current time where it stands. Although this is a tried and test method of story telling it works well and suits the movie. Smith brings and delivers some light-hearted asides and along with his trusted canine companion, it seems Neville is quietly but diligently working towards a cure. However, things aren’t that simple. Years living on his own is slowly driving him to a psychological breakdown, even with his attempts (shop dummies dressed up and treated as real) to somehow inject interaction into his life, these are slowly becoming ineffectual.

Now for the first time in a while, I had actually read a review of this movie before I saw so had a view of someone else mildly influencing mine. However, on the many of the points that review picked out, I disagreed on. I won’t pick out point by point but the main was the “mutant” humans. The review said the were too otherworldly or alien like but to me there were still human just no hair and lots more strength and a lust for anything with meat attached. I found the directing of the movie competent if nothing special and the acting from Smith being one of his best.

It is a very good movie and one to watch if you can it’s worth the admission ticket and isn’t overly long or too short to not tell the story properly. The other nice things about it i that it is clever enough in parts that you engage the brain but has enough no-brainer action to keep one entertained.s