I Am Legend

It’s a story that’s been told many times before, yet always seems to get the shaft in its purest form. Richard Matheson’s famed novel I AM LEGEND gets its third big-screen treatment (following 1964’s THE LAST MAN ON EARTH and 1971’s THE OMEGA MAN). This time around, the original work has been fused with a 28 DAYS LATER-type bent, removing the vampiric creatures of the original and replacing them with frenzied, zombie-like beings. But although the film does take many brave turns and unusual choices, it ends up as nothing more than a really expensive slim horror movie.

Robert Neville (Will Smith) is the last surviving man in New York. Three years after an outbreak of a virus aimed to cure diseases, most of human civilization has been wiped out. Only a small portion survive, and most of those have been mutated into animalistic creatures who ruthlessly feed on all forms of life and are allergic to sunlight. (Basically, as explained in a brief prologue and a few flashbacks, Emma Thompson kills us all). Now Neville is alone in New York, which has become overgrown with wildlife. He leads an empty existence; interacting only with his dog while desperately trying to find a cure for the virus. His desperation begins to increase as time goes on, and Neville notices that the creatures are becoming more violent and less hesitant to shield themselves from the sun. After capturing a creature for study, he angers the apparent New Yorkian king of the creatures and they begin to attack.

Much of the film is Smith by himself, silent except for the occasional remark to the dog. The portions of him roaming through the deserted New York are stunningly rendered; the overgrown grass in Times Square, the slow decay of the empty skyscrapers, every bit of the city is shocking and downright eerie. The filmmakers haven’t skipped a step in this regard; even the billboards are rendered time-appropriate (including an ad for a huge superhero pic due in May 2010, so get ready folks). How disappointing it is to learn, then, that director Francis Lawrence (2005’s CONSTANTINE) did not show this amount of care throughout the whole film. The most crippling flaw in the entire thing is the creatures themselves. Obviously rendered completely through CGI, they never become truly terrifying because they never look real. It suffers when compared to recent films like 28 DAYS LATER, which clearly inspired the look of this film. Sure, when they jump out from around a corner screaming the audience is startled, but there are many more effective ways of scaring people.

That’s not to say there isn’t anything else to admire. Smith gives one of his better performances to date, and certainly the most focused. Gone is the grin-filled easygoing humor he displays in all his other films, a trait with often undercuts certain dramatic aspirations. The biggest laughs here are nothing more than amused chuckles and Smith really triumphs in the dramatic scenes. The slow-building paranoia, desperation and loneliness that seeps into his behavior is uncomfortable and sometimes painful to watch, in a good way. It seems odd to happen in a film like I AM LEGEND, but here Smith finally proves that he has what it takes to become a great dramatic actor.

In the end, the film is a mixed experience. There are admirable qualities, but the failings become glaringly obvious as the film comes to a close. The finale in particular will be maddening to some, straying far from Matheson’s novel. But it is to be expected in a big-budget Hollywood film in this day and age and the filmmakers likely placed commercial success over artistic bravery. I AM LEGEND is worth seeing for its stunning opening scenes and for Smith’s complex performance, but those seeking that level of complexity on all counts will be disappointed.

**/****