‘I Am Legend’ – Surprisingly Good

When you are not sure of the quality of a film that has been promoted for months you should expect the worst.

Title: I Am Legend

Director: Francis Lawrence (‘Constantine’)

Production: Warner Bros

Starring: Will Smith

Budget: $150 million

In case of the ‘I Am Legend’ movie, my pessimistic prognosis did not come true, at least not fully. It is the end of the world in the near future, caused by a human-made virus that turns the human population into bloodthirsty beasts of darkness. It is a story that should, by all market rules, be an exaggerated charade of action with moderate attempts to make it more realistic than it is. In a not so long ago past, people like Ridley Scott and Arnold Schwarzenegger were connected with the project, but a budget of $100 million was more than they could chew at the time. Charlton Heston once played the last man alive on the planet in “The Omega Man” (where he fought vampires), but the modern version that recently pocketed a lot of bank notes in the Warner Bros cash register was not very promising. Still, something went right, so director Francis Lawrence decided to insist on the human aspect of the story, which you would not expect from a man who made ‘Constantine’, a film packed with special effects and easy lines.

What thrills is the first half of the movie which is quiet and disturbing. We are looking at the creepy city of New York, empty and decrepit (it is the year 2012). When you see the completely empty Times Square, you learn to appreciate modern technology. The streets are in chaos and the first scene of modern hunting is an excellent introduction to the situation. Will Smith plays virologist Robert Neville who hunts deer across deserted city prairies, driving a Dodge Viper. We meet his competition, a lion family from the nearby ZOO, as well as Neville’s daily routine. What fascinates is the fact that it is only in the second part of the movie that you realise that you have been observing one guy (with the exception of Robert’s faithful dog Samantha) and that does not bother you at all. The law of modern hunting in a world in which rules, along with the disappearance of humans, have been completely erased, changes at the moment you feel you are on safe ground. We only learn what happened to people through brief flashbacks from the recent past, images that evoke recent successes such as ’28 Days Later’ (or the even better sequel), which is sufficient to realise that man has again decided to play a dangerous game, this time with the intention of doing something useful – finding a cure for cancer. Will Smith displays envious acting abilities and it is very enjoyable seeing him outside the usual comic framework as he struggles with loneliness as a wounded man. The scene in the video store which is filled with dolls that represent Neville’s only friends, was especially impressive. A plastic mannequin will become the key element of the hero’s venture into dangerous areas of insanity and isolation. Oh, yes, there is also that loveable ‘Shrek’ detail (you will understand once you have seen the film).

Some criticism is due for the frequently unconvincing ‘night creatures’ and the end of the movie which should have been the pinnacle of the film, turned into an inept attempt of the screenwriter to rob Smith of the climax this movie deserves. The film would seem much more compact had real people with masteries in movie make-up and prosthetics been used instead of CGI enemies. ‘Silent Hill’, in which zombies were much more realistic (and scarier) could have been a good model. As far as the story line is concerned, the twist in the second half of the film is not in line with the quality of Smith’s ‘one-man-show’ in the first half.

And finally, a sincere recommendation for all cinema lovers, as well as resident skeptics. Not the best creation, but it does have a lot of good in it.

RATING: ***1/2