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I Am Legend is directed by Francis Lawrence. The film
stars Will Smith (Independence Day, Enemy of the State),
and co-stars include Emma Thompson, Charlie Tahan, and Alica
Braga. James Newton Howard contributes the musical score.
The movie is based loosely on Richard Matheson's 1954 novel
of the same name. ***
In the year 2009, scientists have discovered what they
believe is a sure-fire cure for cancer. Unfortunately, this
so-called cure mutates, becoming a deadly airborne virus.
This ultimately leads to a quarantine and evacuation of
Manhattan Island. ***
Three years have passed. The once-crowded Manhattan
is now a ghost town. A military medical scientist is the
only man left in the entire city, and the only living companion
he has is his dog. The ruins of the city are crawling with
nocturnal, feral beings who have been transformed into mindless
savages by the virus, who lurk in the shadows and come out
at night. All the while he works tirelessly on a cure for
the virus that has infected these beings, while at the same
time searching for other uninfected survivors, and trying
to live his life the best he can. ***
This is one of those movies I went into not knowing
what to expect. But, to put it simply, this film blew me
away. The acting, the direction, the cinematography, the
special effects, the drama.... It's a movie that succeeds
in every area, and manages to do it without being needlessly
lengthy. Easily one of the best movies of 2007. ***
Where this movie deserves its greatest praise is its
acting. Over the years, Will Smith has proven himself to
be an extremely talented actor, diverse enough to fill roles
in any genre. I Am Legend is largely a one-man film, and
a better actor could not have fit the bill. This is Will
Smith's best performance. Ever. From start to finish, you'll
genuinely care about the character, his life and his past.
Post-apocalyptic movies are nothing new, but it's largely
Smith and Smith alone that brings life to the movie. **
* Director Francis Lawrence is relatively new to the
world of directing feature films, but I Am Legend is an
instant triumph for him. Rather than telling the whole story,
in order, as it actually happened, he starts us in the midst
of the ruined city three years after the disaster began,
and gradually sheds light on the main character's past.
Again, taking this direction with telling a story isn't
a new idea, but Lawrence pulls it off nicely here. If he'd
done the film in a conventional, start-to-finish style,
it's not likely I would have cared about the character like
I did. The story always feels authentic, and never over-the-top.
***
Equally excellent is the cinematography. With the streets
of Manhattan deserted, you definitely feel the sense of
isolation the filmmakers intended. From the early moments
of the movie right up to the latter half, the movie does
an excellent job of making one of America's busiest cities
look like a ghost town that has been deserted for quite
some time. The action scenes are equally impressive, when
they do arise. Everything on the screen looks incredible.
***
As this is a film dealing with isolation, music is
only used when appropriate, be it an action scene or one
of particular drama. James Newton Howard contributes the
score for those moments that require music. And during each
scene that needs its share of music, Howard's compositions
work perfectly. ***
You're going to encounter the occasional negative reviews
and publicity surrounding the movie because it supposedly
deviates from the novel and/or the original purpose of it
- don't listen to any of it. I have never read the novel,
and have no ambition to do so. What matters is that this
is a great film that stands on its own. I could care less
about whether or not the film is accurate to the novel.
Whether or not it's a good, stand-alone movie is far more
important - and this certainly is. How the Academy overlooked
this incredible film is beyond me. ---
Image And Sound:
Warner Bros. does a terrific job porting I Am Legend
to the DVD format. The brilliant cinematography and tones
look fantastic in this presentation, and is almost completely
free of defects. To reflect the isolated nature of the movie,
it's largely quiet, expect during scenes of action and suspense
- and during those scenes, the audio quality on the disc
won't fail to entertain. ---
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