I Am Legend (Widescreen Two-Disc Special Edition)
by Francis Lawrence (II)
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DVD Cover Information
Actor: Charlie Tahan, Paradox Pollack, Salli Richardson, Thomas J. Pilutik, Will SmithDirector: Francis Lawrence (II)
Brand: Warner Brothers
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Subtitled); French (Subtitled); Spanish (Subtitled); English (Original Language); French (Dubbed); Spanish (Dubbed)
Format: Anamorphic, Color, NTSC, Special Edition, Widescreen
Picture Format: 2.35:1
Running Time: 101 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2008-03-18
Audience Rating: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Studio: Warner Home Video
Movie Reviews of I Am Legend (Widescreen Two-Disc Special Edition)
Movie Review: The Last Man on Earth is Not Alone...
Summary: 5 Stars
I am a fan of Will Smith, I enjoy watching his movies and generally speaking they never disappoint me, and to an extent I even enjoy some of his music (mostly just the songs he's done for the various movies he's starred in). When the initial posters for "I Am Legend" arrived in theaters and listed the name Will Smith I was already psyched to see it, even though based on the posters I thought the name was the way too long "The Last Man on Earth is Not Alone", but it turned out that was just the tagline, but I still maintain that was a strange marketing strategy by not making the film's title readily visible. Anyways, when the trailers began showing up on the internet and on television I became even more pumped for the movie because it just looked really interesting and cool, and I was intrigued by the fact that based on the previews I still had no clue what exactly Will's character was up against, only that he was the last surviving member of humanity (to his knowledge) and he's fighting for survival against some monstrous person or group of people. So, the movie was released to theaters, I didn't go see it, go figure since I don't see a whole lot of films at the theaters these days, partly because of time and the other is the ever-increasing cost of ticket prices, I just find it easier to wait the extra few months for the DVD release and watch it on my widescreen TV in the comfort of my own home. Finally, it was released to DVD, and after all the various criticisms I had heard, along with some praise, though it seemed like not as many people liked the movie compared to those that disliked it to some degree or just flat-out hated it; I was still interested in seeing the movie and I must say I was not disappointed in the least.
"I Am Legend" takes place in the year 2012, as mankind has been essentially wiped out by a deadly virus meant to cure cancer. In place of mankind are these monstrous, mutated beings who are similar to vampires due to their affinity for darkness, sensitivity to light, their attraction to blood, and because they can infect others with their `vampirism' as it were; however, they are not vampires or even zombies for that matter, they are merely mutated and diseased humans who have taken over New York City and possibly the rest of the world. At night they are in charge, but during the day one lone man prowls the streets, Robert Neville (Will Smith) who along with his trusty German Shepherd, Sam, has NYC all to themselves. Robert is a former military virologist who is trying desperately to develop a cure for the disease that he is somehow immune to, while at the same time trying to keep his sanity and hold onto some small sliver of hope that there may possibly be other human survivors out there waiting to be found.
After watching "I Am Legend" I can see why some people may have not liked the movie as much as most of Will Smith's previous efforts, because prior to its release no one really knew what to expect from the movie. So, the fact that essentially 85% percent of the movie consists of either Will Smith on screen by himself or with his dog, and no one else to really interact with, could really turn some people off to the overall experience of the movie. In my case, I knew what to expect going into watching the movie, so Will Smith having to act by himself on screen a majority of the time didn't bother me at all, and I was truly impressed by how good he did and just how captivating he made the character of Robert. I believe that even if I hadn't known what to expect in terms of whether there would be other actors featured prominently or just having Will by himself for a majority of the film, I still would have enjoyed the movie all the same.
The story for "I Am Legend" is very well-paced and well-written by screenwriters Mark Protosevich ("Poseidon") and Akiva Goldsman ("I, Robot") based on a novel by Richard Matheson. They imbue the story with such heart, intense drama, and a tense, eerie atmosphere that you are instantly drawn into the plight of this lone man roaming the streets searching for a way to survive and to fix past mistakes, and in the end cure the disease that has ravaged the world. I appreciated the way the writers tried to show Robert's mental state as being somewhat disconnected from reality, by having him set up mannequins throughout the city for him to interact with as if they were real people. Also, the connection between Robert and his dog Sam was very genuine and natural, serving as an almost bittersweet connection to Robert's past and the family that he's lost along the way. Many people praised Will Smith for his powerful performance in this movie given the challenge of having to act by himself, and he is completely deserving of any praise he receives for his work here, but by the same token, I would think some praise should go to the writers for being able to craft such an engaging story focusing on one man and his dog, without really being able to rely on dialogue or any kind of interaction with other characters. This is a brilliant job on behalf of the writers and even the novelist, for being able to keep an audiences' attention every step of the way without the usual tools at their disposal for propelling a story onward.
From an acting standpoint, there is really only one person to talk about and that's Will Smith, and as I've alluded to somewhat already he did an exemplary job with the role of Robert Neville. Will is a magnetic presence onscreen in every movie I've seen him in, but normally he's able to play off of other actors in the scene, but here he's pretty much on his own or with a dog, aside from a few key flashbacks that shed some light on his previous life before the virus struck, so his ability is definitely worthy of praise. An incredible performance for Will, and one that I'm sure wasn't nearly as easy as some of his other past performances might have been, but he handled the isolation onscreen very well, and conveyed the characters deep sense of loss in a way that was very natural yet didn't make the character seem suicidal or depressed, which would have most likely not played well with most audiences, just desperate which was very appropriate for the circumstances Robert has found himself in.
"I Am Legend" is a very entertaining movie that remains engaging from start to finish even though the focus is primarily on Will Smith and his dog, and not much else. Director Francis Lawrence ("Constantine") has really knocked it out of the park with this movie; he's definitely come along way from shooting music videos for MTV. Some have likened this movie to Tom Hanks' survivalist film "Castaway" due to his character being alone on an island except for a volleyball named Wilson as a companion. I can see the similarity between the two movies in that both movies featured a lead actor who was forced to act by himself for a majority of the film, but that's pretty much where the similarities end. Unlike "Castaway" which was a good movie, but not great, I feel "I Am Legend" is a great movie and one I will watch more than once. This movie isn't for everybody, but if you kind of know what you're going into prior to seeing the movie, you may end up enjoying it more, no guarantees though.
"I Am Legend" is rated PG-13 for violence and disturbing images.
Summary of I Am Legend (Widescreen Two-Disc Special Edition)
I AM LEGEND:SPECIAL EDITION - DVD MovieWill Smith stars in the third adaptation of Richard Matheson?s classic science-fiction novel about a lone human survivor in a post-apocalyptic world dominated by vampires. This new version somewhat alters Matheson?s central hook, i.e., the startling idea that an ordinary man, Robert Neville, spends his days roaming a desolated city and his nights in a house sealed off from longtime neighbors who have become bloodsucking fiends. In the new film, Smith?s Neville is a military scientist charged with finding a cure for a virus that turns people into crazed, hairless, flesh-eating zombies. Failing to complete his work in time--and after enduring a personal tragedy--Neville finds himself alone in Manhattan, his natural immunity to the virus keeping him alive. With an expressive German shepherd his only companion, Neville is a hunter-gatherer in sunlight, hiding from the mutants at night in his Washington Square town house and methodically conducting experiments in his ceaseless quest to conquer the disease.
The film?s first half almost suggests that I Am Legend could be one of the finest movies of 2007. Director Francis Lawrence?s extraordinary, computer-generated images of a decaying New York City reveal weeds growing through the cracks of familiar streets that are also overrun by deer and prowled by lions. It?s impossible not to be fascinated by such a realistically altered cityscape, reverting to a natural environment, through which Smith moves with a weirdly enviable freedom, offset by his wariness over whatever is lurking in the dark of bank vaults and parking garages. Lawrence and screenwriters Mark Protosevich and Akiva Goldsman wisely build suspense by withholding images of the monsters until a peak scene of horror well into the story. It must be said, however, that the computer-enhanced creatures don?t look half as interesting as they might have had the filmmakers adhered more to Matheson?s vampire-nightmare vision. I Am Legend is ultimately noteworthy for Smith?s remarkable performance as a man so lonely he talks to mannequins in the shops he frequents. The film?s latter half goes too far in portraying Smith?s Neville as a pitiable man with a messianic mission, but this lapse into bathos does nothing to take away from the visual and dramatic accomplishments of its first hour. --Tom Keogh
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