Isolation Epic Smarter Than The Average Blockbuster

"I Am Legend" (2007)
Directed by: Francis Lawrence (Constantine)
Starring: Will Smith, Alice Braga, Emma Thompson (cameo)
Running Time: 101 minutes
Rut's Rating: 4/5

Isolation is the key factor in "I Am Legend", the third adaptation of the Richard Matheson story, originally published in 1954. It grips you from the start, with opening shots of a decrepid, rotting downtown New York. And this isn't CGI, folks. What you see is what you get. You feel that sense of loneliness right from the beginning, like you're the only one left on Earth. In Robert Neville's case, he is.

Will Smith plays Neville, a scientist who becomes the last man on Earth after a deadly virus sweeps across the world and wipes out the living. But soon, the living become the walking dead, turning into blood-craving mutants. Much like vampires, they stray from sunlight and hide in the dark. Neville barricades his home and has a supply of guns and ammo ready, and spends his days sending out messages to find any survivors, as well as trying to find a cure for the deadly virus. With him is his dog Sam, a German shepherd that's loyal and stays by his side. Sam is the only contact that Neville has with another living thing, and talks to her as if she were human. You may be wondering what happened to Neville's family. Well, you're just gonna have to see the film to understand. And its not what you're probably thinking, either.

Smith is no stranger to these $100 million epics. "Independence Day", "Men In Black", "I, Robot", we've seen him in all these types of movies where he's called upon to be the hero. But "Legend" is different. Yes, he carries a big gun and fights these mutants when he has to, but its more than that. Will Smith carries this film. In a movie where he's the only human on screen for two thirds of it, he displays an excellent, emotional performance. There's one scene in particular that I found amazing in which Neville thinks that a mannequin is alive in the middle of the street. See, having been alone for nearly three years, he talks to mannequins as if they were real, and even has names for all of them. So when he sees one in the street and can't believe his eyes, he starts to go a little insane. Especially since he didn't move it...

Comparing it to the original Richard Matheson story, there are obviously some differences. Major ones. Hollywood has a tendency to change things and condense material when it comes to adapting written works, and this one is really no different. But in the case of "I Am Legend", I don't see how they could have NOT done some changing. I've read the original story, and in my opinion, it was a little preachy and over-stuffed with scientific jargon. Let's face it: movie audiences don't want to hear that stuff. They want guns, explosions, and a hero. The movie gives them that, but it also doesn't consider the audience stupid. There are some really emotional moments in the film, and you might even need to try and hold back a tear or two.

That all being said, the one miss that I think this movie had was the last act. I won't go into specifics, but it involves Neville coming across two survivors and making a final stand against the virus-ridden mutants (in the film they're called the Dark Seekers). I just think there were some missed opportunities there, but I was still very impressed and pleased with the film. Anyone who knows me knows that I'm a big fan of horror films, but this one is more of a sci-fi thriller. It isn't gory, as it's rated PG-13. But that's OK because what you don't get in mutant attacks and a pile of bodies, you DO get a greatly-written story of one man's fight for survival, both physically and mentally. I really think that Will Smith was robbed when the Golden Globe nominees were revealed, because it takes a true actor to be able to unleash the performance that he does, especially when he's essentially the only character in the film.

With that, "I Am Legend" is already a record-setter, having made an incredible $77.2 million over the weekend, and breaking the original December record of $72.6 million set by "Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King" in 2003.

It also didn't hurt that the highly-anticipated trailer for next summer's "The Dark Knight" was attached to prints of the film. More on that coming up...

Keep 'em laughin',
Derek