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I Am Legend [2007]


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Editorial
Amazon.co.uk Review

A mainstream Hollywood actor who seems committed to igniting science fiction features, Will Smith chalked up another sizeable hit in the shape of I Am Legend, the latest cinematic adaptation of Richard Matheson’s book of the same name.

This time, Smith plays Robert Neville, the last man on an Earth emptied by a deadly virus that he continues to try and find a working vaccine for. With just his dog for company, and the fear of the vampires that haunt the night never far away, I Am Legend quickly establishes itself as a taut, highly watchable blockbuster, with plenty of reasons to gnaw at your nail.

Where I Am Legend really scores is in the excellent first half. The scenes of a deserted New York are quite staggering, and it’s also to Smith’s immense credit that he holds the attention even though for the most part he’s the only person on the screen. It’s a quite wonderful opening hour that the film enjoys, and one that easily stands repeat viewings alone.

The back half of I Am Legend is, almost inevitably, not quite the match of what’s gone before, as the threats of the night don’t, when you finally see them, live up to expectations. Nonetheless, for Smith’s performance, and the sheer quality of the build up, I Am Legend can stand side-by-side with the last take on the story, the Charlton Heston-starrer The Last Man On Earth. Take either home, and you’re in for a rollicking good night in front of the telly. --Jon Foster


Self-indulgent claptrap
Review date: 2008-10-01 Rating: 2 out of 10

Pure hype, no substance, very poor graphics, very dull, no ending. Apart from that I thought it was brilliant.

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Reviews


Fresh Prince Stinks Up a Classic
Review date: 2008-09-24 Rating: 2 out of 10

WILL SMITH stars as WILL SMITH, a smug, self-satisfied jughead of a man but in the future (a bit). WILL SMITH develops a virus to destroy all the haters, being disgruntled at his failure to secure an Academy Award for weeping like a gigantic man-baby throughout the entire duration of The Pursuit of Happyness. Unfortunately, he is distracted while preparing the virus by the ridiculousness of his mere existence and accidentally wipes out the entire planet, including erstwhile companions Martin Lawrence and DJ Jazzy Jeff. Pausing briefly to mourn the loss of these fellow comic and musical giants, WILL SMITH then dashes off to the nearest Ferrari dealership and spends the next 40 minutes of the film driving a very expensive car around a now-abandoned New York, hooting like a dangerously over-caffeinated retard child, while bone-shatteringly loud hip hop turns your one remaining brain cell to soft mush. He then befriends a dog, which obviously sets the scene for a sequel.

forgettable legend
Review date: 2008-09-07 Rating: 2 out of 10

I was really looking forward to seeing this film after being shown the excerpts on tv.But what a huge disappointment.It started off so well and by the end of the film completely disintegrated into nothing,no story,no acting ,no ending.Unfortunately not just my opinion , my friends and family watching the film with me agreed!

Lacks bite
Review date: 2008-08-18 Rating: 6 out of 10

This film had a lot of promise, and delivered... up to a point.

Will Smith is a scientist trying to cure a disease that has turned most of the worlds population into vamp-like creatures.

Based in Manhattan, the scenes of deserted streets and huge over grown foliage are great, and give a real sense of our world passing into the hands of nature.

Other scenes, such as the video store, give excellent insight into a very damaged character.

So why only three stars?

It's the last act that really lets this down. Far too Hollywood, far too cutesy, and frankly had me ranting at the screen.

This is a dark sinister creeping film that should have been an excellent exploration of one man's character when faced with the loss of all he knows and the gnawing voice that tells him he's never going to get it back. So why spoil it with a happy (and unbelievable) ending?

Great shame.

Do not waste your time.
Review date: 2008-08-14 Rating: 2 out of 10

This film left me angry...angry because it cost me both time and money but in return provided nothing but immense disappointment.

I was left with hundreds of "why would he have done that?" "Well, that doesn't make sense" "That wouldn't have happened!" "Why didn't he just...?"

It was a very flawed film that left huge gaps in the explaination.

!Potential Spoiler Warning!

Flaws -
Significant changes in behaviour and implied evolution of 'wildlife' (such as the deer and lions), despite the fact the disease outbreak has only been 3 to 4 years.
The 'domestication' of the diseased canines. If Sam lost her recognition of her beloved 'Master' when she became infected, why on earth would the infected dogs still be at the command of the diseased humans?
Why didn't the helipcopter pilot transporting Neville's family (in the flashback) make any attempt to avoid the out of control one?
Why was his wife given a second screening? If she had a faulty reading, surely everyone else would have to be re-screened. It is mentioned that Robert Neville (Will Smith) is a military scientist...so how would he have the power to command Soldiers who had been given commands from higher up than himself?
How did the woman and child survive? They are both clean, well-fed and well-groomed...yet apparently didn't have anything like the supplies Neville had collected.
How did the woman and child get off the Island? (after all exit routes had been destroyed in a last minute attempt to contain the virus) If the exits hadn't all been destroyed, why hadn't the woman and child already gone?
How did the colony of uninfected humans survive? If the diseased humans can scale the wall of a building in mere seconds, surely the colony's 'fortress' was just as vulnerable!

...Why did Robert Neville allow himself to die? There was enough room for him to shelter with the woman and child, why not just throw the grenade and hide.
This action apparently made him a legend.

No. Dying without a purpose does not make someone a Legend. What if the vaccine had been incomplete and still failed? the 'test subject' had only partially recovered. Surely he should have tried to escape to ensure his work was a success?

There a hundreds more irritating flaws that would make this an extremely long review.


Conclusion - Watch it if you don't have to pay for it and want to waste some time for no gain, if you enjoy poorly thought out films or if you just don't notice whole gaps in logic.

Product Details/Specifications


Actor(s):
Will Smith
Dash Mihok
Charlie Tahan
Alice Braga
Salli Richardson

Creators:
Alice Braga (Primary Contributor)
Charlie Tahan (Primary Contributor)

Director(s):

Recording label: Warner Home Video
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
EAN: 7321902294476
Binding: DVD
Number of items: 1
Format: PAL,
Release date: 2008-04-21
Audience rating: Suitable for 15 years and over
Region code: 2
Running time: 96 minutes
Theatrical release date: 2007

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