I AM LEGEND
I AM LEGEND: AWESOME, PERIOD
BY
STEPHANIE M. WILSON
If you look at his track record, Will Smith never disappoints. Be it in his Oscar Nominated role in The Pursuit of Happyness or his not-Oscar Nominated role in Independence Day. You know that you will always be entertained. This is maybe why his films consistently do well. And I Am Legend is no exception.
Robert Neville (Will Smith) is the only man alive on earth. He has his dog Sam. He lives by a schedule. He gets up. He works out. He eats breakfast. He goes out and hunts for food. At night he encloses his home with Sam to protect them from the Dark Seekers. The Dark Seekers are humans that became monsters after being infected by the virus that killed the majority of the world’s population. Robert’s goal is to cure the Dark Seekers. It is a promise he made to his daughter and his wife the last time he saw them. This was right before they quarantined New York City and Robert stayed behind. Robert has been living alone for three years. He is slowly sinking into madness.
The story keeps you on the edge of your seat. It is based on the 1954 novel by Richard Matheson. The virus comes as a result of a cure for cancer. A cure of cancer is something that still is being researched today. What if a vaccination were to do this kind of damage? You are tense from waiting to see what will happen next. You can feel the sadness and loneliness that this man is going through. His bond with his dog is what keeps him going. The first hour of the film is just Robert and Sam. It is a credit to Smith, the story, and the director that you are enthralled. Smith is a great actor. Not many actors today can hold a film like this on their shoulders and succeed at it. Keep an eye out for a pivotal scene where he approaches a dark haired beauty that is actually a mannequin in the video store he frequents. Smith has Neville standing on the edge of his sanity. The Dark Seekers will put the fear of God in you. They are zombies that have an unnatural speed, fear the light, and look like they have been stripped of their skin. Them eating as a group is a terrifying image. And New York City as a sad desolate place reminds one of 9/11.
This film stands on its own two feet and succeeds as a science fiction work of art That makes you think. But it is also there to make you ride the emotional rollercoaster with its intensity.
Get your popcorn and candy. The new Will Smith flick is great and deserves to be seen. You will cringe. You will cry. You will be entertained. It is worth the price of admission and then some.
Report Card:
Story-B+
Acting-A
Visuals-B+
Originality/Innovation-B+
Enjoyability Grade–A
Overall Grade-A-
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