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I Am Legend (2007)

Time Out rating

Average user rating

99 reviews

Synopsis

A mutated virus turns the population of the world into bloodthirsty monsters; everyone that is, apart from former military scientist Robert Neville. Living in quarantine on Manhattan island, Neville works day and night on finding a cure before the creatures devour him.

Movie review

From Time Out London

Throwing Will Smith’s star power and shed loads of CGI at a remake of the 1971 sci-fi movie ‘The Omega Man’ makes sound commercial sense. After all, it worked with ‘I, Robot’ and ‘Men in Black’. The first half of ‘Constantine’ director Francis Lawrence’s ‘re-imagining’ suggests that the darker themes of Richard Matheson’s 1954 novel might survive. Then the redundant flashbacks kick in, the mutant albino monsters appear, and you’re left gawping at $100 million-worth of eye-popping futuristic B-movie.

Kudos to Smith for taking on the Charlton Heston role of Richard Neville, a military virologist who miraculously survives a pandemic that wiped out most of Manhattan’s citizens, and transformed the rest into flesh-craving nocturnal zombies. But he is such a likeable actor that he fails to take us with him when he changes from a kooky, Bob Marley-loving guy who talks to his dog into an embittered, faithless cynic. And God knows he has reason to doubt: his wife and daughter were killed during the evacuation, and he spends his days scavenging for supplies and searching for an antidote. His nights are spent barricaded inside a brownstone, while the creatures of the night howl for blood outside.

Despite the striking post-apocalyptic images of nature returning to the city, this is an oddly benign world. Like the herd of deer that Neville encounters, Lawrence’s vision is timid and evasive. The film falls apart when the appearance of Anna (Alice Braga) restores Neville’s faith and lays the groundwork for an absurd, religious happy ending.

Author: Nigel Floyd

Time Out London Issue 1948: December 19 2007-January 1 2008

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User reviews of this film

sassyschoolmarm said...

Posted on Jul 19 2008 17:20 Whoever sold out the end of this incredible story i.e. no 2 in the Gollancz science fiction masterworks book series should DIE (only 'The Star's My Destination' by Alfred Bester was deemed worthy of being above). Neville is not a legend because he saves a woman. He is a legend because in the eyes of the vampires who have ascended to the role of dominant species and not all of whom are evil, he is the boogeyman serial killer. Never was there such an incredible twist in a story. But the filmmakers obviously thought that the viewing public was too thick to appreciate this irony and instead wanted the syrupy, shiny happy people tinseltown ending that we have all grown to expect and despise!!!! Not even worth one star! Hooya America.

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anon said...

Posted on Mar 17 2008 21:23 i thought this film was worth going to see,i was expecting abit better but cudnt complain really :)

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........fp....... said...

Posted on Mar 17 2008 13:20 i think this film is amasing it iis the best film i have ever seen u who diss are dull people who dont know a gud thing when even if they triped over it !!!!!!!!!!!!

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Sam said...

Posted on Feb 28 2008 08:10 This is possibly the worst dross I have ever been unfortunate to see. Terrible & predictable. I could probably pick fault in every scence. avoid at all costs. truly awful!!

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tiernan said...

Posted on Feb 13 2008 12:36 this film is a legend!! one of best shows ive seen in a good while ... will smith at his best in my opinion!

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critique said...

Posted on Feb 12 2008 16:58 For once, the Time Out reviewer is pretty much spot-on. Hard to make a failure out of such excellent source material but it could have been so much better.

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i am legand said...

Posted on Feb 08 2008 20:41 i haven't seen it yet but it looks gd

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Jessii-Boo said...

Posted on Feb 07 2008 14:55 I fort this film was mint!! it made me jump all the way thru it n the only reason you lot slag it off is bcoz ur so geeky and wud rather have a film thats made perfectly rather than a film that has a gud plot!! get a life!! :) x

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Alison said...

Posted on Feb 05 2008 15:48 Awful film!! I believe if Will Smith wasn't in this film it would never have made it to the screens in the first place. The only really good part of the film is how desolate New York is made to look, full credit to the prop department. EXTREMELY boring film.

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Lonhz said...

Posted on Feb 03 2008 18:59 I was looking forward to this movie after seeing the trailers but.... not good, why? too much CGI all the zombie creatures and some of the driving sequences, just a man talking to his dog for half the film is a little dull, great idea for film though, The original Omega man with Charlton Heston is great

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bobby c said...

Posted on Feb 03 2008 18:52 Everyone is slating this movie,i was realy looking forward 2 going but now i wont bother ,i feel like my life is over.have 2 go play with my winkle now bye!

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puddy said...

Posted on Feb 01 2008 17:54 this has to be one of the sadest but gratest movies made lol i was reali looking forward to seeing it and when i saw it i wasnt let down or disapointed it was an amazing movie!

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siQ said...

Posted on Jan 31 2008 13:07 Alright Movie I Guess

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Minx said...

Posted on Jan 31 2008 09:03 awesome film!

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Andy said...

Posted on Jan 30 2008 19:03 Avoid this film at all costs. It was shallow, boring and very predictible. Why didnt the director play more on Smiths fall into mental turmoil instead of concentrating on cheap shock tactics. I want my money back, utter dross!

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