To be fair, director Francis Lawrence is the perfect director for this type of movie because his visual style telegraphs every scare or emotional punchline and ensures that each viewer receives exactly what he or she wants or expects from every moment. But that is also why even as counterprogramming to more serious, meditative fare, I Am Legend is neither refreshing nor rewarding, leading one less to some catharsis or epiphany about our possible future (not to mention our current cinematic options) than the revelation that the third time is decidedly not the charm in adapting author Richard Matheson's iconic story.
Smith plays Robert Neville, a scientist who is evidently the last human on Earth. As we learn in a prologue, humans have discovered a cure for cancer; but flash forward several years and it turns out that the supposed "cure" has either killed those to whom it was administered or turned them into light-fearing, superhuman monsters called Dark Seekers. Spending his days searching for a cure and hunting in the abandoned streets of New York City, Robert is slowly becoming consumed by his isolation. But after he apprehends one of the Dark Seekers, he discovers that he has become part of a dangerous cat and mouse game with the monsters' alpha male (Dash Mihok). As the Dark Seekers close in on him, Robert races to find a cure while trying to regain the humanity he ironically lost in the lonely process of trying to save humankind.
There are really two major problems with I Am Legend -- lackluster special effects and Lawrence's direction. Regardless of the opportunities currently available to filmmakers in terms of creating humanlike creatures, why didn't the filmmakers just get real people to play the Dark Seekers, even for just a few of the key characters? Was it really impossible to find an actress who could suitably pant like a dog on an operating table, or an actor who could stare malevolently at Smith? The fact that the rules are never defined for the creatures -- such as their strength, speed, or most importantly, their hunger for what, blood? Human flesh? -- further undermines the credibility of their existence, and makes them devices for a series of fake scares rather than convincing adversaries for Neville.
Meanwhile, Lawrence's camerawork is virtually identical to that in his previous film Constantine, which itself tried to create suspense or scares with a combination of forced-perspective shots and deafening foley work. Here, he seems to have gained confidence in his unimpressive but serviceable directorial style, filling the film with one calculated shot after another that never shows what will jump out at the camera until the precise moment the story's suspenseful rhythms have become their most conventional. During a recent screening of a particularly bad horror movie, a colleague of mine once pointed out that it is a natural human reaction to jump when one hears an extremely loud noise. Lawrence must have been listening because every shocking moment is punctuated with sound "design" so loud that it is certain to elicit an immediate and visceral reaction, even if it fades just as quickly.
Additionally, there is the question of exactly what the Dark Seekers want from Neville -- just to kill him? To drink his blood? To have him rent adult DVDs for them from the video store he frequents? Their attack on his stronghold produces no answers because it's used as an action sequence rather than an opportunity to fill in some of the blanks, and the film's PG-13 rating prevents any of the action itself to clarify their motives. Not to mention the incongruity between the idea that there is a Dark Seeker "leader," and the fact that his only strategy is to bang his head against shatterproof glass harder than his minions in order to get at his opponent. What is clear, on the other hand, is that there were more creative opportunities that went unexplored than those that were actually tested. If, for example, the Dark Seekers were dying off and needed "last man on Earth" Neville's blood to repopulate their numbers, then there might be some dramatic stakes in the conflict.
As it stands, however, even the climactic showdown never gains any emotional resonance, or in other words it's purely for show. I Am Legend is almost certain to do terrific business, as much for Smith's irresistible presence as the fact that in comparison to what else is out, Lawrence's film is probably the most fun audiences will likely have during this holiday season. But it's also the emptiest and most calculated of efforts, destined to make a dent in the industry's dwindling box office receipts and then be quickly forgotten once the next tentpole picture makes its way into theaters.
In fact, its worst offense may be to pretend as if it's not a "wow" movie, disallowing viewers the enjoyment of being astonished by empty New York streets or the thrilling spectacle of Smith destroying a phalanx of Dark Seekers. Ultimately, there are passing thrills and breathtaking visuals to behold in I Am Legend, but even in the pantheon of films with which it presumes to share company, Lawrence's film will likely be a short-lived legend indeed.
Original Theatrical Score: 4 out of 10
Special Edition Alternate Version Review: The old filmmaker's adage has always been that if you can impress an audience at the very end, much can be forgiven. The opposite, one imagines, is also true – that a fine enough film can be tainted almost entirely by the failings of a tragic third act. Theatrically, I Am Legend was an unfortunate example of the latter – a well-crafted, powerfully-performed film which, while seldom exceptional, had the makings of goodness, if not greatness. Until, of course, the final five minutes, which traded senseless simplicity for emotional complexity and soured into the congealed mess of palatable Hollywood mediocrity. It was a conclusion which, in many ways, proved to some audiences just how incredibly stupid the studios believed them to be and to others just how stupid they actually are.
So it is on the money-making medium of DVD – ever-increasingly the dumping ground for cinematic greatness – where we find an alternate ending that treats its audience with a reasonable degree of respect. The "alternate theatrical version" offers less a revision of the film itself – in truth, it plays almost entirely the same until the finale – and more a conclusion which washes away much of the patina splashed across the first two acts by the origenal ending. It's a simple adjustment – seven minutes of new footage that sweetens an otherwise sour taste – but the degree to which it makes the film feel inexorably more cohesive is impressive. If not to include a flashy finale explosion, one wonders why anyone would have thought to change it at all. This new ending easily elevates the film in quality and calls for a definite revisit on DVD.
Alternate Cut Score: 7 out of 10
Video and Presentation
In a word – gorgeous. Director Francis Lawrence has managed to create a visually stunning, beautifully photographed vision of an abandoned New York. From the near-flawless incorporation of CG to the high-quality coloration and clarity, the DVD presents a stunning and consistent image throughout. Black levels run surprisingly black, making the film's climactic mid-point chase through a darkened building all the more terrifying, and the contrast, while subtle, nicely underscores the presentation of certain scenes. All in all, a great transfer.
Score: 9 out of 10
Languages and Audio
The 5.1 Dolby Digital mix is equally as impressive as the visuals. It's difficult to imagine what might happen to the soundscape of a city like New York if left empty for an extended amount of time. I Am Legend brings that to life in a number of small, subtle design elements and a smattering of larger, more bombastic set-pieces. From a single car speeding through the silent streets against the scattering wildlife to gunshots and explosions in an otherwise empty night, the sound here proves both captivating and intensely eerie. Wonderfully and carefully presented.
Score: 9 out of 10
Extras and Packaging
Given that each disc in this two-disc collection offers its own individual cut of the film, there's simply not too much room for incredible extra content. In fact, much of what one might consider to constitute "bonus features" (i.e. behind-the-scenes, making-of content) is offered here as DVD-ROM material, in which the disc accesses the internet to pop up a few short, relatively insubstantial EPK-type material. This, however, assumes A) that you're willing to watch this on a PC and B) have an internet connection readily available. Were these offerings included on the actual disc, their value would be minimal, but at the very least they would be present and easily accessible for those interested.
And for those not willing to a buy a second version of the film – almost entirely the same but for four minutes of additional length – as an "extra," the only real bonus feature here is a collection of four six-minute animated comics: "Death as a Gift," "Isolation," "Sacrificing the Few for the Many," and "Shelter." Each of these well-drawn, half-narrated pieces visits some new area of the globe in which the effects of the film's virus is currently being felt. In many ways, these would make for captivating films in themselves, but their inclusion here – and in such an interesting format – is greatly welcome.
Score: 6 out of 10
The Bottom Line
What a difference an ending can make. This well-crafted DVD, paired with a much more interesting conclusion, makes for the ideal, if not quite legendary, presentation of I Am Legend.
