I Am Legend

The cartoonish abilities of the infected are a shame. They are so strong that they could perhaps shred an armoured car and so fast that they could leave Asafa Powell behind in a short sprint. That clashes a bit with the rest of the film, which is actually a kind of intimate story about the lonely life of a single survivor, his feelings and sadness. An "intimate piece" with phenomenal visual effects, it must be added, because you have never seen New York depopulated by digital magic like this before and you may not see it again for a long time in the future. This is a one-man show about a guy who hardly leaves the screen for the whole movie, and Will Smith proves that if you have the acting chops, you can sell it, even the poignant dialogue with the artificial mannequins in the shop window. Who would have guessed years ago that this Fresh Prince, who rapped to the world his wisdom about the 'gangstas' of the neighbourhood, would become such an acclaimed film star. Despite the pathetic ending, it was two interesting hours, although the lady sitting in the cinema behind me had words for it: "....more American crap." She clearly didn't mean it. (19/02/2008)

The first half is excellent, with a very good portrayal of a depopulated New York, Will Smith is brilliant and we don’t get to see much of the infected. But in the second half, when they start showing up more often and in their full glory, the quality declines because their CGI look is really not good. Also, the screenwriter deserves to be punched in the face for that ending. The rating is between 3 and 4 stars. (02/01/2008)

Atmospherically, it's an excellently executed piece of work, which, despite several undeniable virtues and innovations, unfortunately doesn't quite work. The depopulated New York is captivating, but the cause of that smacks of sloppy work and is very sketchy. The atmosphere is gripping, just like the sound effects with outdoor noises and echoes throughout the night. The villains on the other hand, are so awkward. They look very digital, meditating in an abandoned house without reacting to light for a moment, then behaving like a hungry pack with a brain the size of a pea, and in a moment, the leader (WTF?) throws orders and gestures cheerfully and without inhibitions. We actually learn absolutely nothing about their intelligence, strength, and way of life. Everything revolves only around the attempt to save and the abandoned Will Smith, who is excellent. The ending is predictably predictable and it remains to be stated that I Am Legend will not be a legend. (06/07/2008)

I'm going to be brutally honest. I Am Legend is a stupidly written and routinely filmed B-movie that has nothing to offer besides decent post-apocalyptic visuals. I don't know anything more cliché than the motif of a destructive virus that turns humanity into an army of bloodthirsty mutated zombies - and here, diplomatically speaking, it is handled unoriginally. Nothing is clever in this film. Will Smith doesn't even manage the minimum of psychological acting that is required of him, and it is better not to contemplate the existence of the depicted world and the behavior of the hero of the story. The idyllic community of survivors with a pristine white church in the middle felt more like a raised middle finger to me. The film is an easily forgettable endeavor only worthy of being broadcast on late-night TV. Overall impression: 25%. (24/10/2017)

The atmosphere, which is as thick as pure gold, is considerably diluted in the middle by a) digital monstrosities b) black-ass agitation. Point a) is well balanced by Lawrence's strictly authentic directing and Smith's charisma, but unfortunately, point b) remains hanging in the air menacingly like a rotten crucifix. The raw and hopeless prelude directly tempts to leave it at it is, because the resulting depression would definitely be more impressive than a nice village with a church and God on a cloud. Despite the final "apage satanas", I enjoyed the film. If it wasn't afraid to stay in the declining genre, it could paradoxically be much higher. P.S. If it weren't for the coward producers, the alternative ending would have ironed out the final impression... (03/10/2009)