I Am Legend

Synopsis

Three years after a horrible plague in 2012, a lone surviving scientist (Will Smith, Men In Black) desperately tries to concoct a cure for the virus that has destroyed most of the human race. He does all of this while trying to maintain his sanity and trying to stay alive.
 

Review

Intense suspense. Blood thirsty human like creatures. Will Smith all alone looking scrumptulicious is a sure fire way to keep my attention and have me gripping to my arm rest during many scenes. YIKES! I had to make sure to exhale most of the time. I was too busy holding my breath at some of the crazy moments when the zombies were ready to feast. I definitely was entertained but, there were tons of – to be quite frank –stupid scenes that possibly couldn’t and wouldn’t make sense. I will get into more of these scenes in Reel Talk.

Here's the story. A genetically engineered virus destroys the human race except for one lone survivor in New York City. Dr. Robert Neville (Will Smith, The Pursuit of Happiness & Men In Black). The virus has transformed half of the human race into creatures of the night.  They are blood thirsting, zombie-like vampires. Robert, US Army virologist is immune to the virus. He spends his days, while the zombies can’t be exposed to sunlight, speeding around the desolate city with his loyal dog Sam hunting deer, hitting golf balls off an abandoned aircraft carrier and picks up DVD’s to watch. Robert fervently works at finding an antidote in his basement’s lab to cure the zombies. He also waits each day for a reply to his incessant recorded radio broadcasts, which informs any uninfected survivors to meet him at midday at the South Street Seaport. Man, that had to be rough. Straight up Groundhog Day just sending out the same message over and over again. MMMM. I was wishing a brotha luck.

This movie is a third attempted adaptation of Richard Matheson’s 1954 novel. The first movie inspired The Last Mann on Earth in 1964 and The Omega Man in 1971. I can’t compare the movies because I did not see the first two. Sorry!

I can appreciate Will’s performance in this movie because he truly was a one-man-show. Yeah, he had his pooch, but the dog couldn't talk. Will resorts to talking to mannequins like they are his best friends. He even flirts with a female mannequin, like "Hi you doing." Will sweetie, they aren't real. This man starts to crack. I deeply felt all the emotions he portrayed as a lone man. People! He was alone for three years! This means no human contact. No love, no conversation, no nothing. I would have lost my mind. I would have been out of my tree. So, I felt like I was drawn in and transported right in this movie with Will, the zombies and Sam the dog. Sam was a great actor, if that is what you would call a pooch. She displayed true loyalty to her master, acted scared when the zombies were ready to attack and hurt when she was caught up in a confrontational moment. Legend satisfied me with it's drama, suspense, and the promising premise.

My Rating ~ 4 Reels

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