a bit conventional but with extraordinary visuals

Rating: 7/10 (16 January 2008)

Robert Neville is almost literally the last man left on Earth. Through some bizarre trick of fate, he's one of only a handful of people with a natural immunity to a virus that, in less than three years time, has denuded the world of most of its human population. Now, Neville, a renowned virologist himself, spends his days cruising the streets of a deserted Manhattan, and his nights hiding out from the infected cannibalistic mutants who venture forth only after dark (shades of "The Time Machine," "Night of the Living Dead" and dozens of other similar films).
"I Am Legend" is just the latest film version of the 1954 Richard Matheson novel that also served as the basis for 1971's "The Omega Man," with Charlton Heston in the lead role. Despite its occasional feeling of over-familiarity, "I Am Legend," is a generally more subtle and thoughtful work than the average sci-fi film, one that, in addition to its more conventional action sequences and flesh-eating monsters, explores themes like survivors' guilt and the effect of prolonged isolation on the human psyche. The movie, however, is clearly most notable for its remarkably convincing vision of a desolate, post-apocalyptic New York City, where weeds grow promiscuously through holes in the pavement and uninhabited buildings and idle cars serve as ghostly reminders of a civilization now gone from the scene (though one questions whether the place would really look quite this shoddy a mere three years after its abandonment). Kudos to director Francis Lawrence and his crack team of visual and special effects artists for so successfully bringing this concept to life on screen. For the most part, the thrills are nicely balanced with moments of tender sentiment, as Neville reflects back on the time he had with his late wife and daughter.
In a role reminiscent of Tom Hanks' in "Cast Away," Will Smith, largely bereft of any human companionship, spends most of the movie talking either to himself or to Sam, his loyal German Shepherd. In this setup, Smith once again demonstrates that he is definitely a commanding presence on screen, keeping us interested even in those moments when not much is actually happening in the story. For, there is, admittedly, a trifle more downtime in the movie than many of the more hardcore action fans would probably like. That objection aside, however, "I Am Legend" provides enough food for thought and a sufficient number of jump-out-of-your-seat thrills to make it worth watching.