Derivative and badly paced

Rating: 2/10 (22 January 2008)

Possibly receiving (hypothetical) awards for "Most Derivative Motion Picture", "Most Boring Horror/Suspense Film (post 1960s)." The "Help Help The People From 28 Days Later Are Suing Us" award. The "Most Money Spent For So Little Effect" award. The "Was That A Zombie Or Has Gollum Turned Up" award for "Regrettably Derivative Live Action Character CGI Effects"? It hurts us my precious! The premise is exactly the same as 28 Days Later... and even Resident Evil and Doom did essentially the same thing (hiding from Zombies or attacking Zombies - look, it's a Zombie film, OK?) as this film but at least Resident Evil was more enjoyable because it took itself less seriously. The last man alive thing was already done in Quiet Earth, quite a bit more believably despite obvious differences in budget and special effects technologies.
While the hand held camera look has a valuable place in cinematography, I think my eyeballs got whiplash at one point trying to track the scenery. Ouch... No, seriously...
Will Smith does a damn good effort but he's too practised and slick and confident. Robert Carlyle from 28 Weeks Later is far more convincing - a different world of fear, desperation, determination and emotional hurt. Smith is wooden by comparison despite some very cute character peculiarities when he finally meets another person after so many years alone with just his dog to talk to. It's just too smooth to feel real.
This is an annoying film for fans of science fiction because it re-does so much that has been better done before and tries to make the mundane look exceptional with unpleasant pretentiousness. Themes that should have been explored weren't (were the zombies forming a structured society of their own despite Will Smith's character's assertion they were mindless beasts?, were they evolving?, did they possess more intelligence than given credit for? Hinted at but not explored.) Wait until you can hire it on DVD, the special effects really aren't that good.
I am Legend: the feel-good Zombie Movie...