Interesting social commentary...

Rating: 6/10 (1 January 2008)

Will Smith gives a killer of a performance in I Am Legend; the man definitely has acting chops. You have to give credit to a man who can keep a one-man show interesting. In fact, he almost had me in tears at one point.
I Am Legend is a film to be savored for it's more thoughtful moments. It's set in a New York City that has been wiped out by a deadly virus. If the virus doesn't kill you, you turn into a monster/zombie/vampire that can only exist in the dark. Dr. Robert Neville (Smith) is the lone survivor, a famous scientist who is still desperately trying to save mankind.
Despite breathtaking shots of deserted and overgrown New York, the effects are rather lacking here. The monsters are one of the main disappointments of the film. Without giving anything away, I will say that several of their behaviors in the film seem, as strange as it sounds, ridiculous and over-the-top. What is good, though, is really pretty good: The film's message of fate and purpose go over well and are indeed rather hope-inducing. The film also makes a clear point of how mankind will eventually destroy itself. It's no random thing that a cure for cancer is what causes the outbreak. Humans are never satisfied to stop pushing things further, trying harder and harder to rule every aspect of our lives. When we try to play God, there will be consequences.
I Am Legend is a fine film- it just didn't achieve greatness. 7/10 stars!
Jay Addison