Late Alterations Damage a Well-Intentioned Adaptation

Rating: 7/10 (10 October 2011)

As with almost any literary adaptation, fans of the source material in search of a literal interpretation will probably find a lot to fault in this Will Smith vehicle, particularly in its neutered take on the story's conclusion. All of the original's deeper underlying meanings are still there, buried in the actions and expressions of the transfigured creatures Smith does his best to avoid, but without a big reveal to lay all the cards on the table they're too easily shrugged off or overlooked altogether. That positions this as, basically, a hybrid summer blockbuster / suspense-laden monster movie with a better than usual premise. In this role it fares well - Smith portrays the terrifying isolation of the last sane man on Earth with passion and depth, leaving memories of his less-inspired earlier work far in the past. He's come a long way from Independence Day or even Hancock, and surprisingly little of that has the more stern-faced, serious script to thank. Legend's computer effects are a different story: while exceptional at rendering an overgrown, deserted NYC skyline, they feel excessive and overwhelming when it come to the creatures themselves. Though it may not live up to the lofty expectations of its namesake, this is hardly a complete write-off. In fact, as mass market action pictures go it's unusually smart, expertly paced and generally contemplative. A pity it didn't have the balls to stick with that original ending, though, as I think it would have been much more universally appreciated.