The "Deep Impact" in a world of "Armageddon" in a bio-hazard way...

Rating: 9/10 (16 December 2007)

I don't know if that makes sense at all, so I'll quickly explain.
Deep Impact and Armageddon came out around the same time, right? Both similar ideas: asteroid, earth, human extinction. Fun times! Anyhoo, both movies took different approaches. I found Armageddon had action in the foreground with drama being used to force a connection so we could relate to something amidst all the action w/getting to the rock and all that jazz. Deep Impact, however, I felt let the action take to the back seat, and the strongest story wasn't the asteroid but how families and people struggled to survive here on earth. Does that make sense? So yes, all preceding comments say the same crap about comparing it to the likes of Resident Evil or any shoot-em-up zombie flick, to which I agree mostly. I Am Legend doesn't fall in the same category. It's not a shoot-em-up zombie flick. It's post-apocalyptic future isn't about fighting the evil to survive. It's not about a band of survivors who are choosing to slaughter the living dead. Get the point? Anyway, I guess that'll be enough of me lecturing people on movie differences.
I thought I Am Legend was a great film. For what was pretty much a one-man show, should've felt like it was dragging on, but it didn't. Smith's co-star, the beautifully talented and charismatic Samantha (uh... the dog), was great for allowing Smith's emotions and ideas to thrive. Smith's ever growing insanity was also charming, and I would assume pretty damn accurate for someone who is isolated. I gasped when I saw the shots of New York and almost wanted to applaud them alone, it was a beautiful stage on which to set this story. I appreciated the flashbacks which helped to understand Smith's background just a bit, but the flashbacks were so few the story remained linear.
I've read how some people wanted to know more about "how the virus spread" or "what else happened." It's unfortunate that too many people can't just enjoy a story and they want all their questions answered. Not to go off movie, but that's my fear with Cloverfield, which looks to be a great monster movie. I have a feeling Cloverfield, though it's all secured and plot unknown kinda stuff, won't explain much about who or what the creature is. I doubt we'll hear "it originated from Tokyo nuclear reactor!!" Okay, going back to I Am Legend...
Just go watch it!! I almost never go to theaters. I prefer DVD (...er BluRay), but occasionally I get dragged to a theater and become pleasantly surprised. I Am Legend is, though not an epic, best seen on a larger screen, and no I don't mean a 52" HD 1080p. The scale of the city, and emotion from Smith is just so much. There were points where the movie just let you absorb in his frustration and pain. To me, a good movie either takes you on adventure, ala Pirates of the Carribbean, or gets you to connect and you're taken on an emotional roller-coaster in situations you could only imagine. ...but I loved The Sweetest Thing, and that was just plain fun. It's my guilty pleasure.
GO WATCH IT! Oh, and about the ending (since I selected the little "Spoiler" warning), it does feel kind of abrupt, but it still makes sense. True there could've been better ways to end it, there are always better ways to end things, but if you really absorb yourself into Smith's character, the outcome of this film does add up pretty accurately.
I'm gonna go look up that animated one someone told me about now, because I don't know what it's about it... and if it's not a prequel, then I seriously look forward to a prequel to this movie in the coming years, because seeing what happened in Smith's 3 years alone on the island would be great!!!