Great Movie despite it's flaws

Rating: 9/10 (17 December 2007)

As I read other reviews here on IMDb I can say that I started thinking and criticizing Legend more and more to where I considered dropping my score. Then I thought back. What is the point of my review? It's how much I ENJOYED the movie. It isn't how much I can pick it apart later after the fact. When I left the theater I couldn't have been much happier with I Am Legend. Will Smith's acting was first rate in my opinion. Sure, this isn't Pursuit of Happiness we are dealing with here so it isn't as deep as that but for the material in Legend I think many will agree that Will Smith did a fantastic job. Of course there are those who don't like Will and I've seen plenty of those reviews. I thought his spiraling break down in Legend was more than just believable. You could feel the emotions. The story in this movie was great but this is a rare time that I have to agree with the people who wished for MORE. This day in age I am getting used to complaining about movie length of many films but with all that Legend had to work with they could have easily made it 30 minutes or even an hour longer. I, like others, would have enjoyed seeing how this event got out of control and had the whole story fleshed out a bit more. While this is a complaint it should also show as an applause that this movie is good enough that you just want to see more. That is the way I look at it. My other complaint that others have pointed out is the CGI zombie like Seekers (believe that is what they are called). For CGI they looked awesome but I still long for at least a good blend of old style special effects makeup and CGI. I wish Hollywood would realize that the audience hasn't fallen in love with this cheaper way of doing special effects. CGI is good if it is used appropriately. Anyway, even with this complaint I will say that what was used in Legend was among the best I've seen. So, back to the story. Yes, it is similar to 28 Days/Weeks but where 28 went for the extra gore and action (especially 28 Weeks) Legend focuses more on giving us an in depth look at the main character and how he deals with feeling like he is the last man on earth. No matter what, viewers should be aware that Legend may be a good blend of genres but overall it feels like a horror movie. If you don't like horror then I caution you to stay away from Legend as you will undoubtedly be disappointed. If you are ready to see a horror movie that is above the norm then Legend should be a nice treat.