Semi-satisfied

Rating: 7/10 (15 December 2007)

First of all I didn't read the book so I can't comment on that but knowing the trend, this movie probably butchered it.
On to the Review...
Robert Neville(Will Smith) and Sam(the dog) are all alone in a world where a virus has turned humans into zombies. These creatures are afraid of sunlight which forces Robert to live during the day and survive during the night as he tries to find a cure that will save humanity.
I've always had a thing for apocalyptic movies, my favorite being Children of Men. The strength of these type of movies lie in the atmosphere. It has to suck you into this world of fear and tragedy and never let go, not even after the credits roll. It should let you ponder the meaning of existence and perhaps shed light to present issues. I am Legend contains some elements of a great movie, but ultimately feels neither chaotically fun, nor intellectually stimulating.
Will Smith as Robert Neville is great as usual and his interaction with Sam is probably the best thing about the movie. You feel that their grateful companionship is the only thing keeping them alive which leads to some great scenes of hope and despair. The first 3/4 of the movie is actually pretty good with the emptiness of NYC and the constant feeling of looming danger. This buildup is ruined by the weak ending. I won't spoil it for you but you'll be disappointed given the quality of the rest of the movie (minus the zombies which look totally fake and not scary). Some movies seek to be intellectually stimulating while others choose to be mindless fun. This movie seeks to do both which doesn't work too well. You'll probably like it. Just don't expect too much.