Hail to the Legendary Will

Rating: 7/10 (9 January 2008)

In I am legend, Will Smith vividly portrayed Robert, a virologist lieutenant whose sole company was kept by his daughter's dog. In order to survive in New York Jungle, now disserted after a tremendous virus attack, in the day time, Robert teamed up with his dog, Samantha, to hunt down deer for dinner or Dark-Seekers for antivirus experiment. While after sunset, they hid from Dark Seekers in their cozy house without lightÂ… Sounds familiar? Even though the original story, a novel by Richard Matheson, is considered the first novel which depicts a disastrous virus spread leading the world to its end, audience nowadays are bombarded with similar typical Horror B films, say The Living Dead series or Bio Hazard series. Instead of competing against its fellow B movie comrades, I am legend focuses on a more personal issue, the solitude of men in today's world. It precisely pointed out the mental status of a man in solitude, such as compulsively repetitive behaviors or the lack of communication skills, etc. The story is about the sole survivor of the planet. It undoubtedly is a one man show, like Tom Hanks in Cast Away, and not every actor has the guts and talents for it. Luckily, there is Will Smith, whose Oscar winning acting is so genuine and natural that it gives an ache to your heart. From his tired eyes and tears, you know Robert is no longer a character in the movie. He is a man of flesh, just like you and me, who may lose his faith out of despair and regain it by a coincidental revelation...
Only in a simple-plot movie can we find the true value of an actor. Besides setting a barrier between reality and drama by his acting, an actor should also persuade the audience that he is REAL. Will Smith has set a great example for the characteristics mentioned above, and I think the Academy should let him win another Oscar award for his role in I am legend.