Wow!!

Rating: 9/10 (16 December 2007)

"I Am Legend" delivered on many more levels than I expected. It was surprisingly poignant and emotional, with topical and thematic value I didn't expect. The film's overall success for me was due to the strong performance of Will Smith. There's been a lot of talk about this being a make or break film solely on the star power of Will Smith. For me, his star power isn't in question. His track record at domestic and global box office has proved that he can open a movie. Yes, he is often supported by other elements like a big director, producer, co-star and/or more commercial fare drawing a broader demographic. But this really shows how much he commits himself to his performance as an actor. His ability to internalize his experience and share it authentically is astounding. He shared the screen primarily with his canine friend, Sam, various mannequins, and blood-thirsty zombies but he manages to convey his emotions with such a layered performance, I couldn't help but be drawn into the story and his presence.
I'm sure most people are familiar with the story by now. I won't reveal any of the film's surprises or twists but essentially, an experimental cure for cancer ends up mutating, goes airborne and kills over 90% of the world's population. Of the remaining 10%, over 9% turn into light-sensitive, blood-hunger zombies which kill most of the remaining 1%, the people who are immune to the disease. Will Smith's character, Robert Nevelle, believes he is the sole survivor of the human race. He's also a scientist with a close relationship to the virus and is doing clinical trials on animals and "dark seekers" (the zombies) that he cleverly captures. There are some nice twists to the story, some great scares and pulse-pounding action, special effects and stunt work. Director Francis Lawrence did an exemplary job creating an isolated and eerie feel to a barren New York City while evoking a powerful and layered performance out of his star.
"I Am Legend" really proves the power of a performance, the imagination of creative storytelling, and the innovative use of many popular storytelling devices. Andrew Lesnie's camera work and cinematography is stunning and creepy. There's great art design and the special efforts use in the city and with the zombies is very effective and helps tell a great story with great moments of awe, suspense and wonder.
Personally, I'd love to see Warner Bros. really push for an Oscar campaign for Will Smith for best actor. He's in every scene of the film, the film works largely because of him and he brings a vulnerability to his character that really shows his risking nature as an actor. It's the type of performance and film that doesn't usually get the recognition of the Academy in acting consideration but for me it's reminiscence of Johnny Depp in "Pirates" 1. The film had an unexpectedly strong and original performance from Depp that supported and contributed to a lot of the film's success. And both films have many other visual elements that make them great entertainment. It's an unlikely film to win Will his Oscar but I'd like to see an attempt at it. And it really is inevitable for Will to win. He's too talented, powerful, beloved and committed to his craft not to. Go see this film if you want to have a great time at the movies and really experience the power of an actor's performance.