As you might be able to tell, this whole film could have wound up being an insufferable, cloyingly sweet load of cinematic swill. Everything about the film is graceful and impeccably done. It's almost too well done, robbing cynics and bad movie lovers the opportunity to make fun of the film's delicate fable-like presentation. The film does have some flaws. I disliked the brief overly stylized flashbacks to Rannulph's battle scenes.
Race is never an issue or dealt with during the film.
But mostly we are treated with wonderfully written, directed and acted scenes. Scenes that could have been cliche'd or overly corny, but aren't. Will Smith as Bagger Vance is asked to play a character who at times is a subordinate and at other times is a master teacher who is asked to mouth some wisdom of the ages type lines. It doesn't seem possible any actor could make a character like this work in a modern film, but Smith finds the right balance and tone to pull it off perfectly. Legend is a film that refused to bash you over the head or overload your senses.