I Am Legend
To round off the year I think I just about have time for one last film review, moving to this new format of the blog has made it a lot easier for me to put up reviews and with the decision not just to review films from the cinema I have a lot more material to write about than before. Of course this does mean that I still probably see two films for every one review I write but I will try to correct that next year even if it means slightly short but more frequent reviews, I think it would be nice to build up a picture of my film viewing for the entire year and next year is one where I hope to catch up on a lot of older classic films that I painfully admit I have never seen before, so it should be a healthy mix of the old and new.
I am Legend is the third filmic adaptation of Richard Matheson’s classic 1954 novel of the same name, the plot as you are probably aware concerns Robert Neville (Will Smith) the last survivor of a deadly virus living in New York City, which has become desolate and overgrown. But as he desperately searches for a cure and to maintain his sanity it becomes clear that he is far from alone in the city. To reveal much more would be a shame as I went into the film knowing very little and it made the experience much richer to come to it cold. One of the first things to mention with the film is Will Smith, over the years I have constantly been impressed by his performances, making the usually awkward transition from comedy to serious drama look easy and for generally even outside the movies coming across as one of the most decent and likeable people you could hope to meet. Here he impresses once again, and it’s no mean feat given that he has to carry the entire film on his shoulders, Smith is in almost every shot of the film and for 90% of the running time has no co-star but his faithful dog. Yet he keeps Neville an engaging and real character, flawed and struggling with keeping up his day to day routine, so much that he becomes fascinating to watch.
Some may find the early pace of the film slow but I thought it was a brilliant decision to spend the time building a picture of this man’s world and how he has come to cope with a seemingly hopeless situation. Another brave decision was also not to downplay the mental instability that comes with extreme isolation and there is a great pathos and sadness in the fake conversations Smith has with the various mannequins he has set up around the city to simulate human contact.
However once the second half of the film kicks in it switches up a couple of gears and the action and scares come more frequently. Don’t get me wrong, this is a pretty scary film in places and director Francis Lawrence expertly cranks up the tension in several scenes, the quiet nature of the beginning help offset the shocks that come later and there is a feeling of dread always lurking in the background unseen. In fact one of the films only flaws is that it lets this menace be seen and though some of the CG work is good is still looks rather fake and is a bit of a let down in places, being far too cartoony and feels a tad disjointed from the reality established early on.
Still at the end of the day this is a very solid and surprisingly deep and sombre character piece that still manages to entertain but that makes a potent effort at digging below the surface and putting us in the shoes of an engaging protagonist. A welcome change and definitely a film worth checking out on the big screen for the spectacle and the experience.
Will Smith cements his status as one of the biggest stars on the planet with this accomplished and moving ode to loneliness and humanity. Big issues for a blockbuster but they are tackled well, and the pondering never gets in the way of the action when it kicks in. Just a few less CG monsters next time and you’re all set.
To round off the year I think I just about have time for one last film review, moving to this new format of the blog has made it a lot easier for me to put up reviews and with the decision not just to review films from the cinema I have a lot more material to write about than before. Of course this does mean that I still probably see two films for every one review I write but I will try to correct that next year even if it means slightly short but more frequent reviews, I think it would be nice to build up a picture of my film viewing for the entire year and next year is one where I hope to catch up on a lot of older classic films that I painfully admit I have never seen before, so it should be a healthy mix of the old and new.
I am Legend is the third filmic adaptation of Richard Matheson’s classic 1954 novel of the same name, the plot as you are probably aware concerns Robert Neville (Will Smith) the last survivor of a deadly virus living in New York City, which has become desolate and overgrown. But as he desperately searches for a cure and to maintain his sanity it becomes clear that he is far from alone in the city. To reveal much more would be a shame as I went into the film knowing very little and it made the experience much richer to come to it cold. One of the first things to mention with the film is Will Smith, over the years I have constantly been impressed by his performances, making the usually awkward transition from comedy to serious drama look easy and for generally even outside the movies coming across as one of the most decent and likeable people you could hope to meet. Here he impresses once again, and it’s no mean feat given that he has to carry the entire film on his shoulders, Smith is in almost every shot of the film and for 90% of the running time has no co-star but his faithful dog. Yet he keeps Neville an engaging and real character, flawed and struggling with keeping up his day to day routine, so much that he becomes fascinating to watch.
Some may find the early pace of the film slow but I thought it was a brilliant decision to spend the time building a picture of this man’s world and how he has come to cope with a seemingly hopeless situation. Another brave decision was also not to downplay the mental instability that comes with extreme isolation and there is a great pathos and sadness in the fake conversations Smith has with the various mannequins he has set up around the city to simulate human contact.
However once the second half of the film kicks in it switches up a couple of gears and the action and scares come more frequently. Don’t get me wrong, this is a pretty scary film in places and director Francis Lawrence expertly cranks up the tension in several scenes, the quiet nature of the beginning help offset the shocks that come later and there is a feeling of dread always lurking in the background unseen. In fact one of the films only flaws is that it lets this menace be seen and though some of the CG work is good is still looks rather fake and is a bit of a let down in places, being far too cartoony and feels a tad disjointed from the reality established early on.
Still at the end of the day this is a very solid and surprisingly deep and sombre character piece that still manages to entertain but that makes a potent effort at digging below the surface and putting us in the shoes of an engaging protagonist. A welcome change and definitely a film worth checking out on the big screen for the spectacle and the experience.
Will Smith cements his status as one of the biggest stars on the planet with this accomplished and moving ode to loneliness and humanity. Big issues for a blockbuster but they are tackled well, and the pondering never gets in the way of the action when it kicks in. Just a few less CG monsters next time and you’re all set.
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