I Am Legend - Movie Review

Will Smith stars in this apocalyptic tale of survival against mutant humans. This movie is another attempt at putting Richard Matheson's great story on the big screen. The Omega Man starring Charlton Heston was another earlier attempt that did not quite make the grade in great films.

There is only one thing in this movie that ruins the entire story and that is the special effects. Will Smith does a great job carrying the story throughout a highly unlikely plot (far off of the original Matheson story), as a scientist charged with curing all of the eastern seaboard of their viral infection. As the last known living uninfected human being he wanders the big city during the day time hunting free roaming deer and avoiding the lions that have somehow shown up out of nowhere as if on a safari.

The special effects used to depict the infected humans is ludicrous at best. If the director had chosen to do real humans with makeup effects (knowing that our technology today even in makeup is far better than it has ever been before) this could have been a great movie. As many directors today continue to make the same mistake this director created virtual actors on screen to do the work which of course was mediocre in result. Our imaginations have become lazy as our filmmakers continue to create the illusion with digital effects rather than allow our minds to do their work.

It is unfortunate as what we see on screen is over the top ghoulies that are no more scary or interesting or having character than animated play dough.

Not a very good movie over all.