ClubHooligan.com - Burning it up at both ends

Web posted December 20, 2007

'I Am Legend' stands on its own

Chester Duke Carson
The Big Screen

Courtesy of Warner Bros.

All alone: Will smith plays the last man on Earth after a virus wipes out most of humanity and mutates the rest.

The first 20 minutes of "I Am Legend" make Will Smith's latest blockbuster worthy of your $10. The middle 80 minutes don't do anything to make you regret spending the $10 extra on popcorn. Finally, the third act, though somewhat contrived, puts a nice bow on a very good two hours at the cinema.

Based on the book by Richard Matheson, "Legend" is a story about the last man on Earth, Dr. Robert Neville (Smith). The basic tune to these end-of-humanity films is fairly straightforward. In "Legend," it is essentially a three-step process:

Step 1, a doctor (cameo by Emma Thompson) cures cancer with a virus.

Step 2, said virus unexpectedly spreads rapidly, killing lots of people and turning the rest into "dark seekers," aka mutant vampires.

Step 3, last man on Earth must find a cure to the first "cure" while fending off some very hungry dark seekers.

Matheson's plot, adapted by Mark Protosevich and Akiva Goldsman, is not unfamiliar. The execution of this version of the story, however, is what makes "Legend" so interesting to watch. "28 Days Later" featured an abandoned London in its opening, letting a general sense of isolation wash over moviegoers. It was a great hook. "Legend" hooks you in the same way. This time, though, it's New York City and Smith stands in for Cillian Murphy.

After a moment of back story - Thompson curing cancer - we are ushered ahead three years to 2012. The Big Apple is completely absent of humanity. Abandoned cars clog the streets and shrubbery is doing its best to reclaim the sidewalks. Birds are chirping, the sun is shining, but there is not a soul around.

MOVIE REVIEW 'I am legend'

Rating: ★★★

Starring: Will Smith, Emma Thompson and dark seekers.

Director: Francis Lawrence.

Parent's guide: PG-13.

Running time: 1 hour, 40 mins.

Enter Dr. Neville and his shiny Ford Mustang ripping through a vacant Times Square. Neville is not completely alone; he's got his dog, Sam. "Legend," in fact, surprisingly has several touching moments, and most of them are between Neville and Sam. The pair are not just joyriding; they're hunting deer. The start of the film is largely dedicated to showing us Neville's routine, whether it's hunting, renting DVDs, or securing his home at sunset. Director Francis Lawrence does an excellent job of spoon feeding it to you just slowly enough to keep you wanting to know more and more. The storytelling is spot on, and from the very start, I was completely engrossed.

Ironically, many of the best parts of "Legend" take place without a single mutant on screen. The relationship between Neville and Sam is heartwarming (and heartbreaking); Neville's delicate psyche is interesting to observe as he is forced to make conversation with mannequins; the flashbacks to 2009, given to you gradually, aid in fitting pieces of the story together. I just wish I could say I raised an eyebrow at the gas prices when Neville stops to siphon fuel: $6. Doesn't seem that unrealistic.

Of course, it'd be irresponsible to avoid talking about the mutants. Some folks will surely be disappointed with these CGI creatures. I had no problem with them. "Legend" does not overdo their on-screen time, instead making the building suspense elicited from their perceived presence the star. The mutants, quite honestly, are not overly scary, and the movie is not overly bloody. In the suspense department, though, I'd take "Legend" over just about anything I've seen in years. In my mind, the only letdowns in "Legend" occur toward the end when other humans enter the fold.

On the whole, "I Am Legend" is a nice change of pace from the steady stream of crap that seems to fill theaters these days. Coming home for the holidays, I might just try and drag my parental units to Gross Alaska for a second showing.