Will Smith Stars in I am Legend
Pamela Scott Shelton
December 18, 2007
I do not often see a packed theatre when I go to the movies. This time, the theatre was packed. It’s not that the people who live here do not like movies, because they love movies. There are three video rental stores in my little town of less than 2,000 people. People just carefully decide whether or not seeing a film at the theatre is worth their hard earned dollars, or whether they should wait for the DVD release. In the case of I am Legend, starring Will Smith as biologist Dr. Robert Neville, and costarring Abbey the German Shepherd as Samantha; it is a no brainer – Will Smith – German Shepherd - buy the ticket!
Robert Neville is the creator of a manmade virus meant to be a God send. Instead, those humans who survive the virus are reduced to monsters, save for a few, including Neville. Now, Neville searches in desperation for the cure – and other survivors who were unaffected by the virus.
The set adds to the film’s conveyance of post manmade disaster, desolation and destruction. The New York City streets are in places clogged with abandoned vehicles and buses. The apartment where Neville and Sam live is typical New York City living - only now it is battery powered by Honda batteries. Neville can drive a new sports car everyday, but he must literally hand pump the gasoline from deep within the gas station storage wells. Life is not just lonely for Neville, it is a lot of work too.
The cinematography is excellent. Wide pans along a New York City street that is not just an abandoned car graveyard, but also home to wild deer and lions alike, conveys the sense of human life in progress, which quite suddenly came to a halt, and just as quickly turned to chaos. Each camera angle creates for the viewer a new perspective of loneliness on a planet that is suddenly beyond mankind’s control.
Neville, practicing his golf drive from the wing of an Air Force jet, drives an amazing long shot, but there is no one to share the moment with. His companion, Sam (Samantha) the German Shepherd keeps Neville anchored in the reality of the moment by responding to every scent, sound and visual aspect of the environment around her, which could at any moment spell disaster for Neville. The dog and the man are a team, fearless during the daylight hours, but, at night, they cower together in a deep bathtub as the infected human monsters take over the streets.
As an actor, Will Smith is a sure thing. He has proven himself a great talent time and again, and he does not let the moviegoer down in this one either. There is a particular scene in this movie that demonstrates Smith’s ability in such a way as to completely absorb the viewer. It is an astounding demonstration of Smith's acting ability.
Smith's performance is beyond reproach, even when the script goes south. One minute the storyline is carrying the viewer along at a great and interesting pace, and suddenly you reach a point in this script where without warning it abruptly changes course. The screenwriters made a choice in the direction of the storyline that, well, just doesn’t make a lot of sense. It is Smith and Abbey the dog, and a host of very talented actors playing “the infected,” whose talents combined with the special effects save the film.
I noticed as I left the movie that people were pretty quiet. I think they were still trying to figure out how a storyline that started strong, whimpered out on them. This movie is worth the ticket, but you might skip the soda and the popcorn to feel like you got your money’s worth.
Robert Neville is the creator of a manmade virus meant to be a God send. Instead, those humans who survive the virus are reduced to monsters, save for a few, including Neville. Now, Neville searches in desperation for the cure – and other survivors who were unaffected by the virus.
The set adds to the film’s conveyance of post manmade disaster, desolation and destruction. The New York City streets are in places clogged with abandoned vehicles and buses. The apartment where Neville and Sam live is typical New York City living - only now it is battery powered by Honda batteries. Neville can drive a new sports car everyday, but he must literally hand pump the gasoline from deep within the gas station storage wells. Life is not just lonely for Neville, it is a lot of work too.
The cinematography is excellent. Wide pans along a New York City street that is not just an abandoned car graveyard, but also home to wild deer and lions alike, conveys the sense of human life in progress, which quite suddenly came to a halt, and just as quickly turned to chaos. Each camera angle creates for the viewer a new perspective of loneliness on a planet that is suddenly beyond mankind’s control.
Neville, practicing his golf drive from the wing of an Air Force jet, drives an amazing long shot, but there is no one to share the moment with. His companion, Sam (Samantha) the German Shepherd keeps Neville anchored in the reality of the moment by responding to every scent, sound and visual aspect of the environment around her, which could at any moment spell disaster for Neville. The dog and the man are a team, fearless during the daylight hours, but, at night, they cower together in a deep bathtub as the infected human monsters take over the streets.
As an actor, Will Smith is a sure thing. He has proven himself a great talent time and again, and he does not let the moviegoer down in this one either. There is a particular scene in this movie that demonstrates Smith’s ability in such a way as to completely absorb the viewer. It is an astounding demonstration of Smith's acting ability.
Smith's performance is beyond reproach, even when the script goes south. One minute the storyline is carrying the viewer along at a great and interesting pace, and suddenly you reach a point in this script where without warning it abruptly changes course. The screenwriters made a choice in the direction of the storyline that, well, just doesn’t make a lot of sense. It is Smith and Abbey the dog, and a host of very talented actors playing “the infected,” whose talents combined with the special effects save the film.
I noticed as I left the movie that people were pretty quiet. I think they were still trying to figure out how a storyline that started strong, whimpered out on them. This movie is worth the ticket, but you might skip the soda and the popcorn to feel like you got your money’s worth.
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