"I AM LEGEND" aka "I AM CRAP" (scene, actors)

[Lindsey_Mcfarren]

77 Million for its opening weekend, its now the TOP grossing film.

[b. frank]

Originally Posted by cil

Agreed.
There was (to me) a major spoiler in another newspaper review I read, and it was rather a grim spoiler...I'm not sure I'll even rent the movie when it comes to DVD. And I am a big Will Smith fan.

If you are a big Will Smith fan, then you will probably like this - throughout most of the movie, his acting is excellent.
The first two thirds of the movie are really good.
IMO the plot falls apart in the last third of the film. And, although I usually don't complain about CGI, its really lackluster here. But could have been a great one.

[sponger42]

Yes, I'm going to spoil the movie, and the OP also included some spoilers for those who are wondering.
So...

SPOILER ALERT!! SPOILERS IN ITALICS

Originally Posted by Calibelle

The first thing I see is Will Smith in a brand new Ford Mustang drifting through abandoned New York. These Hollywood actors really bother me. They cry Global Warming, and complain about huge corporations corrupting our economy and ruining the planet, yet they participate in films that completely advertise all the huge corporations that they are fighting against. Whatever.

I don't think the Mustang scene glorifies gas guzzlers any more than teeing off the wing of an SR-71 (Museum) glorifies post-apolyptic anarchy. Every disaster film that depicts mass death does so by showing that conservation is no longer required and societal norms no longer apply because the population has been drastically reduced. Yeah, it Will a schill for Ford, but there are plenty of futuristic movies that show hybrids/renewables/clean energy in widespread use (when 99% of the human population hasn't been eradicated).

Why is it that the "Dark Seekers" are so stupid that they have no human characteristics anymore... yet they have a leader dude who is smart enough to sick the zombie dogs on Will?

That's kind of the whole point. The Doctor insists on his tapes that the Dark Seekers have no human characteristics because he has conducted experiments that have murdered hundreds of them. Remember the "Oh my God!" horrified reaction of the woman when she saw the doctor's wall of death? His defensive response "God didn't do this, we did!" and his insistance about God not existing? All these are defensive reactions to the horrific experiments he's conducting on the Dark Seekers.

When the male lead (father? husband?) dark seeker runs out into sunlight to try to retrieve the female (daughter? wife?), Will sees it as "showing that their basic self-preservation instincts are gone" but it is actually obviously a protective reaction indicative of a functioning society. Likewise the trap that the male DS set for Will, the organized combat, and their ability to understand Will's radio broadcasts and come to the dock looking for him.

Will Smith is an anti-hero in this movie. He is a mix of mad scientist and saviour of the human race. Dark Seekers aren't mindless zombies ala 28 days or every other horror flick. They are an evolved (or devolved) form of humans. Will's experiments on them to try to "cure" them are a mixed blessing. He has murdered hundreds (granted, they "ate" millions of immune humans, so the Dark Seekers certainly aren't angels) with his experiments. At the end of the movie, the Dark Seekers will not listen to his entreaties to let him cure them and their rage ends up destroying themselves along with the doctor. This is a pretty deep allegory with multiple meanings and interpretations if you trouble yourself to think about it.

I really thought the filmmakers were going to go in a different direction due to foreshadowing and hints dropped all through the movie. Instead, they took a safer more generic route. I wonder if there might not be an alternate ending floating around out there. It's possible they meant to have a very different conclusion, but it might not have tested will with screeners, leading them to make Will a little more hero mad scientist and a little less deranged mad scientist.

I really enjoyed this movie because of the cerebral component, along with creepy monsters (until they start screaming and fighting), amazing post-apocalyptic vistas, and a very mixed message open to interpretation. I'm looking forward to reading the book.

And why are the male monsters hating their shirts... but the females are modest enough to still wear a top? And the way the monsters communicate... SO predictable. An open mouth yell. *yawn*

I don't understand your complaint. Male humans tend to not wear tops in informal situations, but females do. Why would you think a mutated human wouldn't retain that characteristic.

These mutated humans are more aggressive than the immune humans. Aggressive humans tend to communicate by yelling. I don't see a problem with that, although they were creepier when they were quiet and sleeping (eating?) in a huddle. Plus, you're not exactly seeing them in normal "home" life as they only show up during combat situations (except for the sneaking around in the "hive" scene).

And do tell me... if the bridges going onto the island are blown up... how that woman who suddenly appears at the end of the film, managed to drive in and out of NYC???

Maybe she commandeered a ferry. Maybe she didn't drive but simply took a boat and appropriated supplies and vehicles on what ever side she reached. I don't think this is a major plot hole. Cars and equipment were strewn everywhere.

Any one else have an opinion on this film????

SPOILERS END

I liked this movie for the reasons stated above. It's not your typical horror/action/suspense flick. It might be a little confusing if you approach it expecting not to have to think about the events you see onscreen, but I like that it makes you think a little.

I'd give it an A -
My only wish is for a re-worked ending. (Agree with b.frank)

[Mach50]

I won't see it simply because it looks exactly like 28 days or 28 weeks (I know the I am Legend book came out before).

The movie producers should wait like 5-10 years before they release the same style of movie.
The fact that it did so well, proves that Americans love being fed the same crap over and over.

[b. frank]

Originally Posted by Mach50

I won't see it simply because it looks exactly like 28 days or 28 weeks.

The movie producers should wait like 5-10 years before they release the same style of movie. The fact that it did so well proves that Americans love being fed the same crap over and over.

As a huge fan of 28 Days Later and 28 Weeks Later, I can tell you that no big-budget Will Smith action movie will ever resemble those films. And I still saw I am Legend. Not because I like to continually eat the same Hollywood crap, but because it looked like it could be a good movie. Besides, 28 Days Later is not crap at all.

The similarities are there (apocolyptic world full of "infected" humans) and maybe that is an attempt by Hollywood to sucker people into seeing I Am Legend. But here's a news flash: Every movie to come out of Hollywood is based on the same "trick". Hollywood is a money-making machine, not an art gallery. It seems pretty silly to allow that fact to determine which movies you see and which you avoid.

[Calibelle]

To sponger42.That's cool. You are entitled to interpret the film however you want. I am just going with the FACTS that they actually stated in the film, not going beyond what was actually shown justifying it with my imagination. The movie was a complete no brainer, and it was completely un-original.

Will Smith is a brilliant actor, he just picked a crap script. The ending was so abrupt it was ridiculous. It was like that woman and the boy were just thrown into the film suddenly... you had no attachment to them whatsoever. It was the most random thing ever, in my opinion.

In response to Lindsey_ McFarren, I am not saying you shouldn't see the film. By starting this thread... I simply wanted to state that this film is over-rated. Will Smith was starring in it, he is a Hollywood A-Lister, so why wouldn't all of America think it was going to be great, hence the reason it grossed so much in the opening weekend. I'm just putting it out there that many of us buy into the latest Hollywood blockbuster simply because we hope so much for an awesome holiday film, and because we assume that because it contains a highly paid, well known actor, that it will be worth our money and time.

I guess where there's a Will... there's a Way... 77 million bucks. He can command the audiences, but the script itself is to be desired.

[sun queen]

Calibelle, I am so sorry u wasted your movie passes and u found nothing redeemable about this movie. When I don't enjoy a movie I over-analyze it for days. I wonder if that's a female thing though. If my son does not like a movie he states it if asked and never talks about it again. He did not like the ending of this movie and would not see it again. I had absolutely no expectations of it, so the movie could only go up in my eyes. I thought it was a little scarry and sad, but it kept my attention. Maybe I should see it again to see if I dislike it as much as u. I love the title... Better luck on the next movie u and your husband go and see.

[NooYowkur81]

I will definitely catch I am legend on dvd when it comes out there. But I am in no rush to see it at the movie theater. I'm not a big Will Smith fan. Although I did enjoy I, Robot quite a bit.

[sunflower53072]

I just saw this today. I loved the first 3/4 of it. I think they could have made it longer and made a much better ending after developing the characters a bit more. It seemed a bit rushed to me at the end.

[Anarchy]

I can't wait to see this I like the sound of this movie and hope I do like it, Will Smith is a great actor although he should not have done Wild Wild West.