Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #87 in DVD
• Released on: 2008-04-21
• Rating: Suitable for 15 years and over
• Format: PAL
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 96 minutes

Amazon.co.uk Review
A mainstream Hollywood actor who seems committed to igniting science fiction features, Will Smith chalked up another sizeable hit in the shape of I Am Legend, the latest cinematic adaptation of Richard Matheson's book of the same name.

This time, Smith plays Robert Neville, the last man on an Earth emptied by a deadly virus that he continues to try and find a working vaccine for. With just his dog for company, and the fear of the vampires that haunt the night never far away, I Am Legend quickly establishes itself as a taut, highly watchable blockbuster, with plenty of reasons to gnaw at your nail.

Where I Am Legend really scores is in the excellent first half. The scenes of a deserted New York are quite staggering, and it's also to Smith's immense credit that he holds the attention even though for the most part he's the only person on the screen. It's a quite wonderful opening hour that the film enjoys, and one that easily stands repeat viewings alone.

The back half of I Am Legend is, almost inevitably, not quite the match of what's gone before, as the threats of the night don't, when you finally see them, live up to expectations. Nonetheless, for Smith's performance, and the sheer quality of the build up, I Am Legend can stand side-by-side with the last take on the story, the Charlton Heston-starrer The Last Man On Earth. Take either home, and you're in for a rollicking good night in front of the telly. --Jon Foster

DVD Description
Robert Neville (Will Smith, Men in Black) is a brilliant scientist. But when a man-made virus can't be contained, Neville finds himself the last human survivor in New York City and potentially the world. For three years he faithfully sends out daily radio messages, desperate to find other survivors. But he is not alone... Mutant victims of the plague (The Infected) lurk in the shadows, waiting to catch Neville out. As perhaps Earth's last hope for mankind, Neville is driven only by the desire to somehow reverse the effects of the virus before it's too late...

Stills from I Am Legend

Synopsis
Richard Matheson's classic chiller gets its third adaptation (after THE OMEGA MAN and THE LAST MAN ON EARTH) with this film from director Francis Lawrence (CONSTANTINE). Will Smith plays Robert Neville, the last survivor in a post-apocalyptic New York, but there's still danger left on the city streets.

Customer Reviews

Not quite one star.....
Not quite one star, but I will award this two.

I won't bleat on about CGU which I personally loath in the way it's included in most films these days, but cut to the chase....

(Spoilers)

1: Apparently New York's streets are thin enough to allow vegetation to grow through them in three years... if this is true, so be it, but the depiction in the film looks very poor, and distracting.

2: We are led to believe Smith is a sole survivor of the virus, and he has been broadcasting radio messages for three years to advise others of his presence. Completely unblelievably, at one point in the film, another survivor (and child no less) are introduced. This is by means of the other person saving Smith from certain death.
Where on earth had this person been? Did they tune in to a radio after three years? Had they been tracking Smith over a long period?
Simply, a ridiculous script.
3: New York is abandoned, but, apparently, all the power supplies are in good order (at least for Smith's apartment) as he is able to run industrial quantities of equipment as he seeks a vaccine.
Again, totally incredulous.

and finally, the ending (standard) is just plain ridiculous. It's as if someone said 'That's it' and they just decided to come up with some silly paragraph of speech for the ending.

I give an extra star as Smith does a reasonable enough job in the movie, but, it's no more than a 'wash over the head' flick for me.

The worst film I have EVER seen!
I had to write a review for this film to stop anyone wasting their money and buying it! It simply is the worst film I have had the misfortune to ever see. How any 'actor' could want to be associated with this is beyond me. Simply DO NOT BUY IT! If there were a minus rating option, it would be minus 10 from me!

A fair adaptation of a great book
This is the third time Richard Matheson's excellent book has been given the big screen treatment. It works well - the atmosphere of isolation is done well, and the shots of a deserted New York are very eerie in places. Will Smith gives a good performance as the last man on earth, fighting hard to keep things together.

The action is very good, although there isn't much of it. This is a good movie to experience in the right kind of mood. Recommended.