Based on a novel by Richard Matheson, I am Legend is a story about the lone survivor of an apocalypse caused by a pandemic of bacteria which mutate men into monsters.

The film starts out wonderfully silent. In the opening sequence, we witness a world in utter ruins and completely void of any human existence. Looking at the city of New York empty and void of human life leaves you completely awestruck. You wonder how such a powerful nation could be completely terminated by something so tiny and insignificant.

Will Smith who stars in the film continues his streak of superb acting and strong performances. It was not his best performance, (I save that for The Pursuit of Happyness), but he seemed to put his whole heart into it as he spoke basically to himself for three quarters of his dialogue. What the film lacked in character development was made up by Smith’s emotions and overall demeanor throughout the movie.

The storyline was dull however and I would have liked to have more of a background as to why Smith was chosen to stop the virus, how the virus got airborne, and how he survived when the millions of others did not. Instead, the film focuses much more on Smith’s quest to find a cure to the infection and his daily routines as he scours New York for food and other possible human life.

Overall this film was a good one. Although the story was not very strong, it was quite entertaining and worth a weekend at the matinée.

Synopsis:

Robert Neville is a brilliant scientist, but even he could not contain the terrible virus that was unstoppable, incurable, and man-made. Somehow immune, Neville is now the last human survivor in what is left of New York City and maybe the world. For three years, Neville has faithfully sent out daily radio messages, desperate to find any other survivors who might be out there. But he is not alone. Mutant victims of the plague — The Infected — lurk in the shadows… watching Neville’s every move… waiting for him to make a fatal mistake. Perhaps mankind’s last, best hope, Neville is driven by only one remaining mission: to find a way to reverse the effects of the virus using his own immune blood. But he knows he is outnumbered… and quickly running out of time.

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