I am Legend - Review

I wonder if movie stars often claim a film to be entirely theirs?

I have no doubt they do :)

With I Am Legend, Will Smith can make that claim unhesitatingly. For one, he's pretty much the only character in the film. And two, he does a pretty neat job of being that one solitary character.

As usual, America is in trouble. The time is 2012. The place NYC. This time its an unstoppable virus that plagues humanity - infecting and annihilating the world's population. But as the film's promo says - 'The Last man on earth.. is not alone' (spoookkky trailers -check out one here and another here) there are survivors, but they aren't human anymore. Infected by the virus, they now survive only in the dark, and yes, you guessed it, scrounge for human blood to keep alive.

Robert (Smith) is immune to this virus, and as a virologist, struggles to find a cure to reverse the deadly and deathly infection. He also makes valiant (though discernibly hopeless) attempts to reach out to any human survivors in the city - broadcasting everyday on radio, keeping supplies etc. On the personal front, he tries to retain his sanity, in a place with no sign of life around him. A job he's carried out very impressively.

Oh and I almost forgot, he has a dog, who's partly immune too. One really funny moment is when Smith is scanning the calender and exclaims 'Sam, its my b'day!' and Sam the ever loving pet, cocks her head in acknowledgment - tongue out and everything.

The movie shot around a dilapidated and desolate New York, esp Brooklyn Bridge, does a tight-rope walk between thrilling and rattling - springing the viewer to anticipate what's coming next, or putting them off with wild images of the zombies who are downright ugly.

The real turn of events takes place when Smith does finally encounter real survivors - a woman and a child, the former of whom is convinced that a refuge camp exists. Robert, by now devoid of social skills, is adamant that there is no such thing and insists on staying put and figuring out a breakthrough to the virus.

Although the movie keeps you riveted and wanting more, I was less than happy with the ending. Why kill a hero when he can be saved, I ask? I don't think that would have taken anything away from the astounding flow and presentation of the film.

But then, maybe survivors don't get to be legends.