Lawrence (who also directed Constantine) captures the unsettling atmosphere of a post-apocalyptic landscape using silent, panning shots to show how nature is rapidly reclaiming the landscape: Waist-high weeds push through deteriorating asphalt, deer leap around rotting, rusted, abandoned traffic jams. Neville's rapport with his dog Sam is endearing, and his creepy, occasionally ridiculous banter with mannequins arranged in varying locations around the deserted metropolis is tolerable. This third big-screen adaptation of the '54 novel by Richard Matheson jumps off on a high note visually. Robert Neville, the seemingly sole survivor of a global pandemic, a viral infection that turned the majority of the world's population into darkseekers – rabid, zombielike vampires. It was on the initial tidal wave of excitement that I was willing to overlook Will Smith ( have you SEEN Hitch?) cast as Dr. Films like Children of Men, The Host, The Descent and the bevy of clever monster movies on the horizon are taking a notoriously lowbrow genre highbrow, moving past the era of Resident Evils into a realm of dystopian films that rope in and enthrall mainstream audiences.ĭirector Francis Lawrence's I Am Legend follows suit into this nuevo highbrow horror/science-fiction genre with a hugely successful opening weekend and box-office estimates of $77 million*.* The film works on many levels: Will Smith's acting is spot-on and the movie delivers action and suspense in spades, and yet it fails to actively engage the audience in a meaningful dialogue – a shame, since the central themes of self-destruction and isolation are more complex than ever explored.
A well-made horror/sci-fi flick is often, sadly, the exception.
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