When the cure of cancer becomes an airborne disease, it kills 90% of the population. The 9.8% mutate into vampiric creatures known as the Darkseekers, and the rest are humans who are immune to the disease and survive in this new world. Years after the epidemic in New York, Robert Neville manages to progress on a potential cure, but the Darkseekers appear to be much smarter and deadlier as Robert knew, which would slowly bring up revelations about the creatures as well as if there is anyone else alive in the world. Based on the novel of the same name, this adaptation is the more recognizable, due to Will Smith's star-power. It's also the most popular film adaptation due to how it changes the events of the book, but amplifies the themes. That is, if you watch the Director's Cut. The film retains a dark, dread-filled atmosphere, but with a touch of hope with Robert's charisma and his goal to find a cure. The film also manages to genre-bend drama, horror, sci-fi, and action all in a rather contemporary setting. There are even a few chuckles one can get out of it, but I should digress that this is not a feel-good film or even one that's filled with adrenaline and action set-pieces. It's much slower-paced and focuses on the mood and drama.
Will Smith is of course great as always. The charm and charisma that he brings onscreen is brought here, though a bit downplayed, due to the setting and tone of the film. Smith still has fun with the character of Neville and has his fun, over-the-top moments, but there is a lot more grounded humanity as well, especially in the slow, dramatic moments. Outside of Neville, there's not much characters. Sam is the cute, loyal, canine companion that is Neville's only friend in this lonely world, who will give dog lovers tear-jerker moments. Anna and Ethan are the duo who Neville comes across at his lowest point in order for him to live and fight for something. They honestly don't do much in the plot other than to keep Neville hopeful of more survivors and to finish the cure, as well as allow Smith to be more humble than usual. Lastly, you have the Darkseekers, who are just pale human-like creatures that are ravenous and are vulnerable to sunlight. Although the CGI on them isn't too great, the ending shows off that they are much more human and intellectual than one may seem. Despite the small cast, the characters are well-crafted for this narrative, namely Smith's performance as Neville.
Francis Lawrence might have directed the best film in his career, as his other projects have been very lackluster. Lawrence creates the post-apocalyptic New York City really well, where overgrowth of fauna has started to break the concrete, a multitude of animals from the zoos thriving in this new environment, and the overwhelming scraps of vehicles covering the streets. Along with a brown and grey colour scheme, it makes this setting more thematic and haunting. The wonderful cinematography by Andrew Lesnie also makes the setting look grand and a bit beautiful to look at, as well as creating some horror sequences that keep you at the edge of the seat, such as Neville entering a dark building with only a flashlight illuminating the interior. James Newton Howard creates a standard, but not awful, score that works well with the film, but proves unmemorable compared to his other works. The visual effects can be a touch overused since the Darkseekers, animals outside of Sam, and the city environment are clearly digital. However, you can tell that CGI was practically the only way for these elements to work together. The last thing to mention about the film is the ending. As you might know, the theatrical release ended with Neville killing the horde of Darkseekers, sacrificing himself to save the cure as well as Anna and Ethan. The Director's Cut however retains the thematic conclusion from the novel, while changing the ending drastically. It's revealed that the leader of the Darkseekers wanted to bring his mate back from Neville's lab, which Neville captured to test the cure on a subject. Neville realizes this and returns her to the Darkseekers, to which they leave out of a truce while Neville learns that he has killed numerous subjects that are the new race of the world. He leaves with the others as well as the cure, although he himself has changed deeply. This ending is not only powerful, but also different from the other adaptations where Neville is killed by savage humans, realizing that the new breed is more human than he gave credit for. It's a shame that this ending was never part of the original release, though it can be watched on home media.
"I Am Legend" is by far the best adaptation of the novel as well as one of the best post-apocalyptic films to date. With great atmosphere and mood, great directing from Lawrence, a well-written contemporary version of the story that keeps the message effective, excellent camerawork, Smith's always charming performance, and a clever genre-blend that can generate interest from those interested in horror, action, dramas, or sci-fi apocalyptic settings. The only issues that it has is the pretty mundane score by James Newton Howard, and the CGI being rough around the edges. Outside of that, this is a fantastic film that is necessary to watch the Director's Cut of. If you can only find the theatrical version, the film is still pretty good, but it will knock a few points by the ending and how it completely removes the novel's themes. This is clearly one of Smith's best films and Lawrence's best film to date.
Verdict: 8.5/10. Could almost be a masterpiece if a few issues were ironed out. A film that has aged quite well thirteen years later.
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