The Film
As a Science Fiction fan, I'm always intrigued when new Sci-Fi/fantasy films come out, but so many of the big budget Sci Fi action flicks are so disappointing, featuring plot lines that are too thin or too obvious, less than stellar acting or a technology or premise that just doesn't hold water. I Am Legend has a fairly common storyline, telling the tale of the last human survivor in New York City - possibly in the world - but it does so in a way that holds one's attention, and holds up fairly well under scrutiny, with a few exceptions.
Will Smith plays Doctor Robert Neville, a military officer and medical researcher tasked with developing a cure or vaccine for a so-called miracle drug that has evolved into a deadly virus. Originally thought to be a cure for cancer, the genetically tailored Krippen Virus (KV) transforms itself into a malicious highly contagious bug that kills 99% of its victims and turns most of the rest into "dark seekers," light-sensitive, super-powerful monstrosities whose thirst for blood is insatiable and whose social skills are sadly lacking. Amidst the population a tiny number of people are immune to the disease, but surviving the onslaught of the hungry dark-seekers turns out to be more of a challenge than resisting the virus itself.
Neville is (as luck would have it), one of the "lucky" ones who is immune. But as time has progressed he has seen no fellow humans in many moons and it starts to wear on his psyche. When he tangles with a dark seeker that holds a grudge and ultimately loses his last, best friend Sam, he snaps, gets sloppy and self-destructive. Without giving away too many spoilers, things begin looking pretty bleak for Dr. Neville and for any remaining humans who may be out there, but a surprising turn of events gives some hope for humanity and for Neville's ultimate redemption.
Some aspects of the film are stunning - seeing familiar locations in New York City such as Times Square and the flatiron district completely desolate after years without human habitation is downright creepy, and completely believable. Will Smith's portrayal of the tortured and driven military scientist is spot-on - we feel his pain, and his loneliness. This Will Smith has come a long way from the "Fresh Prince of Bel-Air."
But some aspects of the film are weaker - the excessive, almost cartoon-like transformation of humans into dark-seekers takes away some of their creepiness. And the intriguing plot thread that almost establishes itself dealing with the possibility that dark-seekers do have some human qualities remaining is left unexplored (at least in the regular theatrical version). But overall, the film works and the ending, if a bit abrupt, is more satisfying than many of the Happy Hollywood action flick genre. And speaking of endings, on DVD and Blu-ray Disc, the film comes with an optional alternate ending which does explore the dark-seeker's humanity but is ultimately less satisfying than the one they did choose to show in theaters.
For an alternate take on the film, see Joe Lozito's review.
The Picture
The 1080p transfer, encoded in VC1 and presented letterboxed in the theatrical aspect ratio of 2.4:1 is top-notch. As with some high definition transfers, it's almost too good, revealing limitations in the CGI effects such as the antelope stampede through the streets of the city, and some of the dark seeker "group shots" which look a little bit more "animated" than I recall in the movie theater (where we do not have the luxury of "pause" and "slow motion" buttons).
Particularly breathtaking are the shots of a deserted and overgrown New York City. The textures of torn up sidewalks and green grasses poking through streets really makes you feel like you're watching footage sent back to us from an unwanted post-apocalyptic future. Something I didn't notice in the theater was the artwork hanging on Dr. Neville's walls, a Van Gogh here, a Rembrandt there, and look, there's a Keith Haring leaning up against the wall - all presumably salvaged from trips to the Met and MoMA. Details such as these make the film all the more enjoyable. I sense that this will be a demo disc for many a home theater owner.
The Sound
Warner gives the sound the same high-end treatment as the video here with a lossless Dolby TrueHD English language track (48 KHz, 16 Bit) that captures the sound of the film magnificently. From the eerie echoes and heavy breathing that comes when Dr. Neville is carefully searching a dark building for his dog (who wandered where she should not have), to the inevitable explosions and gun-shots during the exciting climax, the dynamic range and wide frequency response is captured well here with nary an audio artifact in sight.
The Extras
The extras are not extensive, but they are enjoyable. My favorite extra is the alternate theatrical version which features about 3 or 4 minutes of additional footage, including a drastically different ending. Both versions of the film are presented on the one 50 GB Blu-ray disc, with the watcher given the choice between the original or alternate version. Blu-ray's "seamless branching" feature is used to stitch the scenes together for either version, with no visible glitches or delays between the 2 versions.
I also enjoyed watching the "Animated Comics" - four short animated stories depicting the spread of the virus through various cities around the globe. These stories do not so much impact the main story (featuring none of the same characters) but provide context for what is happening around the globe while Dr. Neville toils away in New York searching for the cure. For me, "Shelter" was the creepiest, showing a scene of a family's destruction from the point of view of one of its infected members as she becomes a dark seeker.
Rounding out the extras are a 20-minute long featurette on the science behind the film and an extensive 52-minute long documentary on the making of the film. The documentary has some interesting tidbits such as what it took to create the dark-seekers and what it was like to shoot in one of the busiest cities in the world and make it look empty. This is viewable all at once or by individual chapters divided into separate topics. Interviews with cast and crew, and even with Richard Matheson, author of the 1954 novel that provided the basis for the story, are included here.
Final Thoughts
Overall I found I am Legend to be an enjoyable film with a strong performance by Will Smith, some stunning visualizations of a post-apocalyptic New York City and a compelling premise and story line that only started to fall apart toward the end as the film devolved into an action-packed Hollywood blockbuster complete with potential love interest and uplifting (if not entirely happy) ending.
As a Blu-ray Disc, I am Legend takes full advantage of everything the format has to offer, stunning picture and sound quality, seamless branching of an alternate version of the film and fairly robust and enjoyable extras. For fans of the film, of Mr. Smith or of Science Fiction in general, this is a must-have disc.
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