Movie review: I Am Legend

I saw "I Am Legend" on opening night and felt let-down afterwards.

This was the 2nd re-make of this movie. The first re-make was titled "The Omega Man" starring Charelton Heston. The original was titled "Last Man On Earth" starring Vincent Price.

In my opinion, The Omega Man whoops this new version hands-down even 35 years after it was made. I feel like this because the Heston version was much more cerebral in content, and the ghouls were played by real people as opposed the the Will Smith version where everything is computer generated (CGI).

The basic story between all 3 variants is different, but the Heston version is still more true-to-life as far as realistic possibility goes. All that would need to be changed would be to portray a catastrophe scenario generated by Al-Queda vs. Western civilization instead of the China vs. Russia border war.

I'm a big fan of Will Smith, but this time I think his performance, although excellent, couldn't pull this movie out of the doghouse.

This movie could have really played on the fears of present day civilization by having a story-line that consisted of Al-Queda gaining access to a virus that they use as a terror weapon to wipe out their enemy but instead it destroys the entire planet.

Check out the Heston version, The Omega Man. It's a much better movie in my opinion.

I give "I Am Legend" a 4 out of 10 rating. It's only a matinee flick. Don't pay full price.

 

You're welcome. My main concern was to give a critique with giving away any spoilers.

I'd like to add that I felt similarly when they re-made Tora, Tora, Tora, into the new version titled Pearl Harbor. I'm anal about noticing small things that aren't right within a film, and it seems that CGI is being used so much that it's beginning to polute the real attempt at creating a masterpiece. To me there's a place for it, but overall it's been overused and abused. It reeks of laziness and greed for the quick-buck turn-around at the expense of insulting the intelligence of the public at large IMO.

 

Im sorry to hear this. I was looking forward to seeing that one. Yeah, Pearl Harbor was a joke. Of course, anything with Benjamin Afflekkkk is sure to be a complete flop. I think hollyweird sees CGI as a "necessity" now that the acting ability of our current movie "actors" has reached an all time low.

 

My sister thought I Am Legend was awesome, but I guess she's not biased like I am. Oh well, she's only a girl. What does she know? doh!

I guess I'm just an old fart. I find myself saying more and more "I can remember the good 'ol days when people actually tried to do great things".

Originality and quality is dead.

 

We need to have a MOVIE REVIEW forum!

Thank's for the feedback, I was thinking about seeing it next week. I did'nt know it was an offshoot of Omega Man. Omega Man was great (& Soylent Green, the original Rolerball, etc...)!

 

After you see it, you'll see what I mean. Especially since you've seen the Heston version.

I mean, they didn't even use the "eyes" (know what I mean)? WASTED opportunity to scare the crap outa people.

 

When I saw the preview for I Am Legend I thought wow!that looks like Omega Man (1971), then read it was based on the same story in the newspaper review.I would have been 4 yrs old in 1971,not sure when I seen it though I just know I was very little and can remember sitting in my step-fathers lap and watching it..yep I`m still afraid of the dark!not really.I have since watched OM and yes what a great classic. Another movie I remember seeing very young was where a car crashed into a train at the end was that Dirty Mary Crazy Larry?I`d like to see it again.One more good remake was where a white Dodge Charger crashes into a bulldozer,the name escapes me?
Thank for the review.

 

Yea, Omega Man creeped me out too!!!

 

You and I have the same taste in movie's. The whole time I was growing up I wanted a car like I saw in the movie titled Vanishing Point!

It was a Dodge Challenger. That was a fun movie. I think it bred Smokey and the Bandit. I'm not sure, however.

BTW, they actually filmed Dirty Mary Crazy Larry in Stockton, CA. That's where I'm from.

They also filmed Raid on Entebbe at the Stockton Airport.

-TSU

 

"jay and silent bob strike back" was funny as hell!!!

 

X2
"The greatest band in the whole Mother Fu--ing world the TIME!!!"

http://www.vidking.com/celeb-vids-2768-Jay-and-Silent-Bob.htm

 

When i first saw previews i thought it looked like Omega Man, which i liked. I like Will Smith and pretty much everything he does, i hate to hear this one was so bad. I'll prolly still see it but i'll just wait till i have a chance to catch a matinae (sp)

As far as CG, i couldn't agree more. Its like they dont even try anymore. The original Star Wars triligy was awesome. Not cause of special affects, and definately not because of the acting, but because of the unique and well laid out plot. The new star wars movies have the same crappy acting, a boring plot and a sh!t ton of CG. I think almost the entire movie was filmed in frong of a green screen. That jus takes away from the whole experience in my opinion. In my opinion the best use of CG in a movie, ever was the original Jurrasic Park. It had a good plot (obviously since it was based on a great book) fair to good acting, great soundtrack, and most importantly it used CG when it was needed, not just for the hell of it. I remember the first time i saw that movie i would have sworn the dino's were real. i was amazed. But the CG supported the movie, the movie didnt support the CG. They used it as a tool and not a band-aid for a terrible script and bad casting. Movies aren't movies anymore, they're just a bunch of computer generated explosions and monsters and its getting old. Sorry for the rant.

I dunno about actors reaching an all time low. I've noticed that the "classic" actors weren't that great either. Have you seen Casablanca? or any of the old black and whites or early colors with the "great actors of our time" they weren't great, they were just over the top. They have "great" status since they lived when movies were actually good, but their acting wasn't. They just acted way over the top all the time. Being overly dramatic is not being a good actor. We have lots of good actors. Micheal Caine is great. Tim Robbins. Gene Hackman. Anthony Hopkins (one of my favorites). Matt Damon. Brad pitt (not just a pretty boy but a great actor. he can play the gambit from Meet Joe Black, to Fight Club, 12 monkeys, legends of the fall and his best role is definately in Snatch(my all time favorite movie) just ignore Mr. and Mrs. Smith). We have alot of great actors, the list could go on, but many times they are overshadowed by special affects and bad plots. and i agree with you that CG is used as a crutch for a movie that cant stand on its own.

Thats cause Kevin Smith is a great writer. He is one of the best dialoge writers in hollywood (except jersey girl). I have never seen a movie with more real and natural dialogue than in his movies. unfortunately the actors usually suck, and yes i'm thinking of Ben when i say that.

 

Thanks for the review. One more reason to download it when it's available.... hehehe Maybe I'll have to download Omega Man too now... For, uh, "research purposes" of course.

 

Rent Omega Man first.

Then go see I Am Legend.

Omega Man will make you be afraid of the dark.

I Am Legend will make you want to go buy a Mustang GT.

 

I read the Richard Matheson novel, I Am Legend, several years back and I'm a big fan of both The Last Man On Earth and The Omega Man. The source material (Matheson novel) is just a great story and it's generally conducive to decent screen adaptations.

I caught the recent adaptation at the theater last week (one of the first trips that I made with my newly purchased Tacoma, incidentally) and enjoyed it as a fun popcorn movie. The ending is a bit lame, the "zombie/vampire" special effects are comically bad, and I'm resigned that there will never be a film adpatation that gets the novel right, but there are a few awesome moments in the movie that make it worth seeing. It'll eventually go up on my DVD shelf alongside The Last Man On Earth and The Omega Man...maybe if I find one of the cheap pre-viewed DVD copies somewhere.

The best movie of 2007, of course, is No Country For Old Men. Loved the Cormac McCarthy novel and I love the movie. It sort of made me wish for a 4x4 truck instead of my 4x2 truck, but that's alright. It's not like I drive on rocky stretches along the border on a daily basis.