I Am Legend

Theatrical Release Date: 2007 12 14 (USA - IMAX) / 2007 12 14 (USA)

UPC: 085391139621

Studio: Warner Home Video

MPAA Rating: PG13   Contains:[Sci-Fi Violence]

Summary: Adapted from acclaimed author Richard Matheson's influential novelette of the same name, Constantine director Francis Lawrence's I Am Legend follows the last man on Earth as he struggles to survive while fending off the infected survivors of a devastating vampiric plague. A brilliant scientist who raced to discover a cure for the man-made virus as humanity came crumbling down all around him, Robert Neville (Will Smith) was inexplicably immune to the highly contagious superbug. Now the entire population of New York City -- and perhaps the world -- has been transformed into carnivorous bloodsuckers that fear the light and live solely to spread their contagion to any remaining living creature that crosses their path. It's been three years since civilization came to an end, and the loneliness has taken a devastating toll on Neville. By day he scours the city for food and supplies while sending out desperate radio messages in hopes that someone might respond, and by night he attempts to find a way to reverse the effects of the virus by experimenting with his own blood. But time is running out for Neville as the legions of infected watch his every move from the safety of the shadows, waiting for the perfect moment to strike. They, too, long to learn the secret that lurks in Neville's blood, though they will have to take caution while attempting to procure it because Neville will sooner die attempting to slay every last one of them than willingly giving up a single drop. Previously adapted for the screen in the 1964 Vincent Price frightener The Last Man on Earth and the 1971 Charlton Heston action film The Omega Man, Matheson's novelette also served as the inspiration for George A. Romero's groundbreaking zombie classic Night of the Living Dead. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Category: Science Fiction

Features: 4 awesome animated comics: Death as a gift, Isolation, Sacrificing the Few for the Many and Shelter
DVD-ROM PC weblink to intense bonus material databanki chronicling the movie's creation and exploring the history and current status of life-threatening viral infections

I Am Legend

Format: DVD

Release Date: 03/18/2008

Audio: DD5.1 Dolby Digital 5.1

Runtime: 100 Minutes

Sides: 1

Number of Discs: 1

Language(s) English,French,Spanish

Subtitles: English,French,Spanish

Chapters: Disc #1 -- I Am Legend
1. Miracle Cure [2:09]
2. Fellow Hunters [5:45]
3. In For the Night [4:10]
4. Ground Zero [3:08]
5. Animal Traits [3:04]
6. Shop and Forage [5:02]
7. Seaport at Midday [3:19]
8. Race to the Light [5:06]
9. Mutant Trap [2:26]
10. Test Subject [3:30]
11. Fishing in the Dark [1:30]
12. Evacuation [4:48]
13. Man Trap [4:44]
14. Dogs of Sundown [4:22]
15. Farewell to a Friend [3:41]
16. Please Say Hello [2:46]
17. Swarm of the Infected [3:00]
18. Family Tragedy [1:48]
19. Anna and Ethan [4:47]
20. Verbatim [2:03]
21. Marley's Namesake [6:16]
22. God Told Me [2:36]
23. Home Invasion [3:55]
24. I Can Save You [3:48]
25. Exit Strategy [1:51]
26. His Legend [1:55]
27. End Credits [8:38]

Jason Buchanan

There have been so many attempts to get it right, but now 50 years after the fact, it's beginning to seem as if Richard Matheson's landmark 1954 novella may simply be unfilmable. Sure, the long-in-development I Am Legend is a serviceable action-horror flick when all is said and done, but the reality is that fans hoping for a faithful adaptation -- as the title would suggest -- will have to put their expectations on hold if they hope to enjoy this dodgy but passable take on the oft-told tale. Truth is that a large part of the story is deeply psychological as it hones in on the gradual mental breakdown of a man left completely alone in the world, a concept that few would deny is better suited to the written page than the silver screen. No doubt Will Smith does a commendable job of conveying the scientist-turned-vampire slayer's inner torment as he chats up mannequins like they're old friends and goads his dog on to eat vegetables, but it's when the film starts to stray from its origins that it becomes a bit generic and uninvolved. On the one hand, there isn't as much action here as there is in The Omega Man, but on the other, it doesn't come anywhere near to rivaling the brooding quality of The Last Man on Earth -- rendering it more of a tantalizing, middle-of-the-road misfire than an outright failure.

The year is 2012, and apparently the Mayan calendar was spot on. Three years ago, scientists smugly proclaimed to the world that they had defeated cancer by harnessing the power of the measles virus, but the celebrations quickly ceased when New Yorkers became infected with a mysterious plague that transformed them into rampaging, primal versions of their former selves. Somehow, famed military scientist Robert Neville was immune to the infection, and now he works around the clock to find a cure. While the light-sensitive former humans that stalk the moonlit streets aren't exactly vampires in the traditional sense (they don't have fangs and a well-aimed bullet will suffice should one find themselves fresh out of wooden stakes), they still possess superhuman strength and they'll stop at nothing to savor a fleshy treat. Aside from the absolute core details of Matheson's story, screenwriters Mark Protosevich and Akiva Goldsman have jettisoned nearly all of the engaging particulars that made Neville the tormented man that he became after he watched the world die, instead opting to focus almost entirely on the inevitable showdown between big daddy bloodsucker and the benevolent scientist who only wants to cure him. Gone is Neville's best-friend-turned-vampire who sadistically taunts him from the darkness after the sun goes down, and the slow, torturous death of his family is replaced with a urgent scene of New York City being evacuated that, despite effectively capitalizing on post-9/11 fears of urban paranoia and biological terrorism, denies the character the vivid suffering and agony that so richly molded him on the written page. These changes make for a more cinematic approach to be sure, but unfortunately they're changes that come at the sacrifice of two essential components to Neville's character.

When it was first announced that Will Smith would be assuming the role of Neville, fans of the story were understandably skeptical -- visions of the I, Robot star cracking wise as he dispenses with the undead leaving many to fear the worst. Truth is, Smith is just about dead on in his portrayal of the aging but virile protagonist: the specks of grey in his hair and the tired look in his eyes hinting at the weariness that comes with thinking he is the last man on Earth, and the aforementioned conversations with inanimate human stand-ins serving well to highlight the dementia that would likely follow. Unfortunately, the shortcomings of the script are to blame for the lack of rich dimensions that would make the character work. Visually speaking, viewers previously bowled over by the striking imagery on display in director Francis Lawrence's ambitious feature debut Constantine will likely find I Am Legend a bit of a let down as well -- quite a surprise considering that Oscar-winning cinematographer Andrew Lesnie (The Lord of the Rings trilogy and the two Babe films) was guiding the lens.

Objectively reviewing a film based on a book is a tricky endeavor, especially when the book is one as influential as I Am Legend. Some argue that to compare the filmed version to the written word is unfair, given that both mediums have their obvious benefits and drawbacks. But when one can walk into their nearest bookstore and see copies of Matheson's original story on the shelves adorned with the poster for the film, a curious gray area is created that's difficult to overlook. This is not "Now a Bantam Book!" territory; I Am Legend is an undisputed classic of the sci-fi genre, and to ignore the role that the book played in influencing a film that boldly proclaims that recognizable title (as no adaptation before has) is extremely difficult if not impossible for anyone who has read and loved the story. When the screenwriters go so far as to actually change the meaning of the title, to retain it for the screen version seems insincere almost to the point of insult. So, is Lawrence's I Am Legend the supposedly faithful adaptation that fans have been teased and taunted with for over a decade? Sadly, no. In the end, I Am Legend is a neutered but decently entertaining version of that familiar tale, a mildly invigorating action-horror entry that's just tense enough to keep audiences from checking their watches, but not memorable enough to warrant any sort of severe damnation or serious discussion -- that is, unless you've read the book. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Cast and Crew: James Newton Howard  Composer (Music Score) 
Michael Tadross  Executive Producer 
Erwin Stoff  Executive Producer 
Erwin Stoff  Producer 
Akiva Goldsman  Producer 
Akiva Goldsman  Screenwriter 
David Heyman  Producer 
Neal H. Moritz  Producer 
James Lassiter  Producer 
Bruce Berman  Executive Producer 
Mark Protosevich  Screenwriter 
Francis Lawrence  Director 
Winston Quitasol  Composer (Music Score) 
Dana Goldberg  Executive Producer 
Hal Gaba  Executive Producer 
Sarah Mattes  Composer (Music Score) 
Will Smith  Actor 
Alice Braga  Actor 
Charlie Tahan  Actor 
Salli Richardson-Whitfield  Actor 
Willow Smith  Actor 
Darrell Foster  Actor 
April Grace  Actor 
Dash Mihok  Actor 
Joanna Numata  Actor 
Abbey  Actor 
Kona  Actor 
Samuel Glen  Actor 
James McCauley  Actor 
Marin Ireland  Actor 
Pedro Mojica  Actor 
Anthony Mazza  Actor 
Steve Cirbus  Actor 
Calista Hill  Actor 
Gabriella Hill  Actor 
Madeline Hill  Actor 
Adhi Sharma  Actor 
Tyree Simpson  Actor 
Blake Lange  Actor 
Alexander DiPersia  Actor 
Abraham Sparrow  Actor 
Patrick Fraley  Actor 
Caitlin McHugh  Actor 
Deborah Collins  Actor 
Exo  Actor 
Lynn� Davis  Actor 
Moses Harris, Jr.  Actor 
Eric Jenkins  Actor 
Heather Lang  Actor 
Katherine Brook  Actor 
Anika Ellis  Actor 
Kennis Hawkins  Actor 
Reed Kelly  Actor 
Drew Leary  Actor 
Vince Cupone  Actor 
John Grady  Actor 
Marc Inniss  Actor 
Grasan Kingsberry  Actor 
Asa Liebmann  Actor 
Deborah Lohse  Actor 
Luke Miller  Actor 
Okwui Okpokwasili  Actor 
Paradox Pollack  Actor 
Hollie K. Seidel  Actor 
Mark Steger  Actor 
Anthony Vincent  Actor 
Jon-Paul Mateo  Actor 
Courtney Munch  Actor 
Erin Owen  Actor 
Will Rawls  Actor 
Hannah Sim  Actor 
Charlie Sutton  Actor 
Greg Wattkis  Actor 
Ian McLaughlin  Actor 
Kim Murphy  Actor 
Victor Paguia  Actor 
William Schultz  Actor 
Eric Spear  Actor 
David Hamilton Thomson  Actor 
Mike Patton  Actor 

Country: USA