Can a film about a man and his dog alone in an empty New York City ravaged by a mutated virus work? I Am Legend sure tries, but doesn't quite do it.The problem isn't with Will Smith's performance as it is with the script. Attaching yourself emotionally to the main character is a critical component to a successful film experience. I never once felt I was in the shoes of Will Smith. Never.
Why not? Why did I feel emotionally attached to the lone-man-survivor Tom Hanks in Castaway and not to Smith in I Am Legend? Simply because Castaway takes you on the journey of figuring out how to survive on your own. I Am Legend skips that and plops you in the world after everyone is gone. Smith runs around in his car with his high-powered rifle hunting wild game. How do I connect with that out of the gate?
The volleyball in Castaway is replaced by a German shepherd in Legend. The hope brought by the picture of his wife in Castaway is replaced in Legend by nightmares about Smith's wife and children during the last days of New York City.I'm not saying that I Am Legend should be Castaway in NYC, merely stating why the one film worked for me and the other didn't.
Smith's performance was wasted here. The end of the film is anti-climatic, the special effects not very believable and emotional attachment to the main character missing... combined this makes I Am Legend average at best.
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3 comments:
I agree with you completely. I felt like it had potential, and I was annoyed with the last 10-15 minutes of the movie. They tried to cram too much into that timeframe to finish off the story. ::Sigh:: When will Will Smith be in a GREAT film?
Will Smith deserves it. He is extremely talented. I think he was hoping this it, but he'll have to try again.
i am waiting for you tailgate golf post :)
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