Review: I Am Legend

In a market saturated with entirely action-based films, it is occasionally pleasant to come across a film that attempts to go deeper. For I Am Legend, its main strength lies not in its sudden scares but rather in its psychological delving into the mind of a man completely alone, in a city heaving with virally infected humans.

The premise is one we’ve seen before: virus mutates humans into primitive cannibals, desperate for the taste of blood, and the few people not infected must somehow stay alive. Inevitably echoing 28 Days Later, the makers have tried to give I Am Legend its own nuances, and succeeded to some extent. One hesitates to call the infected humans ‘zombies’, for these monsters are very much alive and can be cured, which is the main aim in the life of Dr. Robert Neville (Will Smith), apparently the last man alive in New York, and immune to the virus. The exploration of Dr. Neville’s current lonely life is inter-cut with explanations from the past, in an effective manner that keeps the audience from becoming bored by the bleak life of the film’s protagonist.

And bleak is how the film could be summarised. The psychological effects of isolation have led to Dr. Neville’s mental deterioration, made believable by Will Smith’s convincing acting in very difficult circumstances. As the film opens we are allowed one day in the normal life Robert Neville has been living for three years, which is depressing in itself, before everything really starts to go wrong and we are plunged further into despair. Certainly, there are moments of reprieve, but these are quickly followed by moments of tragedy and fear.

This is not a film to see solely for the horror aspect: while there is undeniable tension and many a shudder, the virally infected humans are portrayed in sub-standard graphics for the modern day. Neither is this a film to see if you are fond of clear-cut happy endings and crystallised moments of joy – there is nothing for you here but the rare glimmer of hope.

For one to truly appreciate I Am Legend, the viewer must be prepared for thoughts, as well as scares, challenging the mould of traditional zombie flicks, and most importantly examining the role of uninfected man as saviour, rather than mere survivor.