I am Legend: Ultimate Collector’s Edition – DVD Review

By Jeff Swindoll Dec 8, 2008, 14:08 GMT

Robert Neville (Will Smith, Men in Black) is a brilliant scientist. But when a man-made virus can\'t be contained, Neville finds himself the last human survivour in New York City and potentially the world. For three years he faithfully sends out daily radio messages, desperate to find other survivours. But he is not alone... Mutant victims of the plague (The Infected) lurk in the shadows, waiting to catch Neville out. ...more

None of the adaptations of Richard Matheson’s masterful novel has been perfect but this version starring Will Smith at least had the budget. 

It’s half a film with some outstanding acting from Smith, but it tends to take the action film outs when dealing with what should be a thinking man’s film.  

Richard Matheson’s 1954 novel had been adapted into two films, The Last Man on Earth in 1964 and The Omega Man in 1971.  Neither of them captured how good Matheson’s book is. 

The Last Man on Earth perhaps comes closest but looses some points for casting Rome as Los Angeles.  The Omega Man is some delicious 70s cheese, but the vampires seem too goofy to actually be threatening. 

I am Legend might get the most flack since it has the greatest budget and biggest star - not that Vincent Price and Charlton Heston were chicken feed in their times.  In these days though Will Smith is an international star, and his casting might be one of the things that this version movie does get right.  Smith gives an excellent performance. 

The plot of the film is that mankind has been exposed to a virus that has transformed them into ravenous, vampire-like beasts.  The virus was created as a cancer cure but the after unseen effects basically destroyed the world. 

Dr. Robert Neville (Will Smith) is the last man on Earth.  He has a set routine that he goes through daily as he goes through a deserted New York City avoiding the beasts and experimenting for a cure to the virus.  He’s gone partially insane in his loneliness and it’s these scenes that the film excels. 

Smith is fantastic and captures the utter loneliness of the character perfectly.  It’s possibly his best performance.  The problem arises that the creatures are completely created in CGI and it tends to bring you out of the film.

The original story and 1964 film had Neville’s wife returning from the grave in a chilling sequence.  One of the main vampires in the book turned out to be a friend of Neville as well.  It’s a much more personal horror to have these important people in Neville’s life turn on him and it implies that there’s somewhat more intelligence in the creatures that the Smith version does.  For all its flaws it’s a good film. 

I find the aspect of friends and family returning as the living dead than I do with the monsters in this film.  Where fans take offense is that the book was so rife with great ideas and they tend to keep more of the action movie set pieces that don’t really appear in Matheson’s novel. 

For example, they don’t touch on the fact that the creatures see Neville as a monster that you tell your children about at night to scare them.  Not that they could with the creatures being so bestial and incapable of communication.  For all its flaws it does still have some things to recommend it, but if you’re a fan of Matheson’s book most likely you’ll hate it.  

I am Legend is presented in anamorphic widescreen (2.35:1) and is enhanced for 16x9 televisions.  This new edition brings together the two previous releases and adds some new additions. 

Disc one adds a new commentary with director Francis Lawrence and producer/screenwriter Akiva Goldsman on the theatrical cut of the film and the 2 minute theatrical trailer.  I’ll have to admit that the commentary does point out some more “thinking man’s” bits than I thought there were and they admit that the CGI is flaky. 

Disc two contains the bonus features including the 20 minute “Cautionary Tale: The Science of I am Legend,” the 51 minute “Creating I am Legend,” the 25 minute “Making of I am Legend,” the 26 minute “I am Legend: the making of shots,” 21 minutes of animated comics, and 20 minutes of deleted scenes that you can watch with or without commentary from Lawrence and Goldsman.

Disc three contains the “alternate ending” cut and the digital copy of the theatrical cut.  The oversized box contains a 44-page concept sketchbook, six art cards showing cities devastated by the plague, and an action Lenticular with a scene from the film.    

I am Legend isn’t too bad but falls on some action film tropes a bit too much.  Will Smith gives a fantastic performance and the movie should be seen for that and that alone at least.  This new edition adds some bonus swag in the box but only if you can afford to upgrade.  

I am Legend: Ultimate Collector’s Edition is now available at Amazon. As of yet, there is not a release date for this version of the DVD in the UK. Visit the DVD database for more information.