I.... agree with this?

But I also agree with Shack that some of the stuff you guys are arguing over is pretty much pointless. It's just lazy screenwriting. Anna gets onto the island and saves Neville with her UV lights because she has to or the movie's over right there. They just wrote themselves into a corner and went the easy route to get out.

Your FACE is pretty much pointless!

A face joke? Really, Squee? I expected better.

So did I. From your FACE!

Honestly I was hoping for some dimples.

I believe he had one in the event of wanting to commit suicide surrounded by his work. Granted thats the way it sort of ended, but I'd say it was more along the lines of topping himself with despair.

I've read somewhere that the DVD will have an alternate ending that has the same ending as the book. Anyone heard about this ? If this is true, WOW, would make me a happy camper. What else would you want ? Cause there were rumors that the ending was a bit changed and in the movie you feel like that last part was a bit rushed, maybe it's because of that.

If this is true and the DVD will have the same ending as the book,
it'll mean that this DVD will be my most anticipated DVD for quite some time.
That would be GOLD.

I understand using that ending wouldn't work in theaters, I understand that.
And I would respect Warner a lot more if they really add that alternate ending to the DVD.

You can see that they were angling for the creatures to be intelligent by the way the leader was clearly just trying to get his wife/girlfriend creature back. For some reason, it isn't really confronted in the film. My bet is it'll play a part in the original ending.

Good film though. Quite bleak though, which I suppose I should've expected.

Francis Lawrence directed this, eh? I think I'm going to have to hope that he continues to make films. After Constantine and now I Am Legend, he's just great at these intriguing dramatic devastation-horror films.

I really enjoyed the movie.

Will Smith is very strong as Robert, in my opinion. He played the scenes out far enough without going too far. When he was talking to Sam, or the dummies, he gave us a hint of how alone he was, without making it seem too far-reaching and stupid.

All of the production design was simply brilliant - from the city itself to Robert's house. I loved Van Gogh's actual Starry Night painting above the television, as Van Gogh's Starry Night does currently reside in New York. Very nice.

Ultimately, I felt the movie played out well, using the music sparingly (allowing the sometimes harrowing sounds of the abandoned city itself to create atmosphere and tension). Will Smith and his, what I assumed to be, delusional moments created some interesting build up to danger. The movie always moved into these tense situations without feeling too contrived.

Now, I'm not sure what the actual ending in the book is, but I felt the one in the film was more than adequate, for a few reasons. For one, it fulfilled the thematic element of the film that involved Robert's utmost desire to "make things right". We hear it said many times in the film. By this moment, it is logical that he would think the one thing left he can do to help is to give the cure to Anna and sacrifice himself for them, and thus for all of humanity (who will ultimately be cured). Secondly, it brought the ending of the film right back to the heart of it - Robert's desire to stay alive for a cure. And the ending legitimizes his hard work which up to that point had never been entirely successful.

I'm really, really interested in reading the book now. Perhaps the ending in the book is a lot better, just in a general comparative sense, but I still felt the movie succeeded in this area, and I think both the movie and book can be great entities on their own. You can appreciate both, I'm sure.

The CGI wasn't great as has been said, and there's no excuse for it. But this isn't an action movie, it's a psychological movie, and so the effects of the poor CGI are minimal. It really just doesn't matter with this kind of film. I actually never found myself thinking "what happened?" with respect to the CGI. I probably wouldn't have brought it up just now if others hadn't already complained.

And so I thought this was a really good horror film, far better than all of the horror-junk out today, and I was caught up in the atmosphere of an empty, overgrown New York City and my mind was thoroughly captivated by Will Smith and how he played out all of the scenes. Good stuff!

Peace,
Mike

I agree word for word with Mike on this one.

Oddly for as much bad CGI as there is in this film, there's probably about twice as much that's so good you barely even notice it.

All the shots of a barren New York were breathtaking and seamless, despite what must've been a shitload of CGI in every shot.

That's an excellent point.

Peace,
Mike

Agreed.

Nitpickings aside, I think the only probelm I had was the third act. I haven't read the book or seen the other two versions, but something tells me all the relgious crap they threw in at the end was a last ditch effort at adding some kind of meaning to the movie. A bit of a let down after an engaging start.

Little details are the funnest part. Best review thread in months.

Cotton I'd seriously advise you against watching the Omega Man if you find the religious stuff thrown in annoying, because its literally got a Jesus Christ Pose thrown in.

if the dvd has the book's ending then I am Legend probably becomes my favorite movie of the year.

Haha, I loved that too.

Ah, but only in structured falls, not in a chaotic apocolypse.

One thing I really loved about this movie was the use of Bob Marley's "Everything's Gonna Be Alright" to counter how you feel when night falls. Honestly, I think the absolute BEST ending for the film would have been this:



Maybe it wouldn't have worked, but I personally would have found it far more haunting and powerful than the ending they came up with for the movie.

That would have indeed been awesome. However its to bleak for blockbuster audiences. I mean if you seriously need dark endings I'd suggest On The Beach or A Boy and His Dog.

The problem with the book's ending is how the vampires are depicted in the movie and that the film's bigger theme is more hope.

I will say the DVD is having an alternate ending so you might be pleased when it is released.

Under better direction and a more polished script, this could have been a really amazing film. As is, it was fun popcorn movie. Nothing I can really add to the debates about the ending or the CGI. B-

I think the direction was pretty friggin' great. Aside from the questionable CGI from the vampires, almost all of the problems are rooted in the script.

I don't think the ending was that bad, but it just didn't...well...fit with the rest of the movie.



If they fixed that ending and gave it a more fitting closure, this would have gotten an A- from me.