I Am Legend reminds me of a girlfriend I had a couple of years ago.
(Bear with my metaphor for a bit. It'll make sense, I swear.)
Before our 1st date, I had heard some things about her that made me hesitate. Nothing was said that was too specific, just mumblings and subtle warnings. But I liked what I had seen so far, and decided to go for it. We got serious fairly quick, and things got off to a good start, so it seemed that those "things" I heard were nothing, really. As we went along, there were a few hiccups, as there always are in a relationship, but for the most part, I was happy. More time into it, things evolved further, and there were a few hints of greater things to come. Excitement and anticipation overcame me, and I was ready to sing praises of how wonderful she was to all who would listen. Then something happened that ended our relationship abruptly, and completely under-minded all those great things that were hinted at early on. I'm still bitter to this day.
Ain't love grand?
Will Smith plays Robert Neville, a military doctor who, after a plaque wipes out humanity, seemingly remains not only the last person in New York City, but on earth as well. "Seemingly", because there are some people that were not killed by the plague, but instead turned into night-dwelling creatures who feed on anything living. So by day Neville, accompanied by his German Shepard Sam, hunts for food, gathers supplies, and tries to find a cure for the infected masses, sometimes by experimenting on them.
Based on the great novella of the same name, I Am Legend takes themes and situations set up by the original story's author, Richard Matheson, and applies them to modern sensibilities. While usually I would scoff at such a take on classic material, I can understand some of the changes made. New York instead of LA? Fine. Infected instead of vampires? Not lovin' it, but ok. Neville being a military doctor, instead of just an average Joe? Makes sense, actually.
But here's the thing- when you are adapting a story from one medium to another, the details aren't always important. It's the spirit that's most important. By calling this film "I Am Legend" (unlike previous adaptations The Last Man on Earth and The Omega Man), you are obligated to honor that name, and what it means to the spirit of the story.
Being a huge fan of the novella, I went in expecting the filmmakers to just trash the spirit of the story. But as the film progressed, my fear subsided, as we're treated to the basic spirit of the story, and even given what seemed to be subtle (though sometimes not so subtle) hints at the great hammer-fall ending of the book- something that was legend is now the norm, and something that was the norm is now legend.
There were several points, towards the end of the film, where I was smiling, thinking "This is it! This is where it's going to happen!" then something else would happen, I'd calm down, and then something else would happen, and I'd say the same thing, only to let down again. But I kept holding on to hope for that great ending that means everything to the story. But it never came.
Even removing the pre-existence of Matheson's story, the film sets up its own themes, but never fulfills them. Throughout the film, the mostly mindless/feral infected people start to exhibit signs that perhaps they are not as irrational, as Neville thinks they are. In fact, it seems that we're being hit over the head with the foreshadowing hammer when Neville, after seeing one behave in an unusual way, comments to himself that the infected are becoming more mindless than ever, when it's obvious to the audience that it's clearly the opposite. But is this paid off? Nope. This only leads to an event that brings us into the third act, instead of carrying it's way through to the film's conclusion.
Speaking of the conclusion, I'm not sure if the ending was changed at some point in the production, but it sure feels like it. This feels like the clichéd "the studio didn't want such a down beat ending, so we had to go back and change the ending" bit. Sure, Neville isn't rolling around with puppies in a field of flowers at the end, but the absence of pay-off to the themes established, as well as the title itself, are jarringly apparent.
Like my ex girlfriend, I Am Legend had such potential for being something really good and exciting, but ultimately left me disappointed by copping out in the end. And I'm still bitter.
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