I Am Legend (2007, USA)

I saw I Am Legend a few days ago, and must confess that images from the first 2/3 of the film have been haunting me. The production design is amazing, and the bulk of the movie is a wonderful character sketch. I know that it's pretty much unheard-of to nominate an actor from an action film come awards season, but based on what I've actually seen already this year, I would absolutely nominate Will Smith for a Golden Globe over Viggo Mortensen and probably James McAvoy as well. As much as movies like The Pursuit of Happyness turn me off, I can't deny that Smith is an extremely talented actor, but I think it's been since Six Degrees of Separation that I've seen him turn in a performance this good.

Unfortunately, the movie itself can't be saved by the awesome shots of a ruined New York City and Smith's great work. The final third of I Am Legend is a total mess - even if I didn't know how differently the book ends, I would still feel cheated by the cheapness and contrivance of the movie's ending. After keeping himself alive for three years in a post-apocalyptic wilderness by following a rigorous schedule and being almost inhumanly pragmatic, Smith ends up learning that it was really about faith all this time. What? It's a shame - I Am Legend could have been so much more interesting and complex than this, though I doubt it would have brought in such huge box office returns. Perhaps that's the real question here - Will Smith was brave to take on a role as difficult as this, but is he brave enough to sacrifice some of his idol status in order to make a really challenging film? I'm not really blaming Smith here - there were certainly plenty of other culprits in this case, as the film's been planned for production for over a decade - but he continues to make choices that ensure his place in moviegoers' hearts, not their heads.