Years after a plague kills most of humanity and transforms the rest into monsters, the sole survivor in New York City struggles valiantly to find a cure.Years after a plague kills most of humanity and transforms the rest into monsters, the sole survivor in New York City struggles valiantly to find a cure.Years after a plague kills most of humanity and transforms the rest into monsters, the sole survivor in New York City struggles valiantly to find a cure.
- Writers
- Mark Protosevich(screenplay)
- Akiva Goldsman(screenplay)
- Richard Matheson(novel "I Am Legend")
- Stars
- Writers
- Mark Protosevich(screenplay)
- Akiva Goldsman(screenplay)
- Richard Matheson(novel "I Am Legend")
- Stars
Salli Richardson-Whitfield
- Zoe Neville
- (as Salli Richardson)
Pedro Hector Mojica
- Sergeant
- (as Pedro Mojica)
Anthony C. Mazza
- Evacuation Cop
- (as Anthony Mazza)
- Writers
- Mark Protosevich(screenplay)
- Akiva Goldsman(screenplay)
- Richard Matheson(novel "I Am Legend")
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaWill Smith grew so enamored of his canine co-star, Abbey, that he tried to adopt her when filming was finished, but the dog's trainer could not be persuaded to give her up.
- GoofsThe central spans of the Brooklyn and Manhattan Bridge are destroyed, but the towers and side spans remain standing which is impossible. If you cut the suspension cables, the whole bridge will collapse. The towers are not strong enough to hold the cables - the weight of the side spans will pull them down.
- Quotes
Neville: [talking to Anna about Bob Marley] He had this idea. It was kind of a virologist idea. He believed that you could cure racism and hate... literally cure it, by injecting music and love into people's lives. When he was scheduled to perform at a peace rally, a gunman came to his house and shot him down. Two days later he walked out on that stage and sang. When they asked him why - He said, "The people, who were trying to make this world worse... are not taking a day off. How can I? Light up the darkness."
- Crazy creditsThe title doesn't appear on screen until several minutes into the film.
- Alternate versionsThe ending to the Alternate Theatrical Version varies from the original ending. Instead of blowing himself and the hemocytes up with a grenade, Neville discovers that the hemocytes actually came for the female he captured earlier in the movie. He relieves her of the cure and returns her to the hemocytes. Afterwards, the hemocytes leave and let Neville, Anna, and Ethan be. The three then are seen leaving New York heading to Vermont's safe zone with Anna broadcasting a message telling all other survivors that she is with Neville and is heading to the safe zone.
- ConnectionsEdited into The Arrivals (2008)
- SoundtracksThree Little Birds
Written by Bob Marley
Performed by Bob Marley & The Wailers
Courtesy of The Island Def Jam Music Group
Under License from Universal Music Enterprises
Review
Featured review
Should have been better
The 1954 sci-fi/vampire novel "I Am Legend" by Richard Matheson has now been filmed three times: as "The Last Man On Earth" in 1964 originally scripted by Matheson himself (which I have never seen), as "The Omega Man" in 1971 without the vampire elements (which I have viewed three times), and now with the original title and expensive sets and special effects. This time the seemingly sole survivor of the worldwide pandemic Robert Neville is played by Will Smith who is an actor with real charisma and charm and considerable box office appeal who has beefed himself up for the role.
The main strength of this version is the location shots in a deserted New York City (a move from the Los Angeles of the book and earlier films) and, although the filming of these scenes apparently caused traffic chaos and much anger for local residents, they chillingly set the tone for this dystopian thriller. To see the silent streets around Times Square or South Street Seaport or the lone scientist fishing in the Metropolitan Museum of Art or playing golf on the "USS Intrepid" is to view this heaving metropolis as we have never experienced it before. The German shepherd dog who is Neville's sole companion deserves an honourable mention for showing greater thespian skills than most of the extras and stunt men.
The principal weakness of the movie, however, is the realisation of the surviving victims of the virus. The CGI characters are almost as silly as they are scary but, above all, they are presented as more animalistic than human. "The Omega Man" handled these characters much better presenting them as sad as well as scary. The other serious fault is the lack of clarity in the narrative - at times, it is simply unclear what is happening and why and a longer director's cut would be welcome. Finally the references to Ground Zero and God may play well with American audiences but will not be so resonant to audiences elsewhere in the world.
The main strength of this version is the location shots in a deserted New York City (a move from the Los Angeles of the book and earlier films) and, although the filming of these scenes apparently caused traffic chaos and much anger for local residents, they chillingly set the tone for this dystopian thriller. To see the silent streets around Times Square or South Street Seaport or the lone scientist fishing in the Metropolitan Museum of Art or playing golf on the "USS Intrepid" is to view this heaving metropolis as we have never experienced it before. The German shepherd dog who is Neville's sole companion deserves an honourable mention for showing greater thespian skills than most of the extras and stunt men.
The principal weakness of the movie, however, is the realisation of the surviving victims of the virus. The CGI characters are almost as silly as they are scary but, above all, they are presented as more animalistic than human. "The Omega Man" handled these characters much better presenting them as sad as well as scary. The other serious fault is the lack of clarity in the narrative - at times, it is simply unclear what is happening and why and a longer director's cut would be welcome. Finally the references to Ground Zero and God may play well with American audiences but will not be so resonant to audiences elsewhere in the world.
helpful•330126
- rogerdarlington
- Dec 29, 2007
Details
Box office
- 1 hour 41 minutes
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