Will Smith is Legend

I don't write too many movie reviews unless I've seen an advanced screening or it's a smaller film that I want to support but this time, I'm making an exception. I saw "I am Legend" last night. I personally was very excited for this film because I had seen them filming all over the city - particularly in Washington Square Park (I saw all the bald, white-headed zombies in the park one night but they were all wearing winter coats and I actually saw Will Smith leaving his trailer in his full army costume one day) - and it's always cool to see movies that you saw being filmed come to life on the screen. I almost PAed on the film (it set the record for most PAs ever used on a film I do believe and a few of my professors had been contacted to recruit us film students) but was too busy. I kind of wish, in retrospect, that I could've. PAing sucks, but it would be really cool to say that I was involved in the making of this film.

Everyone was skeptical about whether or not a movie where Will Smith is the only character for the majority of the film would be boring or not, but Will Smith was totally captivating. The run time is an hour and 41 minutes, but it didn't feel that long at all. Not that 101 minutes is that long of a run time for a movie anymore. But the point is, it never dragged. Will Smith gives an awesome performance as a man whose solitary "constantly being hunted but is sure he can find a cure for these cannibalistic zombie-like creatures that used to be humans" lifestyle is starting to get to him. The relationship between him and his only companion - a German shepherd named Sam - is so touching and heartbreaking. I was really impressed by Will Smith. I haven't seen any of the other dramas that he's been in, but I think he has really proven himself as an actor of all genres.

The movie is also rife with suspense and tension. I kept waiting for things to jump out of the shadows. I think I was holding my breath at a few points and I was not all about going home to an empty apartment by myself at night after the film, so I hung out with some friends instead. It's not really a horror movie, but parts of the movie are downright scary, which is fine. Just be prepared for that.

One thing I didn't like was how parts of the movie were so quiet and then there would be a really loud noise to startle you, but it wasn't even anything scary. It was him closing those metal window guard things or something. There were a few times where I was like "that was really unnecessary." Other than that there were just the basic plot-hole questions that aren't really a big deal but just kind of bug you if you think about them too much like "why does the water still work when everything is all grown over and none of the other utilities are working?" and "if 90% of the world died, where did all the bodies go?"

Oh I guess there was one more thing I wasn't such a fan of with the whole experience - watching empty New York on the screen in a theater packed full of New Yorkers who, it sounded like, were all eating popcorn as loudly as possible. And at least 2 cell phones went off during the movie. That kind of ruined the whole "abandoned New York" feeling for me.

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