Thursday, January 03, 2008

I Am Computer Generated Scary Monster

We went to see I Am Legend last night. In short, great performance by Will Smith, not such a great movie.

I’m definitely not a big fan of horror movies. MNot that I mind being scared, I just don’t get off on being scared for its own sake. The exception is when the horror is linked with a science fiction story (see Alien). Even then, the scary monster aspect is more of a distraction to me. Fortunately, I Am Legend has that sci-fi hook and is worth seeing for that part of the story in addition to Smith’s performance.


I’m sorry, but I can‘t suspend disbelief enough to believe a virus that devastates the population of the world actually enhances the physical capabilities of most of those who survive. I mean, come on, these digital-looking former humans can scale the sides of buildings better then Spiderman and have the strength of the Terminator. Give me a personal break. And that lion-like roar they have is cheap and stupid.

You know, as kid I really liked the early 1970s version of this movie called The Omega Man starring Charlton Heston (both movies are based on the same book). Absent the ability to generate computer images for mutants, that movie used real humans. I thought those mutants were bad enough, but putting them on steroids and landing them in I Am Legend just made it worse.

Anyway, the end of the world genre is one of my favorites and the parts of I Am Legend that stick to that theme also make the movie worth a look-see. Actually, the best part of the movie is the first half when we see how Smith’s character survives day to day, looking for food and trying to keep his sanity. I know you can’t do an entire movie on that, something has to happen, but zombie mutants weren’t that something for me.

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