NEW Smith/richardson/braga - I Am Legend (Blu-ray)

I was really looking forward to seeing "I Am Legend", from the moment I found out earlier this year. In preparation to seeing the movie, I watched Vincent Price in "The Last Man on Earth" and Charlton Heston in "The Omega Man". Even though the main ideas of the two prior versions were the same (last man, virus, night creatures, etc.), the delivery varied for their particular time. So I was intrigued to see how the storyline would be adapted to our time.

The first thing that struck me was the set. Growing up in New York City, it really hit me hard to see the devastation and isolation of the city that "Never Sleeps". The streets, the abandoned cars, the bridges, the U.N.,etc. It really hit home. Then we see a much slender, leaner Will Smith trying to cope with the fact that he was alone. His portrayal of Robert Neville is great. Very moving. I find the origin of the virus quite interesting as it comes as a side effect for a cure for cancer. The prior two movies used a plague (The Last Man on Earth) and germ warfare (The Omega Man) to explain the virus. The use of a cure that transforms into a virus gives it an ironic twist.

The film opens well, and continues that way until the introduction of the other two human characters, but that's about an hour or more of Smith, alone in Manhattan after a genetically-altered version of the measles has either killed or mutated the rest of humanity into super-violent creatures who prey on those unaffected, but only at night. They're killed almost instantly when exposed to sunlight. Smith, playing Robert Neville, was an Army Lieutenant before the virus was unleashed three years prior, and he spends his lonely days walking and stalking on the grown-in streets of Manhattan with his dog, Sam. At night, he locks himself in his apartment and attempts to find a cure. It's interesting seeing Smith carry the movie with only himself, Sam, some various wild animal species, and some mannequins. He does an excellent job, and I'm sure that's not an easy task for an actor. This is easily the most likable character he's ever played, and he brings a lot of great stuff to it, including humor and a scene that had me on the verge of tears.

Will Smith and the strength of the story outweigh the two mot glaringly bad things about this film. However, the creature effects are WAY too over-reliant on CGI, but then again, so are most horror films these days, so you might be used to it. Animatronics and foam rubber latex effects pioneered well over thirty years ago look a lot more believable than this cartoonish junk. And the other thing is the ending. It's not terrible, and it won't make you dislike the rest of the film, but the original story's ending is very sad and ironic, and this, like the other two adaptations, just can't seem to cope with the magnitude of the situation, so they always leave you with something WAY to hopeful for what we've seen throughout the rest of the film, and also, it seems that they're afraid to teach you the incredible lesson the original Matheson story had to offer. This is a good adaptation of Richard Matheson's 'I Am Legend.' So far, none of the three have nailed it, due to the inability to just use the story's ending, but this one comes close and is certainly one of the best of the three (the other two are good flicks so I recommend them all).

The I Am Legend Ultimate Collector's Edition is, in every sense of the word, legendary. The movie is hard to explain. Some people hated it, some people loved it. I saw this set for $9.99 at my local Giant Tiger, on DVD, and that was the inception of the idea, that I wanted this set. I went home and checked Amazon to see if it was there, for cheap. I knew it wasn't going to be $9.99 because it's on Bluray. When I found out it was only $23 without taxes I was freaking out. I had previously checked the US site, because they are usually cheaper, and found out it was $59.99. So, I ordered it.

The Movie - Experience, Audio, and Video.
I loved this movie when I saw it back in 2008. The quiet scenes are really haunting, making you feel lonely. The movie closely follows Neville (Will Smith) and his dog. The things that happen to him and his dog are sad, funny, and overwhelming. When things start up, it never lets go of the tension. I Am Legend does not seem like a movie that may be funny, but there are a couple scenes. When Neville goes into a grocery store near the beginning of the film, he talks to the mannequin's, asking for advice in whether or not he should approach the female mannequin. The film like this does not need comic relief, and usually ruins the film, but this films deal's with this carefully. It is really smartly packed into the movie. The alternative ending gives you closure, where the other makes you feel depressing, but both endings are amazing. I really love this movie. The quality on this bluray is top-notch. The bluray transfer is perfect compared to some of the releases near the beginning of I Am Legend's release. The mustang Neville drives in the beginning of the film is detailed in every shot, and is amazing to watch. The lossless Dolby TrueHD 5.1 sound matches the video. Perfect. I love re-releases that actually benefit the movie. The sound compliment's the beautiful picture quality greatly.

The Packaging and Content:
The packaging is really cool. The artwork is fantastic on the box, and the order the items were placed it beautiful as well. The art book, the photos, the case, and the lenticular are all packed in nicely. My only complaint is that the bluray casing is the same size as the DVD so does not suit all my bluray's. I do not mind too much, because I'd like to keep it in the box anyway's. The extra features are extensive too. The focus points on the main bluray is very thorough and informative. The extra features are really awesome, and the addition of the alternative version (more notably the alternate ending) is very spectacular.

Overall:
Movie: 5/5
Video: 5/5
Audio: 5/5
Extras: 5/5
Packaging, Items/Price: 5/5

Overall, the package is worth the money. It's initial release would have been more around $60, but for what you get, I would have still paid full price. The movie is awesome, video quality is spectacular, and the audio is immersive. The extras are thorough and extensive. If you liked the movie, pick up this set! It is worth the $25 bucks. I love the movie, this set, and the MINOR flaws (not a bluray case) are over whelmed by the amazing advantages.

I Am Legend (2007)
Drama, Science Fiction, Thriller, 101 minutes
Directed by Francis Lawrence
Starring Will Smith and Alice Braga

Will Smith is one of the biggest box office draws, whether it's for action, comedy or drama. He has the charisma to pull off just about any role and is improving as a dramatic actor as he matures. I Am Legend contains some action, but it's a futuristic drama more than anything else. Smith is required to show considerable range.

The movie makes this list because it shows how people adapt in extreme situations. Robert Neville (Smith) is possibly the last man alive after a cure for cancer turns people into aggressive zombie-like creatures who live in the dark. He's a scientist and appears to have a natural immunity to the virus. He's trying to develop a vaccine that will help these creatures recover their humanity.

Imagine if you had an entire city to yourself. How would you spend your time? Neville has a routine. He wakes up at the same time each day, works out, and then systematically searches the buildings in the area for canned food and bottled water. This is vital for his survival. He also continues his research and tries out his vaccines on laboratory rats. In order to maintain the illusion that he's not alone, he watches recorded TV shows and talks to mannequins while he works his way through the inventory of a local video store. Every day at Noon, he waits at a predetermined location for any response to his radio messages offering hope and shelter to other survivors.

New York is an abandoned city. Grass has reclaimed most of the land and Neville has to compete with lions when he goes hunting for dear. The early special effects are very convincing and we are drawn in to Neville's world. Some of the exposition is achieved through showing Neville's dreams and we discover that his wife and daughter were evacuated along with the other healthy people left in the city. His only friend now is Sam, his dog. Unlike Neville, Sam can be affected by contact with the creatures roaming the city.

One of the saddest scenes in the movie comes after Sam is bitten by a creature carrying the virus. He injects her with serum in the hope that it will prevent her from transforming into a deadly version of his former companion. If you are an animal-lover, it's a hard scene to watch.

I won't ruin the movie for those who haven't seen it. Is Neville really alone? Will he develop a cure? If he does, will it even be possible to capture the creatures and successfully administer the cure?

The film raises a serious question; are humans the biggest threat to their own survival?

The Blu-ray includes an alternate ending. Both endings are hopeful, but one is considerably more hopeful than the other. The Blu-ray presentation is just about perfect.