I Am Legend ***
Cast: Will Smith
Director: Francis Lawrence
Running Length: 1:45
MPAA Classification: PG-13

The year is 2012, and Dr. Robert Neville (Smith) may be the last man on Earth. He is partially responsible for a cancer cure that mutated and turned humans into beings that cannot stand sunlight and crave blood. Neville is lonely, and only has his dog Sam for a friend. During the day, he searches for food and supplies, and works on trying to cure this awful disease. At night, he locks himself away in his house and hides from the horrors that wander the streets. One day, he gets sloppy, and his world becomes worse.

Will Smith carries this movie full on his back. Acting alone or with only a dog, he is the reason to see this movie. Like Tom Hanks in “Castaway” or John Cusack in “1408”, he gives a solid performance all on his own. Visually, “I Am Legend” is mostly excellent. A desolate New York City is well rendered and eerie. The monsters, on the other hand, mostly look like the work of CGI. That’s a shame because CGI wasn’t really needed for them. The story does differ from the classic novel by Richard Matheson, and while the ending isn’t a total cop-out, it is a bit disappointing. On its own merits, “I Am Legend” works pretty well and is worth checking out.