Was Anyone Else Disappointed With "I Am Legend"?

[JimmyBoy]

I finally got around to seeing it. I usually like to read the novels of any movie adaptation I am interested in before I see it which is why I am a little late seeing this.

I was disappointed because the film really left a lot of good stuff out...

They didn't make this a vampire movie as in the book they were vampires. They pulled a 28 Days/Weeks Later with having them sick with some disease.

I also liked in the book how the monsters talked and they taunted Neville almost every night to come outside. The movie didn't have this.
Also, the book had some people who had traits of being a vampire but not really full vampires; they could have went further with all of this in the movie.

"I Am Legend" was an alright film alone but in comparison to the novel I felt the novel really surpassed this one.

Did anyone else read the book and/or see the film? What did you think?

 

[chicago]

It was definitely disappointing, but not as disappointing as "Hancock."

I'm beginning to think Will Smith is becoming the new Tom Cruise, in which case his career is coming to an end.

 

[TonyInMyThroat]

It was definitely disappointing, but not as disappointing as "Hancock."

I'm beginning to think Will Smith is becoming the new Tom Cruise, in which case his career is coming to an end.

Quite right! The church is probably demanding more money from them, so they're getting involved in anything to turn a buck in order to comply. Religion has a way of doing that to some.

 

[-Hari-]

i liked it, it was definatly a good film, but it was hyped up soo much that i was expecting something EPIC, and it wasnt, so another dissapointed cutomer here 🙁

 

[TklDuo-Drew]

Never read the book, but found the movie to be quite enjoyable. Granted, I don't think Will Smith can act his way out of a paper bag ("They're all DEAD!....Everyone.......DEAD!!!!!!) but the special effects and general story was good. And the desolate New York City was awesome to see!



Drew

 

[Deleted member 66627]

I thought the movie was really good..

But the ending sucked.

 

[venray]

Ah but had they used the alternate ending it would have been a much better picture..

 

[Deleted member 66627]

There was an alternate ending??

 

[venray]

Link but dont watch if you havent seen the original....

http://www.movieweb.com/video/V08CbwdvMrBaZ3

 

[Tamia78]

It was definitely disappointing, but not as disappointing as "Hancock."

I'm beginning to think Will Smith is becoming the new Tom Cruise, in which case his career is coming to an end.

Well, they ARE BFFs, lol.

Seriously...the movie sucked.

--T

 

[cloudgazer2k]

if ya wanna see a good adaptation, see Vincent Price in Last Man on Earth, or The Omega Man with Charlton Heston.

as far as Will Smith's role and the overall movie, i liked it for what it was. there was a lot that could've been done to make it better, but Hollywood is draggin' ass lately. example: "I have had it with these motherfucking snakes on this motherfucking plane!"

i rest my case.

 

[locker669]

Even with the alternate ending it is still a bad movie. Will Smith is an actor who only makes "safe movies." He is the black Brendan Fraser.

 

[Adam]

Some friends invited me to see it on opening night. We were all let down. I think my biggest problem with the movie was the crappy CGI effects on the diseased people. It looked like they weren't even trying half the time. I know CGI is never going to look completely natural, but I hate when there's an obvious disparity.

 

[kered]

Even with the alternate ending it is still a bad movie. Will Smith is an actor who only makes "safe movies." He is the black Brendan Fraser.

The Last Man On Earth was the best adaptation to me. Brendon Fraser has taken a few risks though. Gods And Monsters, the movie about director James Whale's last days, was a very different role for Fraser. I've taken Smith with a grain of salt ever since Wild Wild West.

 

[fttickler]

He Does good and bad movies Like anyone Else

I have not seen Hancock.. but want to.
I liked Hitch alot
ID4---Loved it
I Am Legend...... Though I have never read the book, this is the 3rd movie based on it. I have not seen the first movie... not even sure who is in it. I have seen the second.. With Charlton Heston called " The Omega Man " I loved that movie and they used LA as the back ground. I think there is too much relying on CGI ( the baddies in Legeng verses real folks in Omega Man ) Anthony Zerby play a really good ghoul.. but they baddies kinda had a purpose. In Legens.. they are just computerized versions of Night of the living dead.. I was disappointed.. It had so much promise

 

[Adam]

I have not seen Hancock.. but want to.
I liked Hitch alot
ID4---Loved it
I Am Legend...... Though I have never read the book, this is the 3rd movie based on it. I have not seen the first movie... not even sure who is in it. I have seen the second.. With Charlton Heston called " The Omega Man " I loved that movie and they used LA as the back ground. I think there is too much relying on CGI ( the baddies in Legeng verses real folks in Omega Man ) Anthony Zerby play a really good ghoul.. but they baddies kinda had a purpose. In Legens.. they are just computerized versions of Night of the living dead.. I was disappointed.. It had so much promise

Exactly. I don't understand why they needed CGI "zombies" in the first place. They were supposed to have been regular people who were diseased, so the intelligent thing would have been to use some normal folks covered in convincing makeup. Instead, they used what looked like weird-ass clay figures.

 

[Tarquin of Tyke]

In my opinion, CGI badly affects a film. you can tell it's CGI, and as such it takes away the 'reality' of the film. I like films that are as realistic as possible, even if it seems far fetched. However, I liked I Am Legend. Apart from when the dog dies. I don't like watching pets die in films. For me, it's even more sad than seeing people die. But hey, that's just me.

I didn't know how the film could have ended otherwise and be as shocking as it was. For example, if he didn't die, it would have been remembered as being a little predictable. Because, lets face it, if the good guy lives, people will say 'oh, but it was sooo predictable'.

Good, though. I like Will Smith.

 

[TklDuo-Drew]

Exactly. I don't understand why they needed CGI "zombies" in the first place. They were supposed to have been regular people who were diseased, so the intelligent thing would have been to use some normal folks covered in convincing makeup. Instead, they used what looked like weird-ass clay figures.

What's the point in CGI "zombies"....why not use real ones?


Drew

 

[Adam]

What's the point in CGI "zombies"....why not use real ones?


Drew

Good idea! I'll go get the corpses! You start up the reanimation machine! 😛

 

[chicago]

Will Smith has made some good movies such as Philadelphia, The Pursuit of Happyness, Ali, and I'm looking forward to seeing him in The Trial of the Chicago 7, but what is with him and these lame action - alien fighting movies?

 

[General Zod]

I have not seen this movie Is it a redone version of The Omega Man?

 

[penny lane]

Worst movie I've seen in the last year. It's a sad irony that the worst version of the story bears the title of Richard Matheson's wonderful and creepy book. It barely follows the book.

*Spoiler Alert*



The book was built around the brilliant premise that Neville, possibly the last human alive, thinks he is doing his part to save the world by hunting the vampires by day, all the while hoping to eventually find another living human. The twist: the vampires have evolved their own society and are the successors of humanity, and Neville is their monster, killing them in their beds.

The Vincent Price version, The Last Man on Earth was true to the basic premise. Even the Charlton Heston version (The Omega Man) opens with Neville at war with the vampires (portrayed as decadent and brutal, more of an evangelistic cult than a horde of vampires), although it ends with Neville as the salvation humanity (cheesy Christian symbolism and all) and scourge of the vampires.

The newest version is a shit rip-off of 28 Days Later with laughably poor CGI effects, Will Smith crying, and a pitiful script that points toward several last-minute rewrites. It's clear, for example, that there was to be a vampire romance subplot and storyline surrounding the "darkseekers" evolving to some new level of conciousness in their "hives"- standing huddled in the dark hyperventilating. Were they grokking in the original script, or was it too complicated for current-day Hollywood?

Also, in order to make Neville more sensitive and stuff, etc., he is a heart-broken family man who doesn't hunt the vampires by day. He's still trying to find the cure. He doesn't go on a vampire-killing rampage until they kill his dog. I'm not making this up.

I predict the original story gets worse with each retelling. In 25 years, we'll see it again. I don't know how they'll make it worse. But they will.

 

[xionking]

Not a terribly bad movie but pretty shotty special effects.

 

[Adam]

I have not seen this movie Is it a redone version of The Omega Man?

It's supposed to be, yeah. A fairly poor one.

 

[locker669]

Will Smith has made some good movies... but what is with him and these lame action - alien fighting movies?

Some execs said "here is a poor script wich will translate into a poor movie. We need someone who is famous enough to bring people in by their name alone but not too famous that will destroy their credibility as an actor. Is Jason Statham available? No? How about Will Smith?"