Hello everyone!

So I watched I Am Legend (2007) starring Will Smith, a movie I had heard about for years but somehow never watched, I already knew the idea so I had an idea of what I was getting into but I did not know much about the story.

After watching it, I see this movie is different from what I expected.

And yes, there are some of those things.

There is something really strange about watching one person walk through a city that normally has millions of people, but now it is completely empty.

This review is completely spoiler free, so I won't be discussing the major events or anything that could ruin the movie for someone watching it for the first time.

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New York With Nobody Around

Will Smith plays Robert Neville in the movie.

Robert is a scientist living in New York City after an event changed in our current environment.

And, when I say New York City is empty, I mean empty.

No traffic.

No crowds.

No people walking around.

No normal city noise.

Just abandoned buildings, empty streets and nature slowly taking over the city.

The first few minutes of the movie create a strange feeling because you're watching a busy city and, suddenly there is almost no one there.

During the day Robert drives around the empty streets, searches buildings for supplies, & tries to keep a normal routine.

That contrast is my favorite thing about the movie.

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What Happened?

Without giving anything away, a virus has changed the world.

The virus was originally linked to a medical breakthrough.

Many people have died, &, those who lived were changed by the infection.

Robert's one of the few people left who appears to be immune.

Because he's a scientist, he's also trying to understand the virus and hopefully find a cure.

While trying to survive, he is also developing a scientific solution.

I liked this part because it gives Robert a purpose.

He's not just hiding in a house waiting for something to happen.

He's trying to solve the problem.

Because he might be among the last people alive, he bears heavy responsibility.

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The Loneliness Is The Real Fear

I Am Legend is stronger than a normal monster movie.

Robert has no one to talk to.

Nobody to eat dinner with.

There is nobody to argue with.

Nobody to tell about his day.

Waking up every morning knowing that almost every person you have ever known is gone.

That is terrifying in a different way.

The movie spends a lot of time showing Robert's daily routine, in addition to I enjoyed these quieter moments.

He goes through the same things every day.

He works.

He hunts.

He searches for supplies.

He watches movies.

He talks to his dog.

He tries to stay busy.

If he stops doing these things, he must confront how alone he is.

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Sam

I cannot discuss this movie without mentioning Sam.

Sam is Robert's dog &, his closest companion.

Their relationship brings more emotion to the movie.

So Robert doesn't just treat Sam like a pet but Sam is his friend and in many ways his connection to normal life.

Robert sometimes talks to Sam like he's talking to anyone else.

I got it.

Being completely alone in a city, having a dog with you makes a huge difference.

Sam helps Robert feel less isolated.

Their relationship is one of the parts of the movie that I enjoyed the most.

And, I'm not going to say anything else about Sam because I want to keep this review spoiler free.

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Will Smith

Will Smith carries this movie.

That is difficult.

There are long sections where he lacks another human actor to interact with.

He needs to get the audience interested in a character who mostly just goes through his daily life.

And I think he does a really good job.

Robert is not a superhero.

He is vulnerable.

He's afraid.

He's lonely.

He becomes frustrated.

Will Smith shows those emotions without needing constant dialogue.

Sometimes looking at his face shows you what you need to know.

I especially liked the quieter scenes because they allow his performance to breathe.

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An Abandoned City

The visual side of I Am Legend is also really impressive.

New York City looks completely different when it's empty.

Grass is growing through the roads.

Animals are roaming around places where humans normally would be.

Buildings are abandoned.

Cars are left behind.

Nature is slowly taking the city back.

You watch what would happen if humans disappeared and in contemporary life was left alone.

There is something beautiful about that, even though the situation is horrible.

The movie creates an atmosphere where the city feels familiar and completely alien.

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Day and Night

The movie uses day and night effectively.

During the day, Robert has some freedom.

He can walk around the city, hunt for food and search abandoned buildings.

But when the sun starts going down, everything changes.

Night turns dangerous.

Because the movie establishes this early on, you feel nervous whenever evening approaches.

Simple idea, but it works.

The darkness becomes something Robert has to fear.

I would probably be terrified of sunset if I were in his position.

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The Infected

We can not forget the infected creatures.

I won't explain much about them because discovering them yourself is part of the experience.

They are more than just zombies.

The field of feels more dangerous after dark.

Some of the CGI has gotten a little old since 2007 and, there are moments where the digital effects don't look as convincing anymore.

Since the movie is almost twenty years old, it still holds up pretty well.

The creatures also aren't really the main reason I found the movie scary.

Being alone was scary.

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The Scientist Side

I also liked the scientific side of the movie.

Robert's fighting for survival and trying to understand what has happened.

He's working with blood samples and, experiments, trying to figure out how the virus works and whether there is any possible cure.

This gives the story another layer.

He is not just thinking about hiMslf.

He is considering humanity.

If he finds a cure, in contemporary life could recover.

That makes his work more meaningful.

At the same time, you can feel the pressure on him.

If you're one of the last scientists alive, how much responsibility would you feel?.

That's a pretty heavy thought.

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The Atmosphere

The atmosphere is a key part of I Am Legend.

It is quiet.

Loneliness exists.

It is sometimes creepy.

And, there is always this feeling that something could go wrong.

Even during the daytime when everything looks peaceful, you know that Robert isn't really safe.

The movie doesn't constantly throw monsters at you.

Sometimes showing an empty street is enough.

Someone walking alone in a big city can feel more scary than facing a whole army of monsters.

That's something the movie gets right.

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Some Weak Points

Of course, the movie isn't perfect.

The story feels rushed in some moments, especially when certain events happen later on.

Some CGI appears worse now than when the movie first released.

But personally, I did not mind the slower pacing too much.

I liked how the movie let us feel Robert's loneliness.

That is what makes the movie stay with me.

More Than Just an Apocalypse Movie

The thing I took away from I Am Legend is that it is really about human connection.

Robert has almost everything taken away from him.

His friends.

His family.

His normal life.

His society.

He keeps going anyway.

The movie asks an interesting question:

Staying human when almost no humans are around you is a concern.

That's a much more interesting idea than simply "people fight monsters.".

In addition to I think that is why this movie has stuck around for so long.

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CONCLUSION

Overall, I really enjoyed I Am Legend.

The film is not perfect with some dated parts, but the atmosphere and, Will Smith's performance make it worth watching.

The empty New York City is probably the thing I'll remember most.

There is something haunting about seeing a place that is normally packed with people become completely silent.

And, then there is Robert, just trying to survive another day.

The movie made me think about how much we depend on other people without even realizing it.

We communicate with people.

Waking up one morning and realizing that all of that is gone.

No matter how independent you think you are, humans are social creatures.

We need a connection.

And I'm Legend shows what happens when that connection disappears.

I recommend watching this movie if you like post apocalyptic movies, survival stories, sci fi, or Will Smith's films.

Maybe do not watch it alone in a completely dark house, lol.

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Anyway thats it for this post. Please do give your reviews in the comments section below. I would really appreciate it :)

I'll be back with another one soon. So do follow me if you want to stay updated. Till then, Stay Happy and Stay Hydrated.

Rating: 85/100