Rating summary

Movie		4.5
Video		5.0
Audio		5.0
Extras		4.5
Overall		4.5

I Am Legend Blu-ray Movie Review

Warner's Limited Edition of this crowd pleaser is worthy of a spot in any Blu-ray collection.

Reviewed by Martin Liebman December 14, 2008

My name is Robert Neville. I am a survivor in New York City...If there is anybody out there, anybody, please...you are not alone.

Director Francis Lawrence's I Am Legend represents a new entry into the annals of the small but wonderful list of post-apocalyptic films, a genre boasting classics such as The Road Warrior and 28 Days Later. This genre has always held a remarkable fascination as perhaps the greatest “what if?” question ever posed to moviegoers. I Am Legend is a retelling of the novel of the same title written in 1954 by Richard Matheson, writer of both the Twilight Zone TV episode and the movie segment, "Nightmare at 20,000 Feet." The book has seen several movie renditions, including Vincent Price’s brilliant film Last Man On Earth (1964) and Charleton Heston’s solid yet unspectacular The Omega Man (1971). I Am Legend is similar to Matheson's work in name and basic plot only. It's an updated version of the story that works remarkably well as an effective thriller and action film with a message of the role of fate and harmony in even the bleakest of circumstances.

Robert Neville on the hunt for his next Blu-ray purchase.

Will Smith (I, Robot) stars as Dr. Robert Neville, a military scientist who finds himself alone in New York City some 1,000 days after a virus emanating from a potential cancer cure miracle drug devastates the city and the world. Neville struggles along, his only companion a dog named Sam, and continues with his work of searching for a cure to the infection. Neville finally discovers what may be a breakthrough and ventures out to find an infected human subject for further analysis of the drug. At this point, the film switches gears, focusing more on action rather than the slow and deliberate introduction to the lonely world of Dr. Neville, portraying him hunting medium sized game for food in a deserted downtown New York City and following him as he copes with the reality of being alone as he talks to mannequins and continues to borrow from and return films to the video store. Once the action picks up, Neville’s life will forever change in mere hours as issues he has avoided for more than three years spring up one after another. The film concludes with a fine interweaving of several seemingly minor plot points introduced throughout the film, revealing the importance of faith, belief, and the human spirit in even the most adverse and hopeless of situations.

Will Smith turns in what is undoubtedly one of the finest performances of his career as a man coping as well as he can with the situation of being the lone normal human plague survivor. He keeps up a cool exterior, one that is superficial only, hiding the fear, anger, and anguish he feels underneath. His back story is told in flashbacks, leading to a scene that scars him for life and leaves the audience shocked. Smith plays the role so well that audiences may forget that he really isn't the last man alive. His interactions with his dog provide his only means of maintaing a sense of companionship, though he tries his hardest to speak with mannequins to no avail. Perhaps his best scene in the film features Neville reciting a scene from the movie Shrek verbatim, doing so with a lifeless stare into nothingness, obviously having watched the film so many times that the characters in it, like Sam, have become his companions over the years. Smith was perfectly cast for this film, and while his performance isn't the kind those who choose the Oscars look for when picking candidates, he nevertheless far exceeds his job description, seemingly living his role rather than acting it.

I Am Legend proves to be fine entertainment that works because it forces the viewer into Neville's shoes as audiences ask themselves how they would handle such a crisis situation. It definitely proves to be food for thought and may even serve as a wake-up call to those who may find themselves completely unprepared for such a drastic circumstance. As a film, I Am Legend builds on several "legendary" cinematic themes as hints of the zombie, vampire, disease, and post-apocalyptic genres work their way into the story. The film is perhaps closest in nature to the aforementioned 28 Days Later as the story of a deadly virus that spread quickly through society, destroying whole civilizations in mere days. I Am Legend isn’t quite as good as Danny Boyle’s breakthrough film, but it certainly matches it for pace and intensity. Both films faltered slightly in the third act, but both redeem themselves in the last minutes of the movie with a sense of hope after ninety minutes of despair. I Am Legend is a winner, and movie lovers will undoubtedly be pleased with this modern adaptation of a horror classic.

I Am Legend Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Warner Brother's effort for their Blu-ray re-release of I Am Legend remains one of their best yet, providing viewers with a stunning image quality that is certainly befitting the film. The transfer is a revelation compared to some of the lesser theatrical presentations of the film during its original run, and the film definitely benefits from the razor-sharp resolution and clarity only Blu-ray currently offers for home viewing. Though the bitrates varied across both versions on the original release and this special edition, the transfer appears to be from the same source, and there is no appreciable difference between the two. Colors are rich and vibrant throughout this Blu-ray. The fire engine red Mustang Neville drives at the beginning of the film is marvelously reproduced. Detail in every single shot of the film is strikingly high and real; close-up shots of Neville's face, for example, feature rich, practically tactile texture and definition that makes for some of the more realistic shots yet on Blu-ray. Black levels are fantastic, producing a deep and dark image, when appropriate, that adds another level of dread to the already frightening proceedings. There is a fine amount of grain visible in certain dark shots, notably those lit only by the light on Neville's M4 carbine. The image often presents contrasting light and dark scenes, moving from dark, lifeless interiors or nighttime shots to scenes filmed in broad daylight. No doubt about it, I Am Legend remains a stunner of a transfer, one that does well as demonstration material both for its amazing visuals and equally impressive audio.

I Am Legend Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Presented in lossless Dolby TrueHD 5.1, this re-release of I Am Legend never disappoints sonically, carrying over the amazing soundtrack that accompanied the original release. It sounds just as good as the image looks, and that's high praise indeed. The soundtrack gets going by creating a pleasant, realistic atmosphere, setting the mood for the loneliness and terror that define Neville's very existence. After the movie begins by conveying the sounds of a dead city -- the chirping of insects, the rustling of tall, unkempt grass and weeds -- the sound stage opens up. Listeners are treated to a fantastic chase sequence that pits animal versus machine as Dr. Neville chases a herd of deer through the streets of a deserted downtown New York City. The car spins and swirls around in the rear channels. The revving of the engine is also marvelously reproduced. Surrounds are bustling with activity throughout, both with minor ambience and major action pieces. When Neville is in dark quarters, alone, the slightest echoing effect accompanies his heavy, stressed breathing. On the other end of the spectrum, flashback scenes feature helicopters and jets flying across the listening area with great effect and power. Some of the sounds are downright horrifying in lossless audio (in a good way), such as the shrieks of the creatures of the night that roam the streets while Neville and Sam sleep. Sound moves around, even the subtlest of sounds, so effortlessly and seamlessly that it really does recreate what it might sound like to be the last man on Earth. Dialogue reproduction is uniformly excellent from beginning to end as well.

LFE effects are not as powerful as they are in other recent Blu-ray discs, like those heard in Independence Day or The Incredible Hulk, but they are presented here so cleanly, effectively, efficiently, and naturally that the experience is suitably impressive. I Am Legend definitely proves that bass doesn't have to be completely raucous and loud to be effective. Make no mistake, it'll rattle the windows a few times, but it absolutely never oversteps its bounds, recreating a very realistic sounding -- and feeling -- experience. Bass rumbles with clarity and presence, on cue, and sounds like every good soundtrack should, reproducing lows as only the best tracks can, and as many others only wish they could. What few gunshots there are in the movie come mostly from Neville's M4 carbine, and they are appropriately powerful and loud, and they reverberate with the authority and punch heard and felt in real life. A bridge collapse in chapter 18 rocks the listening area, as does a series of exploding claymores in chapter 23. While not as aggressive as some other mixes, I Am Legend earns a top score for producing a strikingly realistic, horrifying, and well-mixed soundtrack that is one of the best yet on the format, and is also definitely demonstration-worthy material.

I Am Legend Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

While other studios haven't quite figured out the perfect mix of price versus goodies in their limited edition boxed sets, Warner Brothers has nailed their I Am Legend set, offering fans a handsome package priced just right. The set, like all other limited editions, isn't for everyone, but fans looking for something fresh and a product to show their love of the film need look no further. I Am Legend comes housed in a nice looking and sturdy heavy-duty cardboard case measuring 11.5" in length, 8" in height, and 1.25" in depth. The top lid flips open, revealing artwork on the opposite side. Inside the box is a softcover 44-page book featuring a number of before-and-after apocalypse images of New York City as well as some stills from the movie. Like the Wanted limited edition, I Am Legend also comes with a motion card housed inside a clear plastic magnetic case measuring approximately 3" in height, 5" in length, and 0.5" in depth. Also included are six postcard-style cards that showcase famous locations from around the world (Taiwan, Spain, Tokyo, London, India, and Paris) in a state of decay. The centerpiece of this set is, of course, the movie, offered here in three varieties over three discs. The discs come housed in a black tri-fold-open case, with the theatrical version of the film and supplements on disc one, the alternate cut and additional supplements on disc two, and a digital copy on disc three. As always, photos of this set are available through the "Screenshots" tab atop this review. This boxed sets ports over the extras from the previous release, and adds some new material as well.

Disc one begins with Behind the Story. This segment is headlined by a commentary track featuring director Francis Lawrence and producer-screenwriter Akiva Goldsman, which is exclusive to this set. The track is extremely informative and interesting as the pair shares their thoughts on the look and feel of the film, the locations, the emotional themes of the film, Will Smith's performance, and plenty more. Fans will love this track, and it makes for another good reason to upgrade to this set. The remainder of Behind the Story includes supplements found on the original release. Cautionary Tale: The Science of 'I Am Legend' (1080p, 20:41) looks at the real-life science behind some of the ideas presented in the film. Not only do cast and crew discuss the science, but medical doctors, professors, and virologists examine what a virus is and what it can do to a population. This is a fairly technical and scientific feature, but it is presented mostly in layman's terms. A minor background in science, say an entry level college biology course, will definitely help in understanding what's going on and being said here. Next up is a series of short features under the heading of Creating 'I Am Legend' that delve into many aspects of the film, including the work of Abby, the German Shepherd seen in the film, a look at the weapons used by Dr. Neville in the film, and Smith's physical training for the role. These features generally run several minutes in length, are presented in 480p, and make for some interesting viewing.

Continuing on disc one, viewers will find Focus Points. With this feature turned on, a disc icon appears on the top left corner of the screen, cuing viewers to press the "enter" buttons on their remotes to access additional behind-the-scenes materials. The mini-features are presented full screen and in 1080p high definition. Also included are the four animated comics that appeared on the original release -- Death is a Gift, Isolation, Sacrificing the Few For the Many, and Shelter. Rounding out disc one is the film's theatrical trailer (1080p, 2:46). Disc two features a few additional extras. The Making of 'I Am Legend' (480p, 25:57) features the cast and crew discussing the themes of the film, the research that went into ensuring the film played as authentically as possible, the variations between novel and film, shooting in New York, creating the film's various effects shots, utilizing the Armed Forces in several scenes, and plenty more. 'I Am Legend:' The Making of Shots (1080p, 26:04) is a five-part feature that offers a look into the creation of the film's visual effects shots. They are broken down into the various stages of completion, and include commentary describing the work that went into the production of each shot. The five segments are as follows: Visual Effects Highlights, Alpha Male, Times Square Hunt, Seaport Evacuation, and Alternate Ending. Concluding the supplements on disc two are a series of 12 deleted scenes (480p, 19:45) with optional commentary from Francis Lawrence and Akiva Goldsman. Disc three of this set contains a digital copy of the film, though it is neither Mac nor iPod compatible, which is a major oversight and the only blemish on this otherwise wonderful set.

I Am Legend Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

I Am Legend is a movie that will interest viewers who enjoy themes such as science, action, population-eradicating viruses, zombies, vampires, or post-apocalyptic stories. Will Smith turns in a great performance in what was one of the better films of 2007, and is still also one of the better Blu-ray discs currently available. This film as transfered to Blu-ray offers exceptional video and audio quality, and the new supplemental package that ports over the old extras and brings many new ones to the table make this set a worthy addition to any Blu-ray library. For collectors who do not already own the original discs, and for the film's most ardent fans, this one is easily worth a buy. If you already own a Blu-ray copy of the original release and wish to upgrade, that old copy will make a great gift for someone else just discovering the magic of Blu-ray on Christmas morning. Highly recommended.