I really wanted to like this movie, and for the first forty minutes or so, I did. The haunting shots of post-apocalyptic Manhattan and the persistent focus on the day -to-day realities of a man dealing with lonliness, loss, and vampiric hordes are compelling. For a would be blockbuster, this film insists on slowing down and closely observing details that most big action flicks miss. Unfortunately, even though the film has a surprisingly interesting artistic point of view, the script is helluva weak. I don't mind a film like this skimping on the action if all the quiet scenes are building on each other towards something. However, in I Am Legend, the character building scenes don't actually build on each other, and they end up leading to a flat, infuriatingly dumb "Signs"-style ending. It certainly doesn't help that the CGI plague victims who menace Will Smith throughout the movie have that patented CGI shininess to them that makes them look like World of Warcraft avatars. Gollum aside, CGI has just not yet reached the point where it can be used in such large doses without seeming really, really fake.
And, as with most post-apocalyptic films, I end up spending a lot of time wishing that the movie were set during the deadly plague, not after. Some of the best parts of the film are the flashbacks to Will Smith's family trying to evacutate Manhattan as it's being quarantined. After the last of those scenes ended, I kept hoping that there would be more. Look, Hollywood, I know tha it's difficult to set a film during the apocalpyse because it doesn't fit with your precious three act structures and your Robert McKee character arcs, but c'mon, already! Get on the damn ball and make that shit happen!
Score: 6.9
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8 comments:
"CGI has just not yet reached the point where it can be used in such large doses without seeming really, really fake."
Unless you're talking about Beowolf, in which case it's really, really sweet.
Beowulf? Ugh.
Beowulf? Ugh.
I Am Legend was filmed last year, circa October 2007, in and around the NYU campus. Will Smith was spotted several times "chillin" (as he do) near the NYU library. It was cool walking around and seeing a major film in production--the endless equipment, trailers, lights, trees, cars, etc. gives you an idea of the moviemaking process in a way that a "making of" DVD never could.
This is entirely useless information. But it did make me want to make movies. I like the idea of scouting for locations, especially. I do that often when I drive through places or walk through town.
Road trip on the 26th?
Beowulf looks like the demon fuck-baby of Polar Express and 300. If I could get my hands on some good mushrooms, I'd watch it on the IMAX. My point about CGI doesn't really apply to Beowulf anyway, though, because if a movie is entirely CGI, it can look convincing because the CGI isn't clashing with any real elements. It's when CGI creatures are placed into "real" environments that they look like shit, and the I Am Legend monsters truly look like shit.
Gant, if you're in the area on the 26th, I'm totally down with 'trippin' it to Shy-town to have our cinematic balls waxed.
chicago is being done, period. that way we can have our balls waxed by Daniel Day Lewis twice in three weeks!
also, dreadlock rasta.
Let's make Chicago plans a.s.a.p. as I may have to arrange a vehicle in order to get to Milwaukee/Chicago. Depending. Anyone want to take the train in? This would allow much more conversation and ball-waxing, plus we could liberate ourselves from parking/gas/road ragin'.
Johnny Greenwood of Radiohead did the score for TWBB. Commence the jigglin'.
Well, I'm working until 4:30 that day, so I can't get you to Milwaukee. Maybe Jach or Baumann could get 'er done.
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