28 Days Later… was a pretty good zombie movie. But I found I Am Legend way more disturbing. Will Smith did not phone this one in. (I think he gives his all in just about every film I’ve seen him in).
I usually like a good post-apocalyptic yarn but this one… the people behind me kept shushing me because I was saying, "It’s only a movie, it’s only a movie" in my outside voice.
Take the worst thing that anyone can imagine (the extinction of mankind) and cast an actor who can make you believe it for even a few of the 100 minutes… (shudder).
Comment Assignment: Best (?) zombie movies.
28 Days Later has got to be my favorite zombie picture ever. After we saw it, Kory and I and the friends we went with all just stood in the parking lot for a while and tried to readjust to the actuality of our ostensibly civilized world. It’s not often that I’m so affected by a film.
‘I am Legend’ I worry about for the same reason I was (rightfully) concerned about the interpretation of I, Robot as portrayed by the Fresh Prince. Why not just film somebody desecrating Asimov’s grave for 2 hours? Yecch.
I read the original I Am Legend book, which was excellent. I’m not sure I want to even set myself up to spoil it with a hollywoodized adaptation.
If you liked “28 days later,” try the follow-up “28 weeks later.” Even better than the original. And I’m not a fan of zombie movies.
It’s 24 hours later and I’m not as depressed as I was coming out of the movie. This is not a movie that bears up well under thoughtful analysis or logical scrutiny. It only works -if at all- in the theater, in the moment.
And all I can really say is, it worked for me. I can’t begin to defend I Am Legend as great cinema. I’m not even sure what that is.
But no more movies where the goddamned dog dies. Not if I can help it.
“I am Legend” didn’t really do it for me. The whole Bob Marley tie-in (his album, “Legend” is an all-time best seller) just hit me with a clunk. Sure, Will Smith acts his ass off but I liked the dog just as much as I liked his performance.
I’m not a connoisseur of the zombie genre but my faves have been ones that let me laugh while I shutter. “Dawn of the Dead” with Ving Rhames is up there as well as “Shaun of the Dead.” I don’t like the flicks that make me keep the lights on when I go to sleep at night. Splatter, laughter, Apocalypse, laughter, roll credits.