Robert Neville (Will Smith) finds himself the only healthy survivor of a biological attack, as his fellow New Yorkers have become zombies. By day, Neville hunts the undead who walk the streets; by night, he barricades himself in his home against the mob gathered outside.

Somewhere in the first 30 minutes of I Am Legend, Tom Hanks’ Cast Away popped into my mind probably because Will Smith’s character was talking to mannequins he dressed and positioned himself. But, Cast Away has absolutely nothing on I Am Legend. Legend rocks and Smith gives an outstanding, and perhaps his best performance since Six Degrees of Separation. The directing was just perfect, never uninspired or unbelievable as you find in most high-concept action or horror films or action or horror films adapted from popular novels. The cinematography and the writing were also tops.

I was truly taken aback by the very smart screen adaptation from the Robert Matheson novel of the same name. Often, when films are adapted from very good or very popular novels, something is very lost in the translation. Circle of Friends and Hamlet (with Branagh) immediately come to mind. Though Legend has been adapted for screen a couple of times before ( The Last Man on Earth in 1964 and Omega Man in 1971), this 2007 version seems to have stayed true to the essence of the book itself.

Matheson’s novel is about the sole survivor of a world wide pandemic of bacteria which causes vampire like symptoms to everyone who gets infected. The protagonist, Robert Neville is immune. The novel focuses on the psychological effects on Neville of having to survive amongst these once human, now vampiric creatures while also dealing with loneliness. The writers and director of the screen adaptation used the framework of the original plot, updated it but kept the essence of the novel.

The film adaptation has Smith as the sole survivor of a viral infection from a viral cure that was meant to cure cancer. Those infected developed rabies-like symptoms as well as severe skin pigment deficiencies that prevented them from being able to be exposed to sunlight. No mention of garlic, stakes, or the like. In fact, what makes this film so exceptional compared to other film adaptations of novels is that the plot was rewritten to be convincing. In a sense this also captures the essence of the Matheson novel in that science, rather than superstition could explain the vampiric symptoms and inclinations of the infected people. And, where Robert Neville is just your regular war veterinarian in Matheson’s novel, Neville is a military scientist in the film adaption.

Smith’s very deliberate, smoothly escalating psychological deterioration throughout the film was faithful to the novel. His loneliness and fear were palpable and his actions and reactions were wholly believable. The directing, cinematography and writing were also smooth, deliberate and moving.

I Am Legend is one of my few favorite films this year. It’s been an unexceptional year for film, but this one stands out like a giant amongst ants, especially given the genre. The film has all the right elements and none of the wrong ones for a smart, sophisticated and complex horror thriller.

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