# I guess I'll start it... I Am Legend **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 10, 2007, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-guess-ill-start-it-i-am-legend/411272 "2007-07-10T22:42:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Surbey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4491bb/32.png) [@Surbey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Surbey)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2007, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-guess-ill-start-it-i-am-legend/411272/1 "2007-07-10T22:42:06Z")
I just saw the trailer for this new [movie](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0480249/) staring Will Smith and I can’t WAIT to see it. I’m not familiar with the back story at all but I think he’ll do a great job. I’m usually satisfied with his performances. Anyone else got a thought on it? ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2007, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-guess-ill-start-it-i-am-legend/411272/2 "2007-07-10T22:43:20Z")
Trailer looks pretty good. I’d feel better about it if they had chosen a lead other than Will Smith. I’ve always had a hard time accepting him in a serious role. ---
**Author:** ![anyrose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/54ee81/32.png) [@anyrose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anyrose)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2007, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-guess-ill-start-it-i-am-legend/411272/3 "2007-07-10T22:45:15Z")
I am a major Will Smith fan and will see (eventually, even if I wait til it’s on cable) anything he is in, no matter how bad the script (I’m looking at you, Wild Wild West) I’ll wait til I see an actual trailer on TV of this one before I make up my mind whether or not I’ll plunk down $10 to see it. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2007, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-guess-ill-start-it-i-am-legend/411272/4 "2007-07-10T23:49:57Z")
Oh, God. I don’t have much hope for this. Richard Matheson was one talented writer. His stuff has appeared on The Twilight Zone and Amazing Tales and elsewhere. He wrote “The Shrinking Man”, which was made into “The Incredible Shrinking Man”, but was a much better book. His “I Am Legend” has been filmed twice before – once as “The Last Man on Earth” with Vincent Price (and a really low budget), and once as “The Omega Man” with Charltomn Heston. Neither really did justice to his book, which was about the Last Man on Earth being beseiged by Vampires (explained rationally as a kind of plague). after what Smith did to asimov’s “I, Robot”, and especually to the sensibilities of modern blockbuster moviemaking, I don’t really have a lot of hope for this, But we’ll see. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2007, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-guess-ill-start-it-i-am-legend/411272/5 "2007-07-10T23:53:07Z")
I’m going to pass on this one. The trailer didn’t impress me, and as **CalMeacham** pointed out, Will Smith is associated with a very bad “adaptation” from a good science fiction story already. He may be working on a theme here. I’d rather go see “Balls of Fire,” which looks like the single worst movie of the year, on purpose. ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2007, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-guess-ill-start-it-i-am-legend/411272/6 "2007-07-11T00:12:32Z")
I’m such a fan of the book that I’ll probably go see it. I hope I don’t sound too whiney afterwards. ---
**Author:** ![Malodorous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e47774/32.png) [@Malodorous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malodorous)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2007, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-guess-ill-start-it-i-am-legend/411272/7 "2007-07-11T00:36:04Z")
[QUOTE=CalMeacham] after what Smith did to asimov’s “I, Robot”, and especually to the sensibilities of modern blockbuster moviemaking, I don’t really have a lot of hope for this, But we’ll see. [/QUOTE] Meh, its not like Smith writes these movies, or that when asked to make an adaptation he makes sure that its going to _not_ follow the book. I think the guy just likes being in sci-fi blockbusters, I doubt he has much input on how carefully they follow the text of whatever story inspires them. And for what its worth, I though that “I Robot” did a semi-decent job of capturing the flavor of a Asimov robot story. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2007, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-guess-ill-start-it-i-am-legend/411272/8 "2007-07-11T01:31:50Z")
From what I hear It will be more like Omega Man, as in no vampires. Instead it will be mutated humans due to a plague. Hopefully with fewer 70s afros. ---
**Author:** ![El\_Kabong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/el_kabong/32/496_2.png) [@El\_Kabong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Kabong)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2007, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-guess-ill-start-it-i-am-legend/411272/9 "2007-07-11T02:04:49Z")
I’ve never gotten round to reading the original story, but “The Omega Man” is one of my favorite pieces of '70s cheese, although definitely something of a guilty pleasure. In a quick check through the IMDB, it seems the property almost went into production in the early 90’s as a Ridley Scott/Arnold Schwarzenegger collaboration, and later on was slated to be a Michael Bay film. So, can’t help thinking there are two bullets dodged. This time the director is Francis Lawrence, whose only major credit to date (I think) is “Constantine”, which I didn’t see but received a rather lukewarm reception, IIRC. Will Smith has shown several times that with the right material he can shine as an actor. I really don’t think “I, Robot” has much to do with whether the new film will be good or not. Certainly the trailer sets the right mood, IMO, but just about all it shows is a bit of Will rambling through a silent New York, so I have no idea as yet how the story’s fleshed out. I’m pretty sure I’ll go see it. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2007, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-guess-ill-start-it-i-am-legend/411272/10 "2007-07-11T02:23:08Z")
I remember liking the book. I know it is considered a classic in some circles but I’m not sure if it still holds up. I think I have it around here somewhere, I’ll have to reread it. But I don’t think that changing it a bit (or a lot) will be a sin if it is done well. IIRC the book was just a set up for the punchline. I’ll spoiler the book plot even though it was written in the 50s. You have had time to read it. Which of course was given away in the title. Our hero is the last real human that he knows about. He does his best to wipe out the vampires during the day and tries to survive the night. By the end he hears that he is what the vampire parents use to scare their children. He has become what vampires are to us. He thinks “I am legend.” It doesn’t end on a happy note. The vampires are now the inhabitants of the world and humans are just the bogeymen that used to be. Somehow I don’t see the movie ending like that but they did keep the title so who knows. (I hope I remembered that right it has been a while) ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2007, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-guess-ill-start-it-i-am-legend/411272/11 "2007-07-11T02:27:51Z")
[QUOTE=Loach] I remember liking the book. I know it is considered a classic in some circles but I’m not sure if it still holds up. [/QUOTE] I don’t think it does. I read it as an adult and the whole premise seemed pretty silly. (Though I’m sure if I’d read it in Junior High I would have loved it.) I think the changes _The Omega Man_ made to the plot of the book improved the story. ---
**Author:** ![Surbey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4491bb/32.png) [@Surbey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Surbey)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2007, 5:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-guess-ill-start-it-i-am-legend/411272/12 "2007-07-11T05:30:48Z")
[QUOTE=Malodorous] Meh, its not like Smith writes these movies, or that when asked to make an adaptation he makes sure that its going to _not_ follow the book. I think the guy just likes being in sci-fi blockbusters, I doubt he has much input on how carefully they follow the text of whatever story inspires them. And for what its worth, I though that “I Robot” did a semi-decent job of capturing the flavor of a Asimov robot story. [/QUOTE] Agreed and agreed. I always hate it when people attribute actors to bad roles. From what I’ve seen, Will Smith acts out each character he plays quite accurately and appropriately for the movie he’s in. If you think he gave a poor performance, I’d be quicker to attribute this to the role, not him. I’d be MORE worried about the director than Smith… He doesn’t have much to go on other than a few music videos! ---
**Author:** ![Surbey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4491bb/32.png) [@Surbey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Surbey)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2007, 5:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-guess-ill-start-it-i-am-legend/411272/13 "2007-07-11T05:34:52Z")
[QUOTE=Surbey] I’d be MORE worried about the director than Smith… He doesn’t have much to go on other than a few music videos! [/QUOTE] Oh Damn It! I just looked on [IMDB](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1349376/) and see that he directed Constantine… this is gonna suck some big, stinky ass. ---
**Author:** ![pool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pool/32/4152_2.png) [@pool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pool)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2007, 5:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-guess-ill-start-it-i-am-legend/411272/14 "2007-07-11T05:41:29Z")
I love Richard Matheson’s books and especially his short stories. I loved I Am Legend. I think Will Smith is totally wrong for this role. ---
**Author:** ![pool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pool/32/4152_2.png) [@pool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pool)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2007, 5:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-guess-ill-start-it-i-am-legend/411272/15 "2007-07-11T05:47:10Z")
[QUOTE=pool] I love Richard Matheson’s books and especially his short stories. I loved I Am Legend. I think Will Smith is totally wrong for this role. [/QUOTE] That being said I’ll probably still see it. ---
**Author:** ![Pushkin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ee59a6/32.png) [@Pushkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pushkin)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2007, 10:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-guess-ill-start-it-i-am-legend/411272/16 "2007-07-11T10:44:52Z")
[QUOTE=pool] That being said I’ll probably still see it. [/QUOTE] Heh, me too 🙂 Is Will Smith becoming everyone’s favourite SF whore now? “Independence Day”, “Wild Wild West”, “Men in Black I & II”, “I, Robot”, now this. ---
**Author:** ![LateComer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/b5ac83/32.png) [@LateComer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LateComer)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2007, 12:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-guess-ill-start-it-i-am-legend/411272/17 "2007-07-11T12:06:58Z")
[QUOTE=CalMeacham] Richard Matheson **was** one talented writer. [/QUOTE] Matheson didn’t die, did he? I thought he was still alive. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2007, 12:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-guess-ill-start-it-i-am-legend/411272/18 "2007-07-11T12:28:48Z")
> [@](#): > > Matheson didn’t die, did he? I thought he was still alive. I think he is still alive, but I don’t think he’s writing. IIRC, his son still is. And, no, I’m not dumb enough to think that Will Smith wriotes this stuff – but he was in that awful adaptation of I, Robot, so the jibe was hard to resist. > [@](#): > > And for what its worth, I though that “I Robot” did a semi-decent job of capturing the flavor of a Asimov robot story. You’re either seeing different movies than I am, or reading different Asimov. To me it seemed light years removed from tthe feel of Asimov. **Bicentennial Man** , despite its flaws (and the abuse heaped on it) felt more like an Asimov story than any other movie I’ve seen. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2007, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-guess-ill-start-it-i-am-legend/411272/19 "2007-07-11T13:46:46Z")
[QUOTE=Zebra] I’m such a fan of the book that I’ll probably go see it. I hope I don’t sound too whiney afterwards. [/QUOTE] I shall await your report err I shell out money to see it. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![pizzabrat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e9c0ed/32.png) [@pizzabrat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pizzabrat)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2007, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-guess-ill-start-it-i-am-legend/411272/20 "2007-07-11T14:21:17Z")
::scratches head:: I just can’t figure out the mindset that worries that Hollywood will “cheapen” a perhaps clever yet ultimately trashy high-concept sci-fi story. Will Smith seems like a perfectly sensible choice from my vantage point. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-guess-ill-start-it-i-am-legend/411272.md?page=2)