Review: I Am Legend

It seems a long time ago that I was shying away from Will Smith's aggressively smug performances in The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Wild, Wild West, and Independence Day (and even longer ago that I avoided going to on-campus DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince concerts even more assiduously than the regular appearances of Hüsker Dü). Over the last few years Smith has increasingly demonstrated his considerable skills as an actor, turning in powerful, wide-ranging performances in films like Ali, The Pursuit of Happyness, and now I Am Legend.

One of the best things about Legend is that it isn't about monsters roaming post-apocalyptic New York; it's about what Will Smith's character endures, living in a dead city with only a dog and his ghosts for company. I Am Legend is one of the year's best films because it has a story to tell, not just blood to shed.