Reviews

The acting ensemble is fun, and able to rouse a chuckle, especially proved comedic veterans Lily Tomlin, and the two risqué singing cowboys played by Woody Harrelson and John C. Reily. For a few chuckles and some fine old time country songs, you'll find it amusing but as an actual film, it's a disappointment. Basically if you enjoy the radio show the film is named after and based on you'll find interest in the film. It goes nowhere. Forget about the traditional rise, climax, fall. It's pretty much flatlined the whole time. As interesting as some of the characters are, there are so many of them that they all are underdeveloped and its hard for us to become too attached to any of them. I think this film probably set out what it meant to. To make a semi fictional film, about the landmark radio program for fans of it to enjoy and perhaps scare up a few new listeners. It's exactly what the poster say it is. A visual representation of Garrison Keiler's program.

A perfect marriage of Walt Disney nostalgia, and the "real" modern world that we're more accustomed to. Gisele, a fair maiden living in a clichéd cartoon world where her best friends are a slew of woodland creatures who help her clean and get dressed, and sing in harmony while she sings of her dreams to kiss her Prince Charming she has yet to meet. By the end of the catchy but diddy she's met that man a stereotypical, handsome, self assured pretty boy, Prince Edward. After just meeting in cartoon fashion they are to be married the next day, but Edward's stepmother objects, because she will lose her throne if her son should marry. So she disguises her self as a familiar witch with an affinity for poisoned apples and pushes Gisele down a wishing well sending her in a whirlwind, in to the New York sewers. A realist single dad about to get engaged, divorce lawyer soon finds himself aiding her, and trying to make some sense of her outlandish outfit and attitudes about true love's kiss, rats, and dress making, but before he knows it she's shown him that maybe their worlds aren't as different as he thinks. Adams is incredibly sweet and enchanting as Gisele. From cartoon to New York City streets, she is an absolute embodiment of a fairy tale princess right in front of our eyes. James Marsden is also right out of a Walt Disney classic with his charming, ego-centric, swagger as the prince of every little girl's dreams. Patrick Dempsey might be slightly miscast in the role of the realist lawyer, but it doesn't hurt the film any. The singing is pitch perfect to match the great songs. It'll blow you away to find Amy Adams does her own singing.

As amusing as Will Smith putzing around an abandoned New York City, doing things that you've daydreamed of like picking any random car and driving it around the city or golfing at skyscrapers, or as frightening the shocks Francis Lawrence shows us at just a pace to keep your nails dug into the seat, what sets this apart from say 28 Days Later or Dawn of the Dead, is the humanistic quality among the chaos. I loved the two afore mentioned films, because they were scary and a lot of fun, but I Am Legend offers that with genuine moments that will tug and pull on your heart, and make you feel a way that most zombie movies aren't going to make you feel. I'd like to give a large portion of that credit to Will Smith. If you've seen Ali, and Pursuit of Happiness, you know what a magnetic force Will Smith has turned out to be on the screen. The intensity he paints across the screen, showing us his frustration, pain and loneliness all the while being a hero along side an Indiana Jones. Francis Lawrence who previously directed Constantine, shows his affinity for shock shot direction, pacing the action so you never know when somethings going to jump out at you. Sometimes it's just cheap, and sometimes it's genius. He's a very talented director that I think will take up the camera for several more action/horror/blockbluster movies just as I Am Legend and Constantine (side not, I didn't like Constantine although I thought Lawrence's direction was good for it, but he's improved here.) If the zombie's look a little less than authentic after a while you might consider that a flaw in the whole movie. Don't hesitate to see it if you get the chance. I am telling you, I am Legend doesn't disappoint.