I Am Legend
A scientist alone in a reclaimed New York races to cure the plague-created Infected before humanity disappears entirely.
Overview
A lone survivor battles against the odds in a world ravaged by a deadly virus.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Moderate
- bleak
- suspenseful
- melancholic
- late night thriller viewing
- science fiction marathon
What critics said
Critics generally found the film compelling because of Will Smith's absorbing performance and striking post-apocalyptic setup, while frequently faulting its effects and uneven third act.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Neville occupies an abandoned New York City while maintaining a solitary daily routine and searching for other survivors.
The man-made virus destroys civilization and creates the Infected, while Neville works to reverse its effects.
Wide views of empty New York show vegetation and wildlife reclaiming infrastructure after human civilization collapses.
Neville uses his immunity and laboratory research to seek a cure for the disaster he could not prevent.
Films like I Am Legend, and why
28 Days Later
shared post apocalyptic isolation, infected humans, survival tension, and a lone protagonist seeking hope amid urban ruin
The Last Man on Earth
shared pandemic aftermath, dystopian urban landscapes, moral survival dilemmas, and emotionally intense science fiction thriller elements
The Omega Man
shared lonely survivalist protagonist, abandoned city setting, biological catastrophe, and desperate search for human connection
Contagion
shared bleak pandemic premise, societal collapse, human vulnerability, and tension between survival and ethical responsibility
Movie Details
- Director
- Francis Lawrence
- Release Date
- 2007-12-12
- Runtime
- 101 min
- Rating
- 7.2 / 10 (17362)
Cast
- Will Smith
- Alice Braga
- Charlie Tahan
- Dash Mihok
- Salli Richardson-Whitfield
- Willow Smith
- Emma Thompson
- Darrell Foster
- Joanna Numata
- Samuel Glen
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Howdy Amazon Channel
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Spectrum On Demand, Plex
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is I Am Legend about?
- A scientist alone in a reclaimed New York races to cure the plague-created Infected before humanity disappears entirely.
- What is I Am Legend like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of I Am Legend as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is I Am Legend violent?
- Somewhat. Ember rates the violence in I Am Legend as moderate.
- What did critics think of I Am Legend?
- Critics generally found the film compelling because of Will Smith's absorbing performance and striking post-apocalyptic setup, while frequently faulting its effects and uneven third act.
- Which films are like I Am Legend?
- Films with a similar feel include 28 Days Later, The Last Man on Earth, The Omega Man, and Contagion.
- How long is I Am Legend?
- I Am Legend runs 101 minutes.
- Where can I watch I Am Legend?
- In United States, I Am Legend streams on Howdy Amazon Channel.
