I AM LEGEND could have been a bad movie. The people making it could have messed up in many ways. However, they turn the flaws of the story into advantages. Its biggest asset is Will Smith's powerhouse performance. The script is very well-written also. The people making this movie took a big risk. Instead of making it an all-out action thriller with mindless, constant violence, they took the story line and made it, primarily, a tragedy about one man left alone in the world (with some great action pieces on the side). Parents need to know that this movie is very intense. Even when the action lets up, the emotion doesn't, and several scenes are emotionally draining, whether by fright or sadness. I don't like to include SPOILERS! in my reviews, but for the sake of a well-informed review, I will now. SPOILER! About 50 minutes into the movie, Neville's dog, Sam, becomes infected with the virus. He must strangle her before she becomes a zombie like the rest, and, since the dog is his only companion through the movie, this scene will be too overpowering for kids under 12 at least. END OF SPOILERS. In addition to that emotional scene, there are several others detailing the death of Neville's wife and daughter (helicopter crash). There's no more violence in the movie than there is in, say, a SPIDER-MAN film, but many scenes featuring the zombies will be frightening for kids. The film has a constant feel of desperation and despair, and while I wouldn't call it disturbing, it makes the film NOT for kids.
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I Am Legend
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Is it age appropriate?
About our ratings(Flash is loading. If this text does not disappear you need to install the latest flash version)
Not age appropriate for kids under 13, age appropriate for kids over 15; suggested age 13. -
Is it any good?
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Common Sense says
Intense, thoughtful thriller has some big scares.
updated 04.06.09
Why We Rated This 
for Ages 13–15
What to watch out for
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Violence :
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Sex :
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Language:
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What Parents Need to Know
About I Am Legend
Parents need to know that although this cerebral action thriller is quite clean when it comes to language and sexual content, it deals with intense subjects like the fall of mankind and the fight for survival. It's not for kids who get scared, since it gets pretty terrifying, especially when the mutants take their turn onscreen. They jump out of nowhere, and the movie makes the most of that suspense to heighten the audience's response. Overall, the movie is very sobering -- and, unlike many Will Smith thrillers, it's light on the fun. Still, teens will want to see it and will be intrigued by the special effects and the edge-of-your-seat action.
Read our full review by S. Jhoanna Robledo
Families Can Talk About
- Families can talk about Hollywood's fascination with disaster movies and post-apocalyptic stories. What's the hook? How is this one different? Which aspect of the movie is more interesting to you: its thoughtful side or the fighting-off-mutants side? How is this movie different from other Will Smith sci-fi films? Families can also discuss what they'd do in Robert's place. Would you be able to keep your wits about you, as he seems to have (barely)? Would you be able to make the selfless decisions he seems to make?
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Our Members Say
See all 126 member reviews
Most Recent Reviews
Lives in NebraskaI rate this title on for age 14 and give itMy concerns are:- Excessive violence
A Stellar Thriller With a Thoughtful Side...
Lives inI rate this title on for age 11 and give itBest first horror/ thriller film! *SPOILERS*
this movis had a few scares as well as a operation/injection on a mutant which jumps up which scared me. the sad oart is when...***SPOILER*** the dog, sam dies. it is also weird when a manniquen named fred is standing in front of a building and you see it's head move! good first scary film! :-)
- Lives in New JerseyI rate this title on for age 11 and give it
sad. but good
prettty good. might startle kids 8 and under. very sad. not even scary. it was probably only rated PG-13 for the sadness. because *SPOILER******** dog, sam, gets bitten and will smith has to kill her to survive. its funny because hes like "hey fred what the heck you doin" meanwhile fred is a maniquinn. not scary just makes you jump becasue most of the movie is just him trying to stay alive. then when theres action, its loud and startles you. like when sammy gets lost in the building he goes into look for her and sees the mutants feeing. then they start screeching and run towards him and you jump because you dont expect it.
- Lives in PennsylvaniaI rate this title on for age 11 and give it
spooooooooooooooooooooooky
verry good the book is good 2
- Lives in New YorkI rate this title on for age 14 and give it
my favorite movie. not much language, no sex, any violence is necessary for the plot and there is just enough. scary too :-)
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Ratings at a Glance
| 33% | of parents say it's too violent |
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