 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. |
 | OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
I Am Legend
- Review Date: March 16, 2008
- PG-13
- Genre: Science Fiction
- 2007
Common Sense Media says
Intense, thoughtful thriller has some big scares.
Parents say
QUALITY
Kids say
QUALITY
What parents need to know
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.
What's the story?
If anyone had any doubts left that Will Smith could carry a movie, I AM LEGEND will banish them forever. He's virtually alone in this sci-fi thriller, with a dog -- albeit a talented one -- as his only foil. There are stretches when he literally talks to himself, and he's able to hold the audience's gaze throughout. Frightened and on edge, determined to survive, Robert Neville (Smith) is the last man standing in all five New York City boroughs after a virus thought to have cured cancer mutates and becomes a worldwide plague. Almost everyone on the planet dies; those who survive are turned into rabid creatures who only come out at night to hunt for food. But Robert decides to stay in the new ghost town of Manhattan. "This is Ground Zero," he declares. "I can still fix this."
Three years later, he's still there, spending his days hunting for deer with his dog, Samantha, by his side. He's hoping to find an antidote to turn the mutants back into humans. In the meantime, he has to fend his enemies off -- which is no mean feat, considering how violent they are.
Is it any good?
Director Francis Lawrence has a way with suspense; jumping out of your seat is almost a requirement here. Onscreen, Manhattan transforms into a true island, isolated, removed, and falling apart. Weeds grow on the streets, Times Square is deserted, the Flatiron Building sits neglected, and an eerie hush has fallen. Bravo to the special effects crew, who have created a New York never seen before (except, perhaps, in Escape to New York). The results are nothing short of amazing.
But the story ultimately disappoints. It starts out strong, hooking viewers in, but it sputters in the end. It's as if the screenwriters (or director, or producer) ran out of ways to wrap it up. Or perhaps the film simply doesn't have the same nuances as the Richard Matheson book on which it's based. Still, you can't fault I Am Legend for trying to be different from the typical action thriller. Taking on such themes as mankind's need for companionship, the fight for survival, and the existence of God, it at least succeeds in making us think.
What 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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Kid, 12 years old
July 3, 2010
AGE
its OK
all they do is kill
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AGE
perfect for people 9 to 99
LOVE IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It's kind of violent with a little bit of language but not terrible
probably not for younger kids cause you've got all these infected guys jumping out of no where.
Overall I give it a 10/10
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AGE
Suggested MPAA Rating:
PG-13 for intense sequences of horror violence, frightening images, and some disturbing images.
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AGE
love it
i dont have any concerns its just another action packed movie with vampires
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AGE
A Stellar Thriller With a Thoughtful Side...
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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AGE
good for tweens who can handle scary movies
What to watch out for
*
Messages:
In the aftermath of a viral apocalypse, society has collapsed. People have become zombie-like mutants that feast on human flesh. The main character is reduced to his base nature, paranoid and on the brink. But he rises to the occasion when the time comes and makes a difficult decision for the good of mankind.
*
Violence:
Frequent. The main character totes guns and shoots at marauding, rabid mutants who attack him with the intent to either eat him or kill him -- or both. He also accidentally stabs himself, flashes a gun at a woman and her child, and conducts experiments on feral rats and other creatures. Bridges and buildings explode, cars careen, and a loyal dog becomes collateral damage.
*
Sex:
A married couple shares a tender kiss.
*
Language:
Pretty mild; "d--n," "h--l," "Oh my God."
*
Consumerism:
Premium placement for the Mustang GT500, Apple computers, iPod, and a Time magazine cover. Lots of signage left behind in New York, especially in Times Square, where billboards for Broadway shows abound, as well as hotel brands like Hyatt.
*
Drinking, drugs, & smoking:
Robert downs prescription pills at a very difficult moment.
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AGE
Good for a teen/tween who can handle scary movies.
This movie isn't too bad for someone who likes to jump while watching movies. Not too violent, about four or five cuss words. Will Smith's character does inject some kind of medicine but I wouldn't say drugs. A little suspense here and there but should be fine for someone who likes scary movies. No sexuality at all.
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AGE
A decent flick
Very generic movie, but the acting is fantastic. I recently saw this movie, and at 14 years old, I still found it very frightening. That said, my friend saw it at 12, and he had no problems with it. It may be a difference in gender, but I don't recommend this movie to children or tweens.
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AGE
Throughout the movie I was having mixed feelings...
This movie was more of a thriller than an action. It is the kind of movie when you're always on the edge of your seat wondering what is going to happen next. The zombies aren't too scary and the violence was not too bad. Just a depressing story. It was really realistic in some ways because in some zombie movies the survivors are almost jumping off walls and having really, really good "luck" and "Strength". In this movie the living are not farfetched and fight like we do now. Overall a worth-seeing movie with a mixture of; Thriller, Action, Drama. Fine for 13 and up! 4/5
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| Studio: | Warner Bros. |
| Director: | Francis Lawrence |
| Cast: | Alice Braga, Dash Mihok, Will Smith |
| Genre: | Science Fiction |
| Run time: | 101 minutes |
| Theatrical release date: | December 13, 2007 |
| DVD release date: | March 17, 2008 |
| MPAA rating: | PG-13 |
| MPAA explanation: | intense sequences of sci-fi action and violence. |
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