March 1st saw a range of great new movies drop on Netflix, including two Will Smith vehicles – 2006’s The Pursuit of Happyness and 2007’s I Am Legend – and one of them has soared straight into the platform’s Top 10 chart. As per FlixPatrol, I Am Legend is currently sitting as the tenth most popular title on the streamer in the US.
An adaptation of Richard Matheson’s classic sci-fi novel of the same name – which was previously adapted as 1971 Charlton Heston pic The Omega Man – I Am Legend stars Smith as Robert Neville, the last man left alive in New York after a virus, that was originally created to cure cancer, has wiped out most of humanity and turned the rest into cannibalistic mutants known as Darkseekers. Neville spends his days trying to devise a cure for it and attempting to contact any other survivors, with his faithful dog Sam by his side. Alice Braga and Charlie Tahan co-star, with Emma Thompson in a cameo role. Willow Smith, Will’s real-life daughter, also appears as Neville’s child in flashbacks.
As directed by The Hunger Games‘ Francis Lawrence, I Am Legend is one of those movies that’s very popular with viewers and fans of its lead actor even if it didn’t totally blow away critics. It currently stands at a solid 68% on Rotten Tomatoes, with the critical consensus reading: “I Am Legend overcomes questionable special effects and succeeds largely on the strength of Will Smith’s mesmerizing performance.”
Those familiar with the film will know that it has two endings – one that’s darker and one that’s more uplifting – with one of them (I’m not saying which) coming from the director’s cut. It’s the theatrical edition that’s available to stream, though, so that should tell fans which one to expect. In any case, it’s certainly one of Will Smith‘s better efforts and you can find it now on Netflix if you’re want to check it out for the first time or revisit it once more.
