I Am Legend

We went to see this movie last night. Let's start with the two big negatives (though the first matters only if you're a fan of the original Richard Matheson novel):

* It does not follow the plot of the book.
* The happy (more or less) ending is pure Hollywood schlock.

If you can get past those, and I obviously could, then only one more thing should stand between you and going to see it:

* The movie is amazingly tense and creepy.

How tense? The other three people with me left partway through and watched bits of other films or hung out while I stayed to finish the movie. (Okay, so my behavior wasn't the most gallant, but I had paid to see the movie, and they said they were cool with me finishing it.)

I consider the high tension level of the movie, by the way, a great reason to go. You have trouble looking away. Will Smith does a terrific job, his sanity always in question and yet not initially so far gone that you can't believe in him. He holds your attention through even the most mundane parts of his days.

I recommend this movie--but with the above reservations.

Oh, yeah: Speaking of recommendations, we ate dinner beforehand at Piedmont in Durham. If you live locally and want a great meal, trust me: you need to go there.