I Am Legend, the big-screen adaption of the cult Richard Matheson novel, has something of a checkered heritage. On one hand, the source material is regarded as a genuine classic horror novel, while on on the other hand, it has already spawned two movie adaptations of questionable worth in The Last Man On Earth and The Omega Man, and it stars Will Smith, who has previously appeared in the not-entirely-faithful adaptation of other cult novel, I, Robot.

It is at this juncture that I should point out that this post may contain spoilers for both the book and the latest movie adaptation.

I Am Legend tells the story of your average guy (the book) or US Army official/world reknowned scientist (the movie), Neville, as he tries to cope in a post-apocalyptic, post-humanity California (book) or Manhattan (movie). It attempts to capture the solitude of the last man on Earth, as well as such a position’s effects on the psyche.

The movie succeeds, to a degree, in capturing the double-life of the protagonist. By day, they are locked into a routine dictated by the height of the sun in the sky, striving simply to survive. By night, they bolt themselves in their home, and attempt to stave off the attacks of vampires (book) or mutants (movie).

It is perhaps that last change to the source material that harms the film the most. In the book, the vampires are monstrous. However, they are also smart, articulate and still almost, if not quite, human. They call Neville by his first name, and prey on his wants and needs to provoke him outside into the darkness. Crucially, they also lapse into a coma during the day, allowing Neville some outlet for his emotions as he drives stakes through their hearts, clearing the world one neighbourhood at a time.

In the movie, the antagonists are CGI ghouls, devoid of personality, language or interest. They don’t toy with Neville’s emotions, nor do they fear him. They’re cannon fodder.

With such vast different slants taken here, it was always going to be an uphill struggle to reconcile the two endings. For whatever reason (and one suspects the Hollywood machine had a hand in it), the ending of the book was completely altered, with the movie opting for a somewhat downcast but in general upbeat ending.

Fans of the book may be left perplexed, as it is the final act, and particularly the final few lines, that give the book its whole raison-d’etre. Some, myself included, would argue that to remove such material defeats the whole exercise of adapting the book.

If I Am Legend (the movie) is taken on its own, it stands up surprisingly well as a Will Smith meets 28 Days Later. It’s well-shot, well-paced and Will Smith is as likeable as ever. When the credits roll, however, fans of the book will likely be scratching their heads and wondering ‘Why?’…

Ignorance is bliss, I guess.