ROTTEN TOMATOES: RT on DVD: I Am Legend Offers (Better) Alternate Ending on DVD

RT on DVD: I Am Legend Offers (Better) Alternate Ending on DVD

Humanity has a different fate in Legend's original finale.

by Jen Yamato | March 17, 2008

If you loved Will Smith's I Am Legend up until its final chapters, you're in luck; a decidedly different denouement can be found on the special edition DVD, our top pick for you home video enthusiasts. For more subdued thrills, the Oscar-nominated romance Atonement is also new to shelves; Disney's delightful princess pic Enchanted offers even lighter fare. More adventurous moviegoers have magnificent critical bungles to dissect in Richard Kelly's science fiction Southland Tales, Guy Ritchie's crime pic Revolver, also new this week.

I Am Legend - Two-Disc Special Edition

Tomatometer: 68%

While Will Smith's last-man-on-Earth pic broke box office records last December and proved yet again that the erstwhile Fresh Prince is worth his salt as an action hero, the final scenes of Francis Lawrence's adaptation (from the Richard Matheson novel) left many viewers cold. But Warner Bros. has the ultimate treat for those of you who left the theater shaking your heads: a wildly different alternate ending on the Two-Disc Special Edition of I Am Legend that might just redeem the theatrical cut's last-act inanity. The muscled Smith acquits himself well as the last remaining survivor of a global outbreak, tromping the empty streets of Manhattan by day and battling the vampiric infected by night while slowly going crazy from loneliness. Catch the usual special features on an accompanying DVD-ROM, but again, the real reason to pick up this release is the film itself -- and its bonus alternate ending.

Atonement

Tomatometer: 82%

Keira Knightley and James McAvoy star as young lovers torn apart by a single, devastating lie in director Joe Wright's stunning epic romance. When rich and beautiful Cecilia Tallis (Knightley) gets caught in a clinch with her childhood friend, Robbie Turner (McAvoy), their love must withstand a false accusation by Cecilia's young sister, Briony (Saiorse Ronan) then prison, war, and separation. Wright's critically acclaimed period pic --- the epitome of the prestige piece, and movingly executed --- is at once romance, mystery, war film and character drama, all set to Dario Marinelli's Oscar-winning syncopated, symphonic score. Deleted scenes, featurettes on adapting the Ian McEwan novel and making the film, and a commentary track by director Wright complement the release.

Enchanted

Tomatometer: 93%

The limitation of classic Disney films like Snow White, Cinderella, and Sleeping Beauty has been that, while perfectly...enchanting within the confines of their animated worlds, such stories couldn't possibly translate with real actors. (Besides, where would you find real mice and birds that could sew Cinderella's dress together without making a mess?) Enter Enchanted, Disney's stab at a live-action princess movie complete with animal friends and impromptu singing; with the lovable Amy Adams as a cartoon heroine come to life in dirty, real-life New York City, the Mouse House gamble proved lucky. Critics liked the film's relentlessly cheery sensibility and self-aware Disneyfications; we like a good blooper reel on any DVD release. Extras include Carrie Underwood's music video for "Ever Ever After" and behind-the-scenes featurettes for two of the film's Oscar-nominated songs.

Southland Tales

Tomatometer: 34%

Not a single American film in the past few years has piqued as much curiosity, or as much critical debate, as Richard Kelly's Southland Tales. A huge-scaled futuristic-philosophical romp about fate in post-nuclear Los Angeles starring the likes of Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Seann William Scott, Justin Timberlake, and half the cast of Saturday Night Live, Kelly's sci-fi opus was either an artsy, ambitious endeavor or simply the sophomore slump inevitably following Kelly's similarly divisive Donnie Darko. Yours truly was in the infamous Cannes audience when Kelly unleashed his behemoth upon the world and will be among the obsessed watching the DVD over and over for any clue as to what he was thinking; alas, no explanation by way of director commentary appears on this initial disc.

The Seeker: The Dark is Rising

Tomatometer: 13%

Fans of author Susan Cooper's children's fantasy series The Dark Is Rising will likely be disappointed, if not downright outraged, by this big-screen adaptation of her second book. Why? Try skipping the first novel entirely and making a number of story alterations, the most obvious of which is Americanizing the 14-year-old protagonist. But critics say that even the uninitiated viewer should be wary, lest subpar computer graphics, a boring script, and a fantasy yarn that is decidedly un-fantastic --- about a teen plopped into an ancient battle between good and evil --- is your idea of a good time.

Revolver

Tomatometer: 16%

In his latest film, Guy Ritchie tackles gangsters and criminals -- shocker, right? But Revolver, his last film since the disaster that was Swept Away, is more than just an uber-Brit shoot-em-up starring Jason Statham...ok, so it also stars Statham (who made his name in early Ritchie films Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels and Snatch). And it was a critical and commercial disappointment (just like Swept Away). That's partially because Revolver, like Ritchie compatriot Matthew Vaughn's Layer Cake, is an existential kind of gangster thriller -- perhaps over-indulgently so, say scribes. Con man Jake Green (Statham) leaves a long prison stint to seek revenge on the man who put him there (Ray Liotta). Throw in gambling, hitmen, Andre "3000" Benjamin, a blood disease, supposed Kabbalah references, and philosophical musings galore, and you've got one heck of a mess --- just the latest in Ritchie's filmography before his next crime pic.

Thus concludes our latest round-up of new releases. Remember your Latin: "Nam et ipsa scientia potestas es."

Related Items

Movie:	The Seeker
	Atonement
	Southland Tales
	Enchanted
	Revolver
Celeb:	Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson
	Sarah Michelle Gellar
	Guy Ritchie
	Will Smith
	Amy Adams
	Richard Kelly
	James McAvoy
	Keira Knightley
	Joe Wright
	Francis Lawrence
	Jason Statham

(1-20 of 31 posts) | Reply

KGattise writes:
on Mar 17 2008 05:14 PM

I didn't think the ending to I Am Legend was terrible, but there is always room for a better one.

(Reply to this)

PornAgainChristian writes:
on Mar 17 2008 05:18 PM

Anybody remember the days when a filmmaker was expected to tell a story? You know, write it from beginning to end, film it, then present it to you? Stupid artistic integrity - much better to just film 10 endings and put them all out there so everyone is happy! MONEY MONEY MONEY MONEY! MUUUUNNNY!

(Reply to this)

fatmc writes:
on Mar 17 2008 05:20 PM

I saw the alternate ending... it sucks just as much...

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N720MF writes:
on Mar 17 2008 06:19 PM

The alternate ending was very blah as well; all it did was "explain" the butterfly BS, which had nothing to do with, well, anything, other than to distract you from the fact that they were butchering the ending. Oh, and Neville didn't die either, so ..... wow, at least he died in the other one.

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brokendesireltd writes:
on Mar 17 2008 06:51 PM

I walked into "Enchantment" with a hopeful viewing experience...walked out with a case of nausea.

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jokerboy1991 writes:
on Mar 17 2008 07:45 PM

The I AM LEGEND alternate ending is better, it would have been more effective if he killed more infected. I would give I AM LEGEND a 6.5/10. Im gonna get SOUTHLAND TALES, its a messy crazy but cool movie. Im also gonna get ATONEMENT.

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jokerboy1991 writes:
on Mar 17 2008 07:48 PM

The special features on I AM LEGEND and SOUTHLAND TALES suck, nothing good. I want a DIRECTOR'S CUT for both of those movies. Especially I AM LEGEND was really choppy and it just felt that alot was cut out ( I also heard like 40 minutes or so was cut out).

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AmericanEagleJRL writes:
on Mar 17 2008 07:57 PM

The name of the movie was "Enchanted" and it was fantastic! Clearly, Disney still has the magic. It begs the question, however, how can they justify a lot of the crap they've been churning out? I hope "Enchanted" is a turning point for them. We'll just overlook "College Road Trip." I have high hopes for their next animated movie "The Princess and the Frog." I'm not too keen on the title, but hopefully it will reboot 2-D animation. I am so sick of CGI. And hey, it only took like, 80 years to create a Black Disney princess. Better late than never, I guess. Especially since there've already been Asian and Middle Eastern princesses.

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Darklord35 writes:
on Mar 17 2008 08:18 PM

I loved 'I Am Legend' exactly the way it was (just so the haters no that up front). I saw this alternate 'supposedly' better ending and to be honest 'I' liked the way it went down in theaters much better, thought it 'fit' better and was edgier, a bit darker but oddly more hopeful at the same time (sacrifices himself so that others can live, cool stuff). The alternate version IMO seemed to take away from the emotional impact quite a bit. So I'll stick with the theatrical version of this very awesome 'film'.

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salsafish writes:
on Mar 17 2008 09:44 PM

Enchanted was nothing special: two good songs, and Amy Adams playing a near-perfect Disney princess. It was worth the price of admission.

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Lighthope writes:
on Mar 17 2008 09:48 PM

If we keep having "alternate" endings, then what good is an ending in the first place? Now there isn't any sense of "closure" as we just keep making more and more different endings. Heck, look at Clue (if you can). Four different endings using the exact same set of circumstances ultimately meant that NONE of the endings were real.

Sometimes you just need to close the book, people, and say This is the End, That's It.

Lighthope

Pearls of Wisdom - Auntie Em: Hate you, hate Kansas. Taking the dog. Dorothy.

(Reply to this)

marktime writes:
on Mar 17 2008 10:54 PM

Man the theatrical ending blew something fierce. Though it just added to the overwhelmingly mediocre scenes before it.

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drew12881288 writes:
on Mar 17 2008 11:19 PM

In reply to this comment (#1639346)
Replying to dark lord. The I Am Legend theatrical ending was not the least bit edgy or dark. That was the ending the studio threw in to please audiences. This film bounced around among so many different actors and directors that the only way it was going to get made was if the studio but in a happy BS ending. I'm sure the director, had he had his own reign, would have stuck more to the novel upon which the film is loosely based.

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screwhead100 writes:
on Mar 18 2008 02:10 AM

the book "i am legend" ..... has such a better story than anything the movie touched on at all.........

the movie wasnt that bad up until the last 2/3 ...... smith did great i thought, the story sucked.........if they woulda stuck to the book, well that woulda pushed it over the edge...aka probly making it one of the best movies of the year

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Paralyzer writes:
on Mar 18 2008 03:13 AM

cant wait for atonement

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donwillymo writes:
on Mar 18 2008 06:38 AM

I'd rather rent some hemaphroditic porn. I'd do that anyway actually

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clamman27 writes:
on Mar 18 2008 08:09 AM

I think its a sad testament to our society that filmmakers often feel the need to over-explain everything to make casual filmgoers happy... I Am Legend and Cloverfield are two examples of films that DID NOT over-explain and beat us over the head, and frankly for that alone I thought they were both daringly bold and enjoyable films.

Take a movie like Neil Marshall's The Descent. Look at the UK cut and then the US cut. Clearly they did not think the UK cut was up to our level so they chose to end the film 5 minutes earlier with a rather dull, uninspired ending. The UK ending was extremely bold and really made you question what you had just witnessed for 90 minutes. It gave you a hell of a lot to talk about when the movie was over.

Movies almost always come down to the ending. Great endings elevate mediocre and even bad movies while horrible endings drag down great films to being merely good.

I loved the ending to I Am Legend. I wouldn't change it. You can't please all the people all the time, but I admire when filmmakers stick to their guns and put out the ending they wanted not the let's sum everything up and answer all your questions so you have nothing to talk about or think about endings.

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Bloody Mathias writes:
on Mar 18 2008 08:21 AM

I Am Legend was not good.

Anything Akiva Goldsmith touches will never be.

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High School With Money writes:
on Mar 18 2008 10:00 AM

Considering that, in a behind the scenes special, the director had already noted an alternate ending for the I Am Legend DVD well before the theatrical release pretty much put me off of watching it. That and I want to read the book before seeing the movie.

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