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UPDATED!! The Original Ending To I AM LEGEND is online - and is vastly superior to the theatrical ending...

Primero by BeeDub	Mar 5th, 2008 05:18:48 PM
Putos!
FIRST by JBouganim1	Mar 5th, 2008 05:19:03 PM
FIRST
FUCKK by JBouganim1	Mar 5th, 2008 05:19:15 PM

HAHAH I ALMOST HAD IT...I WAS STUNNED FOR A FEW SECS by JBouganim1	Mar 5th, 2008 05:19:49 PM

I like I Am Legend... by Quake II	Mar 5th, 2008 05:22:25 PM
A lot. What can I say? Loved No Country For Old Men, Rambo and Assassination Of Jesse James as well. Thought Transformers & Spidey 3 were mostly crap. I would say I Am Legend was in my top 5 favories list of last year.
not working already by gotilk	Mar 5th, 2008 05:23:57 PM
this was on youtube earlier and that's gone, too.
alternative ending? by TheNorthlander	Mar 5th, 2008 05:24:03 PM
Awesome! I hated the religious stuff that was suddenly glued into the story for no apparent reason. Where the hell did that come from?? Felt like someone had watched Contact and Signs and thought it might be a good idea to add stuff like that into the movie in the last minute.
Hmm Can't get it to play by skywalkerfamily	Mar 5th, 2008 05:27:03 PM
Crap.
Seventh? Eighth? by googamooga	Mar 5th, 2008 05:27:37 PM
Who gives a flying rat's ass?
Oh, and Matheson says he liked I am Legend by skywalkerfamily	Mar 5th, 2008 05:27:43 PM
and he thought Will was great, so, take that haters.
Same here Skywokker. by TomBodet	Mar 5th, 2008 05:28:07 PM
Oh well.
this ending is brillant, and vastly improves the film, and hits by irc-Hollywood	Mar 5th, 2008 05:30:23 PM
FINAL CUT of the movie, this ending changes my whole perception of the movie, i love it. It's brilliant.
...Somebody post a link that works!!!!!! by The Dum Guy	Mar 5th, 2008 05:30:58 PM
I wish to see it.
Put it on Youtube! by skywalkerfamily	Mar 5th, 2008 05:32:59 PM
Ah, I'm gonna get the DVD anyway. I can wait.
At the very least... by filmicdrummer17	Mar 5th, 2008 05:33:17 PM
can the talkbackers who've seen it please describe it for those whose links don't work?
THIS one still works. by gotilk	Mar 5th, 2008 05:33:50 PM
http://tinyurl.com/26d7vs
How much traffic has AICN sent over there? by SUPERJIM	Mar 5th, 2008 05:34:05 PM
Their servers can't take it by the looks of it. Is it hosted anywhere else that anyone knows of?
Yeah that was a better ending by photoboy	Mar 5th, 2008 05:34:06 PM
Maybe they're saving it for the double dip DVD release?
"Vastly superior"? Please. by Booster Gold Lives	Mar 5th, 2008 05:34:54 PM
The CGI Dark Seekers were crap, plain and simple. SHOCKINGLY bad, to the point where I have to wonder if using makeup was ever used. That said, while the alternate ending isn't atrocious, the theatrical ending is superior, IMO. This one is too kum-bay-yah for my taste. Sorry, Harry, agree to disagree.
I kinda liked the Zombies. by skywalkerfamily	Mar 5th, 2008 05:36:44 PM
They didn't look like the shit ones from Silent Hill.
Makes Absolute Sense To Me Harry by LaserPants	Mar 5th, 2008 05:37:58 PM
But it wasn't the CG that disappointed me. I mean, I accept that they're monsters. But yeah, totally, it would have been much better if they were just people with subtle cg enhancements and make-up. Still, I fuckin' LOVED the first hour of I AM LEGEND. I think its 3/4s of a classic film. And I think that its easily Will Smith's best work as an actor, and worthy of notice or award, but because its a genre picture, and only 3/4s of a great picture, fergit about it. I mean, he carries the whole effing thing for the first hour, and you really feel it -- his slow descent into madness, his utter and complete loneliness. At times his performance is devastating. Its just a shame that the last 30 minutes is so... disappointing. But like a friend of mine said, "3/4s of a great movie is better than none." So the DVD includes the original ending, yes?
wait the butterfly is still in it? by TheNorthlander	Mar 5th, 2008 05:40:06 PM
oh well whatever nevermind.
Um yes...Of course it makes sense.... by Tourist	Mar 5th, 2008 05:43:48 PM
...The effects were fucking ratshit. From the ridiculous rats in the cages to the mutants, it looked like a fucking shitty cartoon. Not just fake, but the designs themselves were exagerated like a ren and stimpy cartoon. Just enormously shit work by those involved. Should have been up for a razzie in the effects catergory. As far as this alternate ending goes, I guess I'll never know. The link Harry provided doesn't work, and Warners has yanked it from youtube. Theres no way I'm gonna go out and buy the DVD, since the film was so underwhelming. I'll look it up on IMDB one day.
I thought I Am Legend got so much right by skimn	Mar 5th, 2008 05:43:53 PM
The digital effects of the abandoned NYC, Will Smith's acting, the suspenseful search for his dog, the dog attack, in fact all the scenes minus the CGI "vampires" were effective up to the final act. It just seemed rushed and almost tacked on considering what came before. And wasn't all access by vehicle cut off? Am unable to view the alternate, so I'll have to see..
i don't know why people hate the theatrical ending.. by slappy jones	Mar 5th, 2008 05:44:25 PM
....so much. I certainly prefer oit to this thing. I was expecting the monster to put out his hand "...f-f-f-reind" this would have had audiences rolling in the aisle wiht laughter.
of course that was meant to be f-f-friend by slappy jones	Mar 5th, 2008 05:45:06 PM
sorry.
Okay this wasn't bad. by TomBodet	Mar 5th, 2008 05:46:45 PM
Didn't see it to be honest, waiting to rent same. But hey-am sure that ending worked. I liked it. Bethel VT HAW that's (again) not far from here-head fer the Trailer Parks and take a left.
Booster Gold Lives by bacci40	Mar 5th, 2008 05:46:46 PM
at least this ending was more thought provoking and much closer to the book....until you hit the last 30 secs...but the entire movie is destroyed when we discover that there are other survivors
This ending was NO better! by ShiftyEyedDog2	Mar 5th, 2008 05:47:00 PM
I saw this earlier today on a few other sites (shocker!), and while I'm no fan of the theatrical ending, this one was possibly even WORSE.
much better ending- still shitty movie though by Jugdish	Mar 5th, 2008 05:47:34 PM
they could have knocked this outta the park- but noooooo
reilly by Reilly	Mar 5th, 2008 05:47:37 PM
2 problems with this ending. One, the main vampire is the ONLY one that shows any bit of humanity? That's a bit far fetched. And two, the girl's voiceover at the end still sucks, should have been Smith since he's still alive in this ending.
Definitely better by BetaRayBill07	Mar 5th, 2008 05:47:40 PM
Not ending of the century of course, but better than Robert blowing himself to pieces
Just Watched The Alternate Ending by LaserPants	Mar 5th, 2008 05:48:23 PM
Sorry, I actually liked the suicide ending better. BUT, the "now we live in the suburbs" part that follows the suicide in the original ending was corny. Of course, the Matheson ending would have been best, but cmon. Hollywood's not that cool.
Not bad. At least it wasn't a downer now by Orionsangels	Mar 5th, 2008 05:48:34 PM
not to mention anticlimactic
skywalkerfamily by bacci40	Mar 5th, 2008 05:49:13 PM
do you have a link to the interview?
Hmm. I think I liked the original ending. by skywalkerfamily	Mar 5th, 2008 05:49:23 PM
Neville makes a good sacrifice at the end.
Definitely better by Capt. StrideR	Mar 5th, 2008 05:49:30 PM
Some of the shots in this ending were included in the trailer, which caused a little bit of confusion for me when I saw the film. Someone needs to make a special edition down the line where the CG creatures are replaced with humans in makeup. Sorta like a reverse George Lucas.
Much better by blueeyeboy77	Mar 5th, 2008 05:50:16 PM
I enjoyed this - it's much closer to the original story.
Here's a working link by Antimaster	Mar 5th, 2008 05:50:21 PM
http://www.truveo.com/I-Am-Leg end-Original-Ending/id/1978289 487
Did you see the same theatrical ending I did? by Steve Young	Mar 5th, 2008 05:50:43 PM
For those who haven't seen the flick, trust me when I say the theatrical ending plays like the sickening conclusion to Kevin Costner's "The Postman". A hint: this is not to its merit. Not at all. The "CGI Issue" was present all the way through I AM LEGEND, so it ISN'T a flaw specific to this ending. However, when CGI is called to EMOTE, there is trouble. All that said... WHICH idiot focus group decided that THIS was the less commercial ending? Harry's actually right. It is VASTLY superior to the original ending, which manages to be both less emotional, less fulfilling, less tense, and ten times more depressing.
Watch the Omega Man for humans in makeup by skywalkerfamily	Mar 5th, 2008 05:50:57 PM
It looks rather silly.
That scene from the trailer is in this by Orionsangels	Mar 5th, 2008 05:52:43 PM
Where the creature roars in will smiths face. When I saw it in the movies. I was like, where was that scene?
All The Apocalyptic New York / Daily Survival Routine Stuff by LaserPants	Mar 5th, 2008 05:53:17 PM
Was perfection itself. I mean it really drew me in for that first hour. Even if the ending was disappointing, I still loved the flick.
Probably the most realistic CGI humans yet by Orionsangels	Mar 5th, 2008 05:53:34 PM
The act and look like real people, but yet in an odd surreal manner, but never look fake.
Okay, got it... by Tourist	Mar 5th, 2008 05:53:52 PM
...Interesting. Not only did he survive, which audiences tend to appreciate, but it was also a much stronger ending in general, and much better and natural feeling in regards to tying up the developments in the film. Wonder why they dumped it for that lame KABOOM ending? I guess to clarify the "Legend" message of the title in regards to Neville. Meh. Should have just stuck with the book, then you wouldn't have to fiddle about so much for a lesser result. I think his looking at the wall of victims kind of cemented the message anyway.
The scene searching for the dog by skywalkerfamily	Mar 5th, 2008 05:54:02 PM
was wild in the IMAX verison.
For those of us ... by Evil_Imp	Mar 5th, 2008 05:56:15 PM
For those of us who haven't read the book , how does it end in comparison to the Theatrical and changed ending?
Prefer the original ending by waggy	Mar 5th, 2008 05:56:33 PM
I don't get how this is better. Never read the novel, so I have no idea which is closer to the "spirit" of that story, but i know that in the context of the movie, the theatrical ending just works better for me.
What Was Bad About The Theatrical Ending by LaserPants	Mar 5th, 2008 05:57:42 PM
was the corny ass "escape to the burbs" part that 11th Hour Chicky-Poo and her Spawn make after Smith's sacrifice suicide. I thought the sacrifice suicide was great. Thats at least aesthetically closer to the original novels ending which is pretty bleak and depressing, no?
I think the animation sucks and ruins the whole movie by Doctor Zoidberg	Mar 5th, 2008 05:57:58 PM

I like this new ending better by Mullah Omar	Mar 5th, 2008 05:58:01 PM
I thought that much of the theatrical version was excellent. It started to lose me at about the time when the girl and kid showed up, and especially during the Alamo-style ending. I thought this was a better way to end the story. I still have some complaints about the film, but I'd say that is was better than average even with the original ending. I do agree that the CGI monsters are probably the worst special effects I've seen in a big-budget film this decade.
They look completely fake Orion... by Tourist	Mar 5th, 2008 05:58:23 PM
...They dont have any semblence of reality about them. Its like looking at a cartoon. They ruin the movie completely.
if you can put makeup on an actor, then DO IT, fuck CGI by Doctor Zoidberg	Mar 5th, 2008 05:58:38 PM

They don't look like a cartoon by skywalkerfamily	Mar 5th, 2008 05:58:50 PM
Jar Jar was a cartoon. These look pretty damn good.
how gay would all the trek aliens be if they were CGI? by Doctor Zoidberg	Mar 5th, 2008 05:59:15 PM

This film was a fucking piece of shit traversty by judge dredds fresh undies	Mar 5th, 2008 05:59:27 PM
Why couldn't they just have adapted the book! Or ever use the original Protosovich script which was much better than the fucking dreck we ended up with. This film ended all hope I have for seeing a good adaption of the novel in my lifetime.
Bridge by Reilly	Mar 5th, 2008 06:00:24 PM
Also, didn't they blow up all the bridges? They're gonna drive off a cliff...unless vampires like building bridges at night. Personally found the sacrifice of the original to have a better impact. But if you get rid of the girl and kid, take this ending, but at the end have him die, that would be as powerful as the first 3/4 of the movie.
Very Blade Runner "Happy Ending".. by Quake II	Mar 5th, 2008 06:00:40 PM
I actually prefer the theatrical "suicide" ending. More touching and sad. This footage is interesting but would have been a cop out as the ending.
Book and FIlm (SPOILERS) by LaserPants	Mar 5th, 2008 06:01:01 PM
The book is really pretty different. SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS For instance, in the novel, a girl does come into Neville's life, but it turns out she's of this new breed of vampire people. She hoodwinks him, he winds up being captured and imprisoned at Ghoul City Hall awaiting public execution. Its at this point that he realizes that he's the outsider here and accepts that he must be purged from the new society.
No Laser, its not... by Tourist	Mar 5th, 2008 06:01:10 PM
...This new ending is closer to the novel.
Oh yeah and heres a great idea! by judge dredds fresh undies	Mar 5th, 2008 06:01:57 PM
You know in the mummy when Arnold Vosloo's rubber jaw opens unfeasibly wide, LETS DO THAT FOR ALL OUR CREATURES! It doesn't look fucking retarded at all!
Jeez, you CGI haters by skywalkerfamily	Mar 5th, 2008 06:03:49 PM
A lot of the Trek Aliens look fake. Look a the Council in Voyage home. Fake!
Tourist.. by judge dredds fresh undies	Mar 5th, 2008 06:03:54 PM
Yeah its closer to the novel but its still a million fucking miles away and only serves to redeem this fucking disgrace by a fraction of an iota.
Now if they could just show it with real actors instead of CG ga by jimmy_009	Mar 5th, 2008 06:04:02 PM
Seriously, the vamps from 30 Days of Night put into I am Legend would have made it one of the best vampire flicks of all time.
You know, I don't understand why he was a Legend... by The Dum Guy	Mar 5th, 2008 06:04:16 PM
In the book he does become (realizes) what he has essentially become is a monster, and in turn history will hold him as a legend. The movie just has him meeting more people, so I don't understand where he becomes legendary.
^^excuse my syntax^^ by The Dum Guy	Mar 5th, 2008 06:05:31 PM

He's a legend because he finally has the cure by skywalkerfamily	Mar 5th, 2008 06:05:55 PM
He was the last of the old race. The woman and her people were the birth of a new race.
skywalkerfamily by judge dredds fresh undies	Mar 5th, 2008 06:06:14 PM
Its not about 'looking fake' its about using CGI inappropriately. There was no fucking need. Still its not the effects which is the key problem with this film its the fucking pathetic story decisions.
Hes legendary amongst the monsters... by Tourist	Mar 5th, 2008 06:07:25 PM
...Thats why he looks at the wall shamefully. Hes a fucked up serial killer. Yeah, its an okay ending, compared to the corny and crap theatrical ending...but it was only an okay movie to begin with. I still dont get why they didn't just stick really close to the novel. Its not that widely read, and the other incarnations of it have been shit, so it would still seem fresh. Could have been really solid. Like has been pointed out, Cast Away with vampires and a pretty vicious twist. Oh well, we got what we got.
How Ya Figure? by LaserPants	Mar 5th, 2008 06:07:36 PM
Neville gives the ghoul back his girlfriend and escapes with his ready made family? Thats pretty, I dunno, happypants compared to the novel's ending. At least the theatrical's ending featured a prominent suicide which is usually perceived as a downer / depressing. So then, thematically, aesthetically, the tone of the theatrical's is closer. Still, the whole last half hour is totally different, 'cause in the book the chick is one of the new breed of ghouls! And she don't have no kid! And she leads him to his doom! So, the movie takes a turn from the novel much earlier on then the ending.
Well, that's your opinion, but I still don't think by skywalkerfamily	Mar 5th, 2008 06:07:58 PM
they looked bad. I thought they were scary.
Skywalker family: by Doctor Zoidberg	Mar 5th, 2008 06:08:45 PM
I don't hate CGI, I love it! Beowulf looked incredible. But unless it is truly cutting edge, it looks flippin retarded. Especially when good make up or an actor with some CGI effects grafted onto his face would look better. The I Am Legend CGI looks like shit in my opinion. Kind of like the shitty Harry Potter Quidditch footage from the first movie.
Yeah, CG still needs work, but I liked the Legend by skywalkerfamily	Mar 5th, 2008 06:09:42 PM
monsters. Even the terror dogs were pretty wild.
What I like about this by TheNorthlander	Mar 5th, 2008 06:10:49 PM
is that it feels less religious and more like the Terminator 1 (and Ringu) ending, with the highway and the female voice over promising hope in the gloom.
Quake by skimn	Mar 5th, 2008 06:10:51 PM
I thought of the Blade Runner "happy" ending also, and yes asking a GCI creation to emote (unless its Davy Jones, but hey, that was done by the geniuses at ILM, not at Sony Imageworks) is pushing it. More thoughtful ending, just still not quite effective.
Oh wait, we just had the writers strike... by Tourist	Mar 5th, 2008 06:10:54 PM
...So its been clarified for me. We needed to deviate needlessly from the novel and turn a great story into an average one to justify paying large amounts of money to guys who do jack shit but sit on their ass and FAIL at transcribing a book to screen. You know "screen"writers. I mean, pretend writers. Fucking hacks.
Yet another example of why practical is better than CGI by Kloipy	Mar 5th, 2008 06:10:56 PM
The creatures in I am Legend looked about as fake as you could get and seeing it on the big screen lost any sense of reality they were going for. I just started laughing and the movie totally lost me after their first reveal. Why is it that in the 80's, John Carpenter was able to make The Thing were it was something that was on set and scary as hell and still holds up today. Whereas 'Legend' will be just laughed at (even more) a couple of years down the road.
Wow... this ending was SOO much better... by PirateEmery	Mar 5th, 2008 06:12:27 PM
I HATED I am Legend, and it was mostly for the letdown at the end. Why would he go in with a grenade and become a suicide bomber for no apparent reason other than trying to take out as many as possible? There were many options still open to him and he could have lived, yet it seemed like his first thought was to commit suicide.
Tourist-about the strike by Kloipy	Mar 5th, 2008 06:12:31 PM
Thank God they are back to working so we can get more remakes and shitty sitcoms about crazy parents raising a crazy kid! yay
Well, in this ending and in the book... by Tourist	Mar 5th, 2008 06:12:57 PM
...Its kind of made clear that Neville is the monster. At least he is regarded so by the new society. In the theatrical cut, yeah, he kills himself, but its a brave sacrifice in blowing up faceless evil zombies. I think the ideas are completely different.
He wasn't trying to take out the monsters by skywalkerfamily	Mar 5th, 2008 06:13:07 PM
He was giving more time so the lady and her kid could escape.
I agree the CGI was bad but I thought the movie was pretty fun by Ashok0	Mar 5th, 2008 06:14:05 PM
I mean seriously, I must say I was impressed by Will Smith. And this definately isn't Best Picture material but it isnt bad either. If you think it's rubbish like AvP, you should be shot.
Uh, no. The only bad part about the theatrical ending by Guy Who Got A Headache And Accidentally Saves The World	Mar 5th, 2008 06:15:03 PM
was the stupid village of survivors, if they had cut that part out it would have been fine. This ending is hardly that much better though.
CGI was unnecessary in this flick! by DJSpoonfed	Mar 5th, 2008 06:15:14 PM
What did the creatures do that WASN'T possible with a dude in makeup? Nothing. I think it woulda been a lot scarier and left more impact if they were human, not cartoons. That being said, I thought the first half of the movie was AWESOME, but what ruined it for me was the appearance of the chick and kid. I mean, if it's so hard for him to survive, what fucking chance did they have?!
In regards to The Thing... by Tourist	Mar 5th, 2008 06:17:25 PM
...They wont do effects like that now because its just so time consuming and difficult. For the studios, and probally for alot of the people working on the creative side, the effect on the audience is somewhat negligible. If its looks "okay" it will pass. So they don't feel the need to increase the work load as greatly as doing things practically would entail. I had the same issue with Transformers. I thought it looked shit, and that large scale practical effects in tandem with CG would have been most impressive...But who the fuck is going to pay for that? Or put up with the huge headaches it causes, when audiences will pay to see it regardless of the quality? I Am Legend was particuarly gauling though, as I think practical effects in its case for the monsters would probally have been CHEAPER. But hey, we all saw Constantine, which was chock full of the same shit effects.
It wasn't really hard for him to survive by skywalkerfamily	Mar 5th, 2008 06:17:55 PM
During the day he had no problem, it was just at night he had the problems. He just wanted to talk to someone else that wasn't a zombie.
Shame by blackwood	Mar 5th, 2008 06:18:42 PM
New ending fits better with what was laid out before - breadcrumbed through the film are references to the vamps lingering humanity. I was a bit disappointed when they didn't do anything with it - but I guess they did. Just a sign of the times, I suppose: focus testing for guaranteed mediocrity.
Oh, and the visuals in Transformers were not by skywalkerfamily	Mar 5th, 2008 06:19:02 PM
shit. It took someone 38 hours to render one frame, so give some respect dumbass.
What the CG monsters could do that humans in make-up couldn't: by Multiplex	Mar 5th, 2008 06:19:07 PM
have semi-translucent skin and displace their jaws by a foot. Either way, it would look like a special effect. Who gives a shit if it's CG or not? The movie looked fine, asshats.
tourist by Kloipy	Mar 5th, 2008 06:19:27 PM
see that's the fucking problem with hollywood. Instead of putting in a little extra work to make something look better. So many filmakers are just passing it off to CG, which by so many standards will age a movie quicker than anything else
THERE ARE NO PHONES RINGING DAMNIT! by Gungan Slayer	Mar 5th, 2008 06:20:40 PM

How the book ends by Guy Who Got A Headache And Accidentally Saves The World	Mar 5th, 2008 06:20:46 PM
If I remember right, when he comes across the girl, she lives with him for a while but she's actually just a MOLE for the vampire guys, because there are two kinds of vampires, the more animal kind, like the ones that attack his house every night, and ones like the woman, who are off living in villages and shit, taking medications so they can come out during the day. Anyway she leads the vampire secret service, they're wearing suits and weilding machine guns I think, to his house and they critically injure him while capturing him. So while he's waiting in his cell to be executed the woman comes to give him pills to make it easy. Then he looks out the window and sees a crowd of vampire people start to gather around to look at him and he see's how they are all frightened of him and he thinks to himself, "Shit...I AM legend!" And that's it.
The Thing was low budget shit. by skywalkerfamily	Mar 5th, 2008 06:20:47 PM
Still looks fake.
If the creatures would've been like those... by Gilkuliehe	Mar 5th, 2008 06:21:10 PM
...In BLADE II (those reaper things) this movie would've been fucking awesome. Seriously Del Toro, why not teach this guy a lesson on how to create amazing creepy creatures combining great make up and CGI. Seriously, before the "vampires" showed up I was shitting my pants with this movie. From then on I was just sitting there.
Trapped in a Cut-Scene by Flim Springfield	Mar 5th, 2008 06:21:29 PM

You're low budget shit skywalker by Guy Who Got A Headache And Accidentally Saves The World	Mar 5th, 2008 06:22:05 PM
You're just the afterbirth that slithered out of your mothers filth. They should have put you in a glass jar on the mantlepiece.
Blade II? by skywalkerfamily	Mar 5th, 2008 06:22:16 PM
Lol. Shit movie.
You probably wanted the Thriller zombies in the by skywalkerfamily	Mar 5th, 2008 06:23:09 PM
movie. Douchebags.
I Am Legend by kwisatzhaderach	Mar 5th, 2008 06:24:12 PM

was crapola by kwisatzhaderach	Mar 5th, 2008 06:24:42 PM
An insult to the book.
Even The Omega man didn't end like the book by skywalkerfamily	Mar 5th, 2008 06:24:51 PM
Why does everything have to follow the book exactly?
Book by Morrollan	Mar 5th, 2008 06:26:25 PM
In this case book is much better that either film adaptation
No ones asking for the book to be followed exactly.. by judge dredds fresh undies	Mar 5th, 2008 06:27:33 PM
Just stick to the key fucking story and retain the integrity of the book.
HMMMM..... by Turd Furgeson	Mar 5th, 2008 06:28:24 PM
I don't know Harry, I liked the death of the protagonist, like the book, it kinda made up for the I-Robot-esque non-humans. I can see how some would like this ending, personally, I still like the other one better. I liked the movie, the first half felt just like the book, and this was by far Will Smith's best performace to date.
But it stuck to the story pretty well. by skywalkerfamily	Mar 5th, 2008 06:28:43 PM
It's just a short story. The story is barely 400 pages.
Morrollan by judge dredds fresh undies	Mar 5th, 2008 06:29:00 PM
there is actually 3 adaptions. All of them fairly weak. But this one had the fucking gall to use the name of the book.
Respect? by Tourist	Mar 5th, 2008 06:29:08 PM
Why? It looked SHIT. So what if it took them 38 hours to render one frame? It still looked crap. I dont pay for their effort, I pay for the result. The Thing effects still look amazing today. Better than anything in Transformers or I Am Legend. Because they look REAL. Like, actually there and happening. Not cartoons that dont appear real at all. Thats not to say they don't work. Cartoons work. Adults still cry in The Lion King. Skywalker, its usually better to follow the book because thats what made the fucking story work in the first place. The story in the book was perfect. Tampering with it to make it worse doesn't do anything but ruin the story. Which is what I Am Legend did. You don't always have to be faithful, Darabont changed large chunks of Shawshank and improved upon it. So did Stand By Me. But This I Am Legend is like Arnies Running Man compared to Kings.
skywalkerfamily by Kloipy	Mar 5th, 2008 06:29:49 PM
seriously? you really believe that? I feel sad for you. I do. You probably thought Phantom Menace was more realistic than reality
Oh Come on Harry by timmer33	Mar 5th, 2008 06:30:44 PM
That was a terrible ending. "Here, take your girlfriend back, and we'll live in peace." Give me a break. And meanwhile let's ignore the fact that the bridges were all taken out to cut off the island from civilization in a last-ditch effort to survive. What is wrong with you people? Sacrificing himself to save the girl and kid and get the cure to anyone remaining who could help was the better of the two endings.
Skywalker, no it fucking didnt. by judge dredds fresh undies	Mar 5th, 2008 06:31:35 PM
If you cant see that you haven't read the book. And its a book not a short story. Yes a short book, but what fucking difference does that make. A sound of thunder was based on a short story, didn't stop them totally fucking that one up the ass either.
I dont think you can compare Will in this... by Tourist	Mar 5th, 2008 06:31:39 PM
...To Will in Six Degrees Of Seperation or even The Pursuit Of Happyness. He was good. As good as the material allowed. Which is also why it was somewhat dissapointing. The book would have allowed for a much better performance from Mr. Smith.
Omega Man is so dated that it's hard to enjoy. by Quake II	Mar 5th, 2008 06:31:57 PM
For me at least. He goes in the theater watch Woodstock The Movie? Yikes. The groovy hep cat beatnik albino creatures in Omega Man were sooo much better than the vicious CGI Vampires in I AM Legend, right? It's all a matter of taste. They are two completely different movies filmed decades apart, so why argue?
AWWWW HAAAAAAILLLL NAWWWW by sleepyvillain	Mar 5th, 2008 06:32:10 PM

Hugely superior ending by Mr Writer	Mar 5th, 2008 06:32:21 PM
The theatrical ending left me flat and soured my enjoyment of the film. Still think the woman and kid should have been vamps like in the book tho
Fuckin' hell--managed to be much worse than the theatrical endin by SleazyG.	Mar 5th, 2008 06:34:05 PM
So let me get this straight: the FUCKING HEALING POWER OF LOVE AMONG MINDLESS FLESHEATERS?!? ARE YOU FUCKING SHITTING ME?!? And that's somehow "better" or "brilliant"? Whatta loada shit! As it stood, while not perfect (the other two never should have escaped to go live with Kevin Kostner on the set of "The Postman" the way they did), the ending had much more emotional resonance. we had a guy who had gone through so much that he's finally given up on surviving...right at the point where he's finally figured out how to make a difference. Half noble sacrifice, half bullshit suicidal copout, and 100% more believable than this shit. And goddamn, after being miserable about his family the whole movie, some foxy latina and an adorable moppet show up for a day and a half and everything's hunky dory and we'll drive to Vermont together? JESUS FUCK, what an idiotic idea. No wonder they went with the theatrical ending--it kicks the shit outta this one, that's fer damn skippy.
Tourist, spot on about the performance... by judge dredds fresh undies	Mar 5th, 2008 06:35:17 PM
I'm not a great fan of smith but he was too good for this film. The script undermined his performance if anything.
Quake, you tard... by Tourist	Mar 5th, 2008 06:35:21 PM
...Your the one comparing the two movies. Everyone else is comparing the BOOK to the movie. Omega Man was shit. I Am Legend, the new one, was a vast improvement over that pile of crap...But it was still a dissapointingly weak attempt at a book that has demonstratably been screaming for a solid adaptation. Give it another twenty years, or less and someone will go back to the well to try it again.
I thought this film was ridiculously mediocre. by Kid Idioteque	Mar 5th, 2008 06:37:04 PM
And that the praise it seemed to be receiving from a select group was incredibly undeserved. It was almost as if younger kids who had never directly dealt with existential questions were rocked by it, which is pretty silly. I know a few who felt that way and I kind of laughed at them. The CGI was bad, the ending was terrible... so logically, the film as a whole was only half-decent. I'm not sure I'll ever bother watching it again.
But Sleazy... by Tourist	Mar 5th, 2008 06:38:04 PM
...The suicidal ending just undermines everything that came before. It was an ending from a different movie. He goes through all of that, not to mention the writers set up hints towards the creatures evolving society, and its all negated because he pulls a johnny jihad on some home invaders.
yeah.... that was way better by Dogma_Jedi	Mar 5th, 2008 06:40:19 PM

Hey let's turn this into a Lucas bash thread! by skywalkerfamily	Mar 5th, 2008 06:40:47 PM
CGI PANTS!!!!! Come on haters!
Come to Daddy by Iowa Snot Client	Mar 5th, 2008 06:41:54 PM
Fresh Prince
The Lion King is a cartoon by skywalkerfamily	Mar 5th, 2008 06:42:30 PM
But that movie probably had more CG than I am Legend.
Problem with the original ending by Bobo_Vision	Mar 5th, 2008 06:43:36 PM
The girl tells Will Smith that there's enough space for him too inside that tiny confinement space of shelter, but he willingly decides to martyr himself, and that is how he becomes a legend, but he didn't have to be a martyr. He could have crawled in with her, thrown the bomb, and closed the door. The alternate ending is better in my opinion, but then the problem lies in the meaning of the title.
exactly Skywalker it WAS a cartoon by Kloipy	Mar 5th, 2008 06:44:34 PM
not a movie with actual people and then fake looking creatures
Wow! Really? by skywalkerfamily	Mar 5th, 2008 06:45:09 PM
Thanks for the update.
didn't they blow up that bridge earlier in the movie? by Rupee88	Mar 5th, 2008 06:48:35 PM
This ending is just as dumb as the one at the theater or maybe even worse.
I am Legend was stupid. by pomophobe	Mar 5th, 2008 06:49:12 PM
This movie totally pooped out a last half, and the infected people were lame, and this ALTERNATE, or ORIGINAL ending is way more crappy then the one in the film. And the one ine film was really Freakin' stupid.
and by the way, the book isn't even that good by Rupee88	Mar 5th, 2008 06:52:03 PM
Unless you have a vampire fetish, the book is rather lame and boring...better than the movies though.
SleazyG by Shoun	Mar 5th, 2008 06:53:37 PM
You don't get it. It's not about "healing powers of love", it's about looking at Good versus Evil, and about survival. The theatrical version didn't distinguish the vampires from anything other than evil "mindless flesheaters". However the book, and to a degree this ending, leave the audience questioning who was good and who as evil. Robert killed dozens, if not hundreds of the vampires, for doing nothing more than attempting to survive. Does that make him good? The vampires fought and killed to survive, but in the end they have a social structure (more so in the book) and emotions. Does that make them evil? Unfortunately it was too little too late, the core of the story was poorly adapted to the movie and those concepts were overlooked. I’m still waiting for a good adaption to be made, although this ending fits better with the original story.
Much better ending! Wish they had used it. by SkinJob69	Mar 5th, 2008 06:58:18 PM

And look- they fit another Ford car in at the end! by SkinJob69	Mar 5th, 2008 06:59:06 PM
Bless their hearts.
Why this ending is better- by SkinJob69	Mar 5th, 2008 07:03:33 PM
It successfully ties up the vampire guy's 'quest to recover his girlfriend' subplot. And it does so in a powerful way. It also completes Neville's arc, as he comes to empathize with the vampires (and not just see them as 'research subjects'). Vaguely reminds me of Deckard's arc in BR.
I bet he got that car at Harrison Ford. by skywalkerfamily	Mar 5th, 2008 07:04:23 PM

MUCH better ending by jakeblues	Mar 5th, 2008 07:04:42 PM
Would have been better if they went to the human settlement with the cure . Best of both worlds.
Web episodes by about_a_son	Mar 5th, 2008 07:04:56 PM
I remember some animated shorts that took place before the movie which were pretty cool. Are they on the DVD? special edition? and GC sucks when it is not needed.
The new ending is closer to the book by Ironmuskrat	Mar 5th, 2008 07:06:43 PM
I didn't hate the original ending, but it didn't really make much sense for Neville to blow himself up after the lady told him there was room for him in the chimney. This new ending is much closer to the sprite of the book ending. Where Neville, as he lies dying, realizes he is the only "normal" human left and all the intelligent vampires see him as a monster and fear him as much as he has feared them. What I liked about the new ending is how the Neville is framed in the shot will all of the pictures of the creatures he has experimented on without success. At that moment Neville seems to realize that the creatures are intelligent enough to hate Neville for hunting down and capturing their kin. That he may be no better then the creatures he is trying to cure. All that being said, I didn't like the CGI for the monsters. I think the problem is that CGI is too good now, and the temptation now is to make all CGI creations jump, hop and skip around in a very unrealistic manner. The vampires in the movie are suppose be your former friends and neighbors, not faceless superhuman creatures that jump all over the place and seem to alien to the story.
Is this ending really any different? by skywalkerfamily	Mar 5th, 2008 07:07:28 PM
Other than Will Smith dying. It's kinda the same feeling. He still leaves the zombie world behind.
I prefer the original ending. by raw_bean	Mar 5th, 2008 07:08:23 PM
You know, the original ending, from the book. In terms of the film, this ending makes much more sense in terms of the individual personality the lead 'vampire' seemed to be developing through the movie, which also brings it closer to what the book was about with the vampires forming a new culture of their own, and is much better for the lack of the patronising and shoe-horned religiously motivated suicide bit. It also has a slightly less corny closing moment & narration. But overall, neither holds a candle to the ending from the book.
In the Omega Man, they tie him up and by skywalkerfamily	Mar 5th, 2008 07:10:05 PM
machine gun him to death.
Less Sucky by KISSman24	Mar 5th, 2008 07:11:28 PM
This movie was horrible, but this ending would have made it suck a little less.
Is this ending really any different? - Yes by Shoun	Mar 5th, 2008 07:14:22 PM
This ending reminds me of the alternative ending to 28 Days Later. The theatrical ending had them being rescued by the military...lame. The alternative ending killed the lead character and left the girls alone in a world of zombies. This ending of Legend doesn't indicate they're 100% safe, they could drive until the car dies and they get eaten. You really have no idea unless you've seen the theatrical ending. I usually prefer and ending that leaves some room for interpretation than an ending that smacks you in the face with a cliché.
both endings suck by WALKNDED	Mar 5th, 2008 07:16:14 PM
But what they should have done.. After the reveal that the CGI Vampires had feelings..Will should have blown his brains out. Combining the two ..and saving the ending. Now just to set here and wait for my screenwriting check to come in.
Why didn't the surviving miltary just do a drop by skywalkerfamily	Mar 5th, 2008 07:16:15 PM
into Manhattan and nuke the place?
LOL at the CG by GibsonUSA	Mar 5th, 2008 07:16:44 PM
looks so fake
CG mutants by Blackguard	Mar 5th, 2008 07:20:03 PM
I think the CG humans were a BAD idea. It did take me out of the movie a bit. In todays age it would have been easy to hire thin actors and accent them with CG effects. At least that way they could have showed a bit more emotion. Hell, I would have settled on albinos with sunglasses.
that ending is only slightly better by Spandau Belly	Mar 5th, 2008 07:27:25 PM
Seeing as I didn't have a problem with the theatrical ending I feel almost indifferent to the choice of these two endings. They both have an element of goodness and an element of lameness. The theatrical cut kills Neville, and to me it made sense seeing as he was ready to die all along and seeing real humans again only really made him realize how he could never have his old life back. But the cheesy narration from Anna was lame and tacked on. This cut closes the relationship with the zombies better, but then that car ride seems too happy and again, Anna is narrating. So I'm fine with either one, but I think I'll stick with watching the Heston version.
This ending IS the original: by NotFunny	Mar 5th, 2008 07:30:14 PM
The one in the theatrical version is the alternate. Advanced previews had this ending but they changed it for the theatrical release. Go figure why... this one's better.
Was that a CGI negro playing Will Smith? by dogphart3000	Mar 5th, 2008 07:30:53 PM
I couldn't tell. -Be A Part Of The ObamaNation-
i dont mind cgi by presidentevil	Mar 5th, 2008 07:42:47 PM
but sub-par quality will never stand the test of time when its used in place of real actors on a real actor stage...we are almost there, but not quite...is there a moore's law for cgi?
I like it much better by Undercover Fanboy	Mar 5th, 2008 07:43:34 PM
Still don't dig the sort of out of the blue butterfly realization that I fucking HATED in the original ending, but I like this one much better. Adds to the characterization of the pseudo-vampires, adds to Neville's madness, ties things in more with the vampire society that was in the novel, and ditches that shitty walled outpost. Hell, I wish they put this back in theatres with this ending, like they did 28 days later. And I never minded the CGI.
The CG wasn't that bad by Spazatronic 2000	Mar 5th, 2008 07:43:48 PM
why do you nerds like to bitch and moan so much? Would you prefer stop-motion clay zombies, would that look better? Lol, stop crying like little children and accept that you'll never get your perfect, dream movie because they DONT EXIST and never did. Fuckin twits.
my favorite part of this talkback... by omarthesnake	Mar 5th, 2008 07:48:18 PM
is that skywalkerfamily keeps defending the movie like he's got a cut of the profits, and then responding to any critiques of it with a rousing defense of "Nu-uh!" Get good grades in debate club there, chuckles? Here's why the CGI zombies didn't work: They had no sense of weight and reality. they looked like computer game characters. the CG just isn't there yet to put CGI people on screen with real human people, without the CGI standing out like a sore thumb... which takes you out of the movie and ruins the experience. And this movie in particular needed you to feel the reality for every frame, and never lose that. For the record, i prefer the theatrical suicide ending, but this one, where he realizes he's the monster to them, is a powerful finale too. if it didn't have the instaFamily (tm) there for him to leave with and head to happyendingland, and it just left him alone with this knowledge at the end that he's a monster to those who have taken over the world, that woulda been perfect. That's where he is Legend, not in the notion that a coupla dozen commune-dwelling survivors remember him.
I liked the theatrical ending better by Spazatronic 2000	Mar 5th, 2008 07:48:20 PM
as if you care. And ya I bitch about movies too but not EVERY SINGLE FUCKIN MOVIE EVER RELEASED like you faggots. Oh, I forgot, Empire Strikes back was PERFECT, all the effects were photo-realistic, it was so amazing.
So wait by clockpolitiks	Mar 5th, 2008 07:49:43 PM
Does this new ending come after he finds the cure in the woman vamp, or did they just do away with the cure altogether for this ending? Did I just totally miss it?
and don't try to say we aren't there yet by Spazatronic 2000	Mar 5th, 2008 07:49:54 PM
cuz you sound like an idiot, yes the characters in the Star Wars prequels and Golem were much more realistic than these zombies. But who fuckin cares.
Before I watch this... by Mistahtibbs	Mar 5th, 2008 07:51:40 PM
Will this alt ending be on the DVD/Blu-ray Disc??? I haven't seen I Am Legend and I'd prefer NOT to watch this until I've seen the movie itself. MT
Mistahtibbs by clockpolitiks	Mar 5th, 2008 07:53:47 PM
Yea, It'll be on the 2 disk dvd and the blu-ray. Someone probably ripped it from the special features disk.
So much better... by The Grug	Mar 5th, 2008 07:53:59 PM
I don't understand why they couldn't have run with this ending for the theatrical release. It fits the movie much better, and it's not some complete downer ending that Hollywood can't stomach - it's hopeful, and more successfully so than the theatrical ending. The CGI vampires was still a bad choice and will remain the movie's main detracting feature. But this ending would have made my exit from the theatre more of a "that was good' than the 'WTF?' that I did.
Dash Mihok... should eat by methosb	Mar 5th, 2008 07:56:00 PM
Seriously. Wtf they didn't just slap some make up on the guy and let him rip is beyond me. Just blend with CGI for the extra human physical stuff. Like someone said, if you can use make up instead of CGI, use make up. Though this ending is definitely better.
clockpolitiks by Mistahtibbs	Mar 5th, 2008 07:59:55 PM
Thanks, Looking forward to seeing this one in glorious Quick....er, HD. MT
The CGI in this movie sucked balls by kyle051554	Mar 5th, 2008 08:03:16 PM
As for the alternate ending, I think this one is probably better than the original, but it's been so long since I've seen the movie that I can't really remember much about the original except for Smith blowing himself up and the girl and kid finding a hippie commune to live at.
The explosion was better by Hikaru Ichijo	Mar 5th, 2008 08:05:49 PM
Will Smith was good, but yeah...
meh by a rolling stone	Mar 5th, 2008 08:10:39 PM
I'm surprised Hollywood blew Will up instead of using this one. Most Hollywood movies want to end happy, regardless if the star deserves the happy ending or not. I think I like the original better. There are some rooms a man walks into that he should not be able to walk out of. That room was one of them.
humanize your monsters by a rolling stone	Mar 5th, 2008 08:14:05 PM
And in my opinion, you don't want to humanize your monsters too much, or they stop being monsters. Sometimes it works. I didn't want to like Zombie's Halloween, but I did anyway. I mean like when Romero's zombies were pumping gas and saving other zombies from harm? Yeah. That didn't work for me.
MEH. I LIKED THE THEATRICAL ENDING BETTER. by BurgerTime	Mar 5th, 2008 08:15:22 PM
To me, what happened to the hero at the end of the theatrical ending made more sense. Took the character to its logical conclusion. This? Feels like a tacked on happy ending. Sorry to disagree Harry. But when the DVD shows up in my player, it will be the theatrical release that I choose to watch.
Sony Pictures Imageworks is a piece of shit by messi	Mar 5th, 2008 08:23:01 PM
the cunts still haven't even reached Fellowship of the Ring Standards. years behind. and they want them to do JLA. Ha.
That's a much more profound ending... by LordEnigma	Mar 5th, 2008 08:26:01 PM
It really works in ways that the theatrical ending does not even come close to touching. Robert Nevelle failed. He failed, but he found a life again. That's pretty fucking awesome.
Is Sam alive in this version? by DarthBakpao	Mar 5th, 2008 08:26:42 PM
I wanted Sam to live... please bring back Sam!
this ending was by far better... by jojo-pimp	Mar 5th, 2008 08:28:22 PM
definately...by far more meaningful and intense
and Harry... PIXAR! by LordEnigma	Mar 5th, 2008 08:30:21 PM
This is why geeks such as yourself are a fucking infuriating lot... you are hypocrites. You will praise Pixar all the damn day, then slam films with CGI. If you say both of them are mutually exclusive. Sort of ignores the fact that YOU are the CONSTANT in your belief that one looks better than the either. You need to get a handle on your life, sir.
There was nothing wrong with the CG in this movie... by Johnno	Mar 5th, 2008 08:31:27 PM
Sure specifically the animals and their animation were funny at times... but are you telling me that all the zombies were 100% CG the entire time and no extras? Bullshit, that looked like a mix of both and the CG was done well enough. How else are you going to get actual people to stretch their fucking jaws like that?
THIS ENDING MORE CLOSELY HONORS RICHARD MATHESON'S INTENT... by Captain Happy	Mar 5th, 2008 08:32:54 PM
That the monsters are as human as we are, even more so sometimes...we can become them...& them, us. This ending is FAR SUPERIOR to the ending we all saw in the original theatrical version, which seemed tacked-on as an afterthought, anyway. One has to wonder was it a misguided studio exec that chose the theatrical ending because it offered both a final formulaic resolution final & the resolute heroism to accompany it. Poo-poo on the studio for not going through with an ending that offered more humanity & duality. Hopefully they will be braver in the future. Still, it's nice to know that this ending exists.
SORRY, TYPO...THIS ENDING MORE CLOSELY HONORS RICHARD MATHESON'S by Captain Happy	Mar 5th, 2008 08:34:51 PM
That the monsters are as human as we are, even more so sometimes...we can become them...& them, us. This ending is FAR SUPERIOR to the ending we all saw in the original theatrical version, which seemed tacked-on as an afterthought, anyway. One has to wonder was it a misguided studio exec that chose the theatrical ending because it offered both a final formulaic resolution & the resolute heroism to accompany it. Poo-poo on the studio for not going through with an ending that offered more humanity & duality. Hopefully they will be braver in the future. Still, it's nice to know that this ending exists
Far superior but not as good as novel by TheEnemy8	Mar 5th, 2008 08:35:02 PM
He is a legend because he is the last human, so when the girl shows up the movie goes downhill. However, this is much better than the release. It actually somewhat makes sense with the rest of the story.
Tourist you have no idea by messi	Mar 5th, 2008 08:37:41 PM
practical effects cost less and take less time than CGI. and everyone else but you thought transformers looked amazing. And they used practical in many scenes. The only reason they didn't do it in other scenes is because it's fucking impossible to do most of it practically, that's why CGI was created in the first place.
Now he REALLY isn't Legend... by Kasch	Mar 5th, 2008 08:37:48 PM
Great, now the title makes even less since. What a crock. How many times are they gonna rape Matheson's book before they get it right?
I think most people wouldn't understand this ending by lavatory love machine	Mar 5th, 2008 08:41:19 PM
I went to see this movie with a friend and our girls and none of them got that he took the vampire's leader girl to experiment and that's why they are so pissed at him
We need Arnold to come back and make his version. by UMAGA	Mar 5th, 2008 08:43:34 PM
Butterflies? Sad shitty looking mutants? Fuck this shit. Arnold would be going to war with these bastards.
anyone who preferred the theatrical ending by Jed	Mar 5th, 2008 08:50:13 PM
please, assure me you don't make creative decisions professionally. thank you. Though shmaltzy, that ending was WAAAAAY more in line with the rest of the movie.
I am Legend Prequel by Yo Yo Ma	Mar 5th, 2008 08:54:15 PM
I think it would be interesting to make prequel to this movie. I was most interested with Neville's flashbacks, although they were short. I liked all the detail that you show around his apartment and parts of the city about Quarantine. I want to really get into what was happening from the Time Emma thompson gave her speech, to the time when the bridges exploded. I think that would be super cool. For example seeing Will Smith on the cover of Time magazine with the Heading "Can this man save us." Although that back story would be cool. Any thoughts??? I felt the same about the novel, i wanted more about what happened before Neville was alone....
That vampire looks like Ted Danson by Fish Tank	Mar 5th, 2008 08:55:34 PM
Seriously. Right when he stops hitting the glass, and they do a closeup on his face.
That vampire looks like Kevin Pereira by Fievel	Mar 5th, 2008 08:57:31 PM
from Attack Of The Show
Fievel by methosb	Mar 5th, 2008 09:03:09 PM
Dash Mihok is the actor the alpha male is based off. Hence why they should have just put make up on him and let him act the creature out, the guy is a beast.
Direct link to download the alternate ending by wadi77	Mar 5th, 2008 09:04:54 PM
http://tinyurl.com/yu84ln
already a legend by smutpeddlar	Mar 5th, 2008 09:05:56 PM
he was a legend to the infected..if they had done a better job presenting the vampire leader during the film,this ending would have held even more power..like the girl's tatoo..nice touch,but they could have done a better job,making the infected different sized ppl..colors,they just all blended together for me because of the cgi,and they blended together because they never showed any range of emotion..lol,i have different levels of rage,they could have as well
LOL Ted Danson vampires! by spectrebeeyatch	Mar 5th, 2008 09:09:07 PM
Good call Fish Tank. I can never look at that movie the same and then you because the theatrical version SUCKED! I wish this ending was in the original movie because this is so much better. Frankly they should have stuck with what the book did, but if you watch I am Legend the original ending makes no sense or at least is underwhelming: "The butterfly" moment and the tattoo is on Maria's neck, even though we saw her neck earlier and the tattoo was not there! Also earlier in the movie they hint that the vampires are acting human, showing anger, setting a trap... But then they drop it and just have Smith kill himself. That sucked. This at least has more substance to it.
This movie is totally unrealistic... by stinkyfingerz	Mar 5th, 2008 09:20:42 PM
in that if I was Neville and that Latina chick came around, I would be destroying her with violent, lack of human contact, FUCKING. Am I the only one who thought this? I mean, if I hadn't been laid in over three years, and my only options were a dog, or a race of women that look like Yul Brenner, I would go bat-shit crazy. Oh yeah, and this movie was almost decent. The new ending almost makes up for it, but it still doesn't do the book justice.
^ yeah, i thought about that fucking too. by future help	Mar 5th, 2008 09:26:20 PM
also thought what an idiot Nevile was after 3 years to rig UV Lights in his apartment for safety...after all, he had those bad-ass explosives rigged on his outer-peramitor. There were just sooo many flaws and holes in the movie. All hunters stay put til a deer arrives. YOU don't chase em' in a Camero!
to FAIL rigging UV lights is what i meant. by future help	Mar 5th, 2008 09:27:55 PM
grrrrr.
That vampire is not a vampire. its not a zombie either by ludmir88	Mar 5th, 2008 09:31:26 PM
just a strange creature with no teeth
How do you reason practical effects are less time consuming? by Tourist	Mar 5th, 2008 09:34:20 PM
Just ask Spielberg or Carpenter. They are cumbersome and difficult and impossible to work around. But they look alot better. Thats why even CG make up effects are taking over. And no, its not IMPOSSIBLE to do certain things practical. Thats my point, its just very very hard. Thats why CG was invented. Its cheaper to pull and easier to blow up a bridge and have a CG robot go through the space, than actually have a giant ass robot puppet aided by CG knock down a real freeway bridge. Still would look better.
Oh, and no, plenty of people bitch about the effects in Transfor by Tourist	Mar 5th, 2008 09:36:03 PM
...Plus, didn't the fucking professionals prefer the Narnia rip off instead? Oh, yeah, they did. Dont get me wrong, as far as poorly designed cartoon effects go, they were good. Did they look convincing or awe inspiring...Nope.
maybe someone mentioned by SnakesOnABicycle	Mar 5th, 2008 09:36:06 PM
this but that shot of big willie style's face in close up with the vampires snarling around him was in the trailer for this thing a while ago. the pace that this new version provides to the ending is better than the rushed theatrical one but as others have pointed out only goes to show how shitty and badly designed those vamps really were. Give me the lost boys as the scariest looking vampires ever any day.
I like this version better... by -=Shin=-	Mar 5th, 2008 09:42:53 PM
As a fan of the original story, this is much closer. He realizes he's become just as much a monster as they. He was a legend because he was the last, and he was their demon, so to speak. The reason for him being a 'legend' within context of the movie - creating the cure - just seemed like it let down the twist of what made the original story so memorable and turned a great movie into another zombie-disease flick.
By the way... by Tourist	Mar 5th, 2008 09:47:02 PM
...I'm not slamming on Transformers effects too Heavily. Like I said, to really do something impressive with that material would warrant a schedule and budget not proportianate to the goal of the film or those involved in making it. Its not like we got Cameron making Titanic. However, in I Am Legend, they no doubt had a huge budget, yet went with completely unnecessary CGI. For what? They had a bunch of CG creations that were meant to replicate pale people dressed as Hobos. What a fucking waste of time and effort and money, especially considering whoever they hired to do it did a fucking appalling job. But, as I said earlier, this may be Francis Lawrences trademark. His work on Constantine was very similar, full of horrible and cheap looking creature effects.
Meh by dr sauch	Mar 5th, 2008 09:47:58 PM
I guess its as good as the other one. Both sucked I think. But I agree with Harry, this was about 1 re-write away from being a complete masterpiece.
One rewrite.... by Tourist	Mar 5th, 2008 09:50:21 PM
...Too many that stopped it from being a masterpiece.
Uh, Harry? This is an illegal bootleg. by chumpmonkey	Mar 5th, 2008 09:54:23 PM
This is footage included on the Special Edition DVD. They're going to be SELLING this in stores in less than two weeks. See that DIVX logo in the corner? That means it was ripped to DIVX from an advance copy of the DVD, genius. Posting this is -- DUH -- illegal! Christ. Good idea, dumbass. Countdown to this whole page mysteriously disappearing in 3... 2... 1...
Can someone paraphrase it....? by ccchhhrrriiisssm	Mar 5th, 2008 10:07:38 PM
I am stuck with dial-up for the time being. Anyone want to paraphrase the alternate ending?
Not bad. I liked the theatrical ending, though. by Zardoz	Mar 5th, 2008 10:15:00 PM
Yeah, at times the creatures looked a little too CGI, but it worked. So this is the stuff that was still in the theatrical trailer, obviously. I wonder why they decided to promote the scene in previews and then cut it from the final release? I don't think they would have ever done the book's ending. One, because it's been done before. And two, because I don't think audiences today would "get it" or appreciate it. I read the graphic novel of the Matheson book today and it was very good. Anyway, I liked this movie and I hope it still gets released in HD-DVD...
Still not good, but much better by Brendan3	Mar 5th, 2008 10:23:24 PM
The new scene where he sees the pictures of all the infected he experimented on, realizing he is a monster to them... is a little more like the spirit of the book... just a little.
I like this one better by TerryMalloy	Mar 5th, 2008 10:31:46 PM
It at least ties up the Vampire is intelligent/leader of Vampires thread. And avoids the cheesy town church bell ending. It still does not make the movie good. The moment the woman and her kid arrive, it goes straight downhill.
Rupee88 you're a fucking idiot. by judge dredds fresh undies	Mar 5th, 2008 10:35:54 PM
And you probably stink of piss.
Gotta disagree here by Theta	Mar 5th, 2008 10:39:35 PM
Six of one, half a dozen of the other. I don't see this as being particularly better or really all that different.
Much better by sarsy	Mar 5th, 2008 10:43:44 PM
I thought this was a much more powerful ending.
Both endings are somewhat lacking by Stengah	Mar 5th, 2008 10:47:13 PM
This ending leaves the movie in a cliffhanger. and the woman as a narrative SUCKS. i did not like that woman's character at all.
I LIKE THIS ENDING A LOT, BUT ... by BringingSexyBack	Mar 5th, 2008 10:47:53 PM
Isn't the point of I Am LEGEND that Smith dies so he becomes a legend?
remember The Last Man on Earth? by cwlakers34	Mar 5th, 2008 10:47:55 PM
it seems everyone fails to remember the Vincent Price classic The Last Man on Earth... sure this was '60s horror cheese but it was Price doing some of his best work. The ending in that movie captures the best of both worlds... the "new" breed of creature hoodwinking Price's character... him realizing that HE is the outsider in this new world... he is then "executed" by the monsters sort of like in the book... and like in I Am Legend, the creatures in Last Man don't care to hear that he has a cure... they kill him anyway... also like I Am Legend he clearly went mad.. and I like the martyr aspect of Smith's character better than being their prisoner... i think that character would have been driven too crazy not to take his own life instead of being taken by the creatures... I don't necessarily like the way he chose to martyr himself but it still sort of works... My only wish would be to make Smith realize he is the creature now and he doesn't belong....anyway... If you havent seen Last Man, go watch it... I'll be willing to bet you won't be able to take your eyes off Vincent Price's performance.... this is my first post by the way...
THIS WAS ACTUALLY COOL NEWS by BringingSexyBack	Mar 5th, 2008 10:48:57 PM
Watching a pirated alternate ending to an as-yet unreleased DVD makes me feel naughty!
Both endings are cool by skywalkerfamily	Mar 5th, 2008 10:49:30 PM
But, I liked the movie. Sorry folks!
Beowulf INCREDIBLE? LOLOLOLOL by aceattorney	Mar 5th, 2008 10:51:10 PM
Beowulf = Shrek
NEITHER endings honour the book... by MyManD316	Mar 5th, 2008 10:54:46 PM
The theatrical ending has Neville dying, but it doesn't have the evolution factor of the vampires. This ending keeps him alive, and therefore, like some have mentioned, negating the title of the book and movie! So yeah, both endings EQUALLY disservice the original story. And it's a shame because I actually liked this modern revisioning (and didn't even mind the cliched monsters) up until the woman and kid show up. I mean, what the fuck was that all about? Will Smith was more than enough to carry the movie up until then, so why do they feel the need to introduce other human beings?
XIPHOS by BringingSexyBack	Mar 5th, 2008 10:55:18 PM
I think he was known as the legend when being the last black man on Earth meant he had the biggest penis on the planet. Now that's legendary.
Whoever decided not to use this ending... by scrivener	Mar 5th, 2008 10:56:43 PM
...you are a fucking retard of epic proportions. The ending in the theatrical version was complete and utter shit. I was pretty meh during the movie in general, but the ending pushed it clearly into "bad movie" territory. This version, while still not ideal, is much, much, MUCH better. The fact that an ending like this even existed when the one we all saw was used instead makes feel even more disgusted with Hollywood than I normally do.
what did he inject her with? by slaughterstorm	Mar 5th, 2008 11:04:32 PM
was it the cure? does this mean all the others will be cured or something?
One of the best endings to a big budget studio film ever by Havok2000	Mar 5th, 2008 11:04:44 PM
and clearly the one the film was meant to have. Possibly the best ending to a big film since T2. And also the best analogy to the invasion of Iraq and American arrogance made for over $100M.
I always wondered what happened to that scene... by googamooga	Mar 5th, 2008 11:19:58 PM
That scene with the monster right next to his face was in the trailer, and I always wondered what part of the movie it was from.
Haven't read the book but ... by Havok2000	Mar 5th, 2008 11:29:01 PM
It seems like the penultimate scene (Neville accepts "monsters" as sentient feeling creatures and himself as the outsider destroying "their" world) is quite in line with it, but then the feel-goody drive to Vermont denouement is the studio sugar pill that makes the medicine go down. I prefer to look at that scene a la Blade Runner, as an uncertain transition to a next chapter where humans will as likely as not be a vestigial and eventually extinct formerly dominant lifeform. BTW, that was a lot of complex information for Will to get across with his reactions and performance. He is the best at this sort of film and there's really no one close. No one else could pull off the scene talking to the "girl" in the store. I also agree with the comments about The Thing and even moreso Alien - has there been as scary a movie since? I would even go back to the Val Lewton films for the lesson - it's generally better to suggest things than show them unfortunately that isn't the style today. The scene with Neville looking for his dog was the best in the film for suspense, by far.
that was boring and sappy and lame by Meatbiscuit	Mar 5th, 2008 11:31:18 PM
lame movie...two lame endings.
but they never should have the three by bacci40	Mar 5th, 2008 11:32:32 PM
driving off into the sunset...all the bridges have been blown up...right???
Wow Harry, regarding the CG, I 100% disagree... by moto	Mar 5th, 2008 11:33:43 PM
Normally I HATE CG. Hate the use of it in this day and age. Before I saw this film, hearing that the dark seekers were all CG, my expectations went down. That said, upon seeing the film, yeah, I 100% disagree with the notion that the effects were weak. I think using real actors with makeup would have taken away from the fact that these creatures of the night basically became inhuman, as far as what we prescribe to be human. They needed that animal-like agility and I feel that using wirework or something would have taken away from that feel. The dark seekers look different because they are different. It was a look that I hadn't seen before. Their translucent skin I think was what forced people to say, "That doesn't look right." Well, that's how a dark seeker would look like living solely in the dark. The would look inhuman. And the animal characteristics of the dark seekers were spot on as far as a great interpretation of how a viral manipulation would bring out the true beast in all of us. Using actors would have put those characters in a class with pretty much every now cliche zombie or vampire mold. Look at that clip above, the effects are EXCELLENT. The expressions, the inhuman mannerisms. They look odd because of that skin. But you can't tell those are "shitty" effects. Well, opinions are opinions, but I was surprised at how well those effects worked. It was something different. Not some 28 DAYS LATER retread. I'll give you the animals. The lions and even the deer. They could have attempted to use the real thing, out of context obviously, and put them into the frame. But no, sorry, actors would not have been able to pull off that inhuman angle without bad wirework, bad background framing, etc. I do wish they would have used this ending. If anything, it could have opened it up for a true sequel. The theatrical ending pretty much fucked that up and even kind of took the mystique out of the whole story, showing that yeah, there are survivors. I don't see how they could do a sequel now, and I hope they don't. What a missed opportunity. Regardless, the first 3/4 of the film was masterful. Brilliant and exactly what should have been. So I can forgive the somewhat off kilter ending. And for those saying this film was absolute shit... what would you have done to make it better. Forget the CG. You can dismiss that by suspension of disbelief. What ELSE would you have done to make it not be a "shit movie"? Forget the smart ass remarks, the TBer "humor", seriously, what would you have done?? I thought the earlier script written by the guy who's last name I dare not spell was okay. But didn't the dark seeker he ended up working on end up being his wife????? If memory serves, that's what happened. That's contrived in my opinion.
CG wasn't the original plan by GimmeABreak	Mar 5th, 2008 11:36:38 PM
The guy from the effects house that was going to be responsible for all practical effects of the non-humans gave a talk at our school and he showed us a lot of kick ass make-up applications that were in the works and then the studio went and said "Nope, all CG". What an annoying waste.
WATCHMEN by Crestfallen	Mar 5th, 2008 11:47:16 PM
Holy fucking shit ... watchmen costume pics are up at the official site: http://rss.warnerbros.com/watc hmen/
"Last Man on Earth" by Gungan Slayer	Mar 5th, 2008 11:49:25 PM
Yeah, you know, the first film version with Vincent Price---IMO the best adaptation of the book, and certainly the best ending out of the three versions. "I Am Legend" was just...meh...and I was surprised at how crazy everyone went for it.
This ending blows even more than the theatrical! by SebastianHaff	Mar 5th, 2008 11:52:04 PM
Exactly what was wrong with Matheson's original conclusion? What makes it even more distressing is that, in my opinion, the movie was perfect until the last fifteen minutes. Well, and aside from the shitty Super NES graphics. I say shave off the ending, replace it with Matheson's, and you'd have the be all end all of I Am Legend adaptations. But alas, now it will never happen. Fucking Hollywood. I can handle it when a movie flat out sucks ass. But to take a great movie and then fuck it up? Unforgivable.
"How else are you going to get actual people to stretch their ja by Shan	Mar 6th, 2008 12:09:11 AM
V managed in the 1980's without CGI (just the effects of the day) and using real people. I haven't seen it in a while so the effect may not be as good as I remember but I'm sure we could improve on the technique more than 25 years later.
How else are you going to get people to stretch their jaws like by Shan	Mar 6th, 2008 12:10:17 AM
V managed in the 1980's without CGI (just the effects of the day) and using real people. I haven't seen it in a while so the effect may not be as good as I remember but I'm sure we could improve on the technique more than 25 years later.
HARRY IS RIGHT!!! by y7jver01	Mar 6th, 2008 12:21:18 AM
Man he has finally said somthin agree with,,,. it is a cool ending. It means the Zombies are also evolving and Smith goes in to find the place where ordinary humens lives. And it opens up a door for a sequal as well.. (That may not be so great) But it is a really cool ending. So bad that it couldnt materialize..
There is no reason they couldn't by methosb	Mar 6th, 2008 12:31:23 AM
... combine live action actors made up as the creatures and CGI. Even on the face (look at Arnold Vosloo in the Mummy for example). It would have made them look far better and more convincing and would have given them more time to make the scenes that have to be all CGI look better.
hmm by slkboxrman	Mar 6th, 2008 12:39:14 AM
that was much, much better..it does resolve the earlier question in the movie about why the male would intentionally expose himself to sun after will captured the female..nice ending...that should have been the ending in the movies
Both endings were the suck by krushjudgement	Mar 6th, 2008 12:43:36 AM
Seriously. In the book the two best plot twists are taken completely from this stinking piece of Hollywood-poo. The chick is supposed to be a vamp, and he becomes their greatest serial killer- thus... He is legend. F- all this.
I agree... by yesiamaplant	Mar 6th, 2008 01:14:25 AM
...on the look of the infected. Anyone remember a trailer that actually had real people speaking lines of dialogue as infected? I seem to recall a cast list and photos as well.
This ending was better... by Motoko Kusanagi	Mar 6th, 2008 01:18:01 AM
...but I hoped for a more negative one. Like with Neville dying like in the theatrical cut and then fade to black or something like that. I didn't like the vampire love story in this alternative ending. But it was very good that they didn't show how they finally find humans last resort. That the religious bs is still in the flick annoys me like hell (and that starts a few scenes earlier with the appearance of this annoying woman).
I preferred seeing Will Smith go KABOOM!!! by Han Cholo	Mar 6th, 2008 01:29:35 AM
That was a ballsy ending and not one I would have expected Smith to do. The movie was surprisingly good as well but yeah, the CG was absolutely atrocious.
I liked the CGI and was pretty damn scared by Motoko Kusanagi	Mar 6th, 2008 01:44:15 AM
of this friggin vampire thingies. Search for his dog? One of the most thrilling scenes I've seen in years! And some people here seem to forget that CGI was also involved in those scenes of the abandoned streets. That looked fantastic, imho. The appearance of the woman ruined the movie a bit for me and that she had a friggin' kid ruined it a bit more. And that they finally find mankind's last resort destroyed the depressing atmosphere completely. The ending of the book is far superior. Still, this is one great movie thanks to the first 2/3s.
@Ashok0: by Motoko Kusanagi	Mar 6th, 2008 01:47:36 AM
"If you think it's rubbish like AvP, you should be shot." Lol! So true man!
How many lousy endings can one movie have? by Damer1	Mar 6th, 2008 01:49:59 AM
Now we know at least two. I still think they should have been faithful to the source material and acknowledged that Will Smith is the monster/legend.
Much, Much Better! by Kefrif	Mar 6th, 2008 01:52:11 AM
Should have used this ending. Gave a rounding out to the characters that was far more comfortable to watch. Someone bake up a fanedit and we're dancin'!!!
closer to the spirit of the book's ending, by samsquanch	Mar 6th, 2008 02:07:41 AM
if not a literal translation. Much better than the theatrical release.
Watchmen characters look fucking awesome by samsquanch	Mar 6th, 2008 02:24:13 AM
http://rss.warnerbros.com/watc hmen/ Owlman! And his Owl -er- mobile! No Dr. Manhattan yet though, grrrr... Is the zany Billy Zane playing him, or what?
That ending... by D o o d	Mar 6th, 2008 02:29:58 AM
is superb. I don't think the original ending in the movie was as good. I still enjoyed the movie though. As for the CG Zombies, I agree, there was no need for that. This could've totally been a character driven film.
Yeah, the CGI sucks, but by enoodle123	Mar 6th, 2008 02:37:22 AM
the original ending is much preferable. You pansies. The original ending gave the movie some weigh

Talkbacks

UPDATED!! The Original Ending To I AM LEGEND is online - and is vastly superior to the theatrical ending...