1

Wow.

When I saw it in the theater, the last 10 minutes ruined the movie for me. I thought the ending was too abrupt and did not touch at all on the original concept of the book. This ending was fantastic. I especially like how Smith glances at his wall of photos and realizes that he must appear to be some sort of serial killer, with photos of his "kills" displayed on his wall. Very cool.

Chris Schoenherr on Mar 5, 2008

2

I really like that ending to. I would have been happy with it if it was the one they used. Wish they could do a re-do and have that been the end.

Stephen on Mar 5, 2008

3

I like what you're saying about the 'idea' but to me, as an aspiring filmmaker, what is of paramount importance is the ability to retain the filmmaker's voice throughout. When Alica Braga turned up in the film, it felt like Hollywood had stepped in to make it alright and I guess what they were doing is 'splitting the protagonist' so that she gets to do her 'you are not alone" speech with or without Neville. Which is also the logic applied in Seven, i.e., the good guy wins because the protagonist is split in two (Brad Pitt and Morgan Freeman).
Oddly enough, the killing of Neville in Legend and Pitt's character killing John Doe in Seven are both more subversive endings for big star-vehicles than if all goes well and the good guy lives and wins. So I think I prefer theatrical ending and (still) hate the look of the vampires.

Elvis D on Mar 5, 2008

4

I read the book in the weeks preceding the film's release and I was disappointed by the script's deviation of the ending and overall concept. I agree that the novel's concept of Neville being a legend to the vampires is far superior to the film's concept of his death being a legend amongst survivors. Thank you for posting this alternate ending. I very much liked it and it better than the theatrical version. Although I had wished that the alternate ending was more true to the novel in which Anna is an evolved daylight vampire who helps capture Neville and brings him to the vampires. She then explains that the vampires are a new society amongst themselves and view Neville as a killer and ghostly legend. And then they execute him.

In this alternate ending, Neville should have died. This aspect makes the theatrical version superior, but it would have been great if both versions were combined to see Neville giving up, taken, and then executed. It would be a much more bleaker ending and it'd be a gamble, but very unique and artistic.

Matt S. on Mar 5, 2008

5

Amazing, much more powerful of an ending than the one I saw in theaters. When Neville snatched the girl in the movie I was thinking that the writers were alluding to her being the leaders girl; the way the leader jumped into the sunlight when she was taken and how the vampires stepped up their tactics to try and get Neville after that. Its good to see I wasn't just imagining it. Its also interesting how Neville believed that the vampires had completly lost all traces of their humanity when he watched the leader expose himself, when actually it was the one aspect of his humanity left that made him jump into the sunlight.

baby kicker on Mar 5, 2008

6

Elvis #3, I'm still not sure I understand your reasoning for why it was better (even for Hollywood 'big star-vehicles') for Neville to be killed off… It's obvious most people didn't like the more "hopeful" ending that we saw in theaters. And the funny thing is they called this one "controversial" when I don't think there is anything even controversial about it - it's just a more emotional and powerful ending that sticks with the concept than pulling something "Hollywood"…

Matt #4, to respond to your consideration about Neville being killed again… I think that if they tried it with this ending, it would've been too hard to explain that concept and everyone would have been saying "oh, these vampires really are ruthless, even when he helped them and gave them what they wanted…" I think that's why that wouldn't have worked here, but I'm not sure… I still don't like the idea of Neville being killed at all.

Alex Billington on Mar 5, 2008

7

WB…this ending is better. Nuff said!

crabby on Mar 5, 2008

8

I have never read the book, so take my opinion from that point of view. I liked both endings and without knowing anything about how it was "supposed" to end I would prefer the theatrical ending, but knowing more about the book I think I see why you liked this ending better. I think the idea that Neville will sacrifice himself to save humanity is what the theatrical ending tried to get across while the ending here is more rosy.

Stephen on Mar 5, 2008

9

Realistically though… Did regular layman moviegoers actually think to themselves "oh this was about Neville sacrificing himself to save humanity" or did all of that get overshadowed by the simultaneous "pfft" heard in the theater when Alice showed up at that survival town.

Alex Billington on Mar 5, 2008

10

Cool, I've been looking forward to the alternate ending since I saw the movie. I'm a huge fan of the novel, especially because of the 'legend'-part, so I was rather disappointed when they didn't even talk about that in the movie. As you say, the first half is incredible, even thought the similarities to the novel are non-existing, I still liked it a lot, great performance by Smith and I loved the fact that they kept the sub-story about the dog, even though that was also changed significantly.

Anyway, the theatrical ending is horrible, and after reading about this alternate ending, I still didn't really expect it to be anything other than a short scene where Smith hands over the woman and the vampires leave. The fact that you see how much the alpha-male cares for the woman, that they just want to be left alone, and Neville realizes he's been doing something horrible, is incredible, it didn't seem like they dared to do that. Too bad WB chickened out in the end.

Marcus on Mar 5, 2008

11

Alex,

Your taste for movies must reside somewhere in your asshole if you think this movie even deserves to be near a best of 2007 list.

This was one of the worst movies of 2007 and resembled I-Robot so much that it probably could have been called I-notveryscarymonster.

For you to see this movie at the theatres 3 times is a disgrace as it proves that your intellect is somewhere beteween that of a turd and a retarded spider monkey.

Also now that you are actually trying to decifer why the most retarded scientist in movie history was killed really proves your stupidity.

Scott on Mar 5, 2008

12

Scott I think are being a bit harse. I thought it was one of the best movies I saw this year, better then National Treasure and others like that. It was one of the few movies I did get to see so maybe that biases me some what. As for your last comment Alex, yes I did think it was about him sacrificing himself, I saw the movie a couple weeks after opening so I doubt anyone there was a fan of the novel and were just "layman" moviegoers as you call em.

Stephen on Mar 5, 2008

13

I will grant that that was better than the original ending. However, I still do not think it is the best it could have been. I think sticking closer to the overall theme of the book would have made the movie stronger. You still lose the fact that Neville IS the last man on earth, and you're left with hope that there are other survivors. So even with this ending, you lose some of the magic of the story. But yes, far less "screw the people who read the book"-y.

Quicksilver on Mar 5, 2008

14

Stephen,

'I am legend' is a cinematic materpiece when compared to 'National treasue' obviously by your comments you don't get out much.

I suggest you watch movies that aren't endorsed by Alex as the movies that Alex declares as best of the year will turn you into a mindless fucktard.

Scott on Mar 5, 2008

15

i loved the alternate ending, and i would have preferred it in theaters, i think it is more complete to me for some reason. either way, i loved i am legend, and i loved it in IMAX, cant wait for DVD

taurinh on Mar 5, 2008

16

I loved the book and really disliked the movie as it was a total disconnect from the entire 'Legend' concept of the book. Neville was entirely re-written from an ordinary man fighting every day to get through to a kind of "super-hero" Dr.

That said, I would have liked the movie better if the ending had been this one, but overall read the book. Much better.

Ben Reubenstein on Mar 5, 2008

17

The alternate ending is definitely better, and felt true to the story. Warners really messed up with the version they put in theaters. It ruined the whole movie for me. Seeing the alternate ending makes the movie feal more complete to me now.

Thanks Alex!!!!!

TCox on Mar 5, 2008

18

Like Stephen, I have never read the book but I think 28 Days later and 28 Weeks later are far more superior than I Am Legend.

Also, I Am Legend was very predictable. The second I saw the dog I knew he was going to be bitten by the Vampires and that Smith would have to kill him…. See, this is the problem with Blockbusters, they're made with the same predictable formula.

By the way, am I the only one to think that the CG used in the film (read: every vampire) wasn't that great?

Anyway, I'm tired of those film…

Redge on Mar 5, 2008

19

If I would have seen this, that bitter taste in my mouth would not have occurred.

Sam on Mar 5, 2008

20

I was under the impression that this ending was changed because it didn't test well with audiences. But was this because they didn't like the fact that you don't find out if there are any other survivors, or because Neville didn't die?

Ross on Mar 5, 2008

21

Am I the only one who liked the theatrical ending better????

Ryan on Mar 5, 2008

22

This actually brings me to ease, because throughout the entire movie I was looking for that specific sequence that I had seen in the trailer (virus infected human whispering sweet nothings in Smith's ear) yet I was dissapointed, or more confused, that it was missing in its entirety, where I thought it should be at the end. I enjoyed the alternate ending immensly, as it seemed to bring a lot more depth along with some closure; whereas the theatrical one just seemed to…yeah…close.

Though, the theatrical one was more intense, and I think it was needed as most people would've walked out of the theatre with the alternative ending saying "that sucked…I hated the ending." I enjoyed the alternate one, but I can see why the other was chosen, and I probably would've have appreciated the alternate if I hadn't seen the theatrical version in the first place.

maverick on Mar 5, 2008

23

To be honest, I think the the theatrical ending is a lot more somber and better overall. I mean Will Smith's character dies in the theatrical ending …. I just think it's a bolder choice.

This one just sort of … ends with the happy "family" driving off.

S Dub on Mar 5, 2008

24

Side thought: Why wasn't Will Smith nominated for Best Actor for his performance as Neville?

http://www.supersatellite.com/2008/03/05/i-am-a-better-legend/

Quicksilver on Mar 5, 2008

25

This was excellent, and added more tone for the audience to feel after watching the movie…


DIDN'T THEY BLOW UP THE BRIDGE THOUGH?!?!

Forrest on Mar 5, 2008

26

Whilst I do prefer the alternative ending, I think I like the threatrical one more on the basis that Neville dies. To be, that makes a massive impact, and I can't tell you how refreshing I found it to see a Hollywood film where the main character doesn't survive for once.

Personally, I would have liked the alternative ending to have Neville executed by the Vamps (I forget the actual name). After glancing at the subject-wall, Neville could easily mumble something like, "What have I done?" or "What have I become?", before being carted off by the vamps or fed on. You could easily have the head Vamp go over to the wall of something, and show that he recognises Neville's acts as murder. This kind of ending would have been a lot more inkeeping with the book, whilst remaining as sombre as the threatrical cut and keeping that fantastic feeling of dispare.

Joseph on Mar 5, 2008

27

This is awesome. I can't tell you how much better this made the movie. I never read the book, but hearing from people who had, and knowing the original premise really made me feel they butchered it. Especially after they claimed they made the first movie adaptation that stuck by the book. The person commenting above me (#23) missed the point. That ending they created changes the story so much, and even pertaining to the title of the movie, that it becomes a different story all together. That moment where he realizes he is the monster and not the hunted, is the ah-ha moment this movie needed. Thanks again for posting this

Josh on Mar 5, 2008

28

I am a huge fan of the big and expressed on many occasions my dislike for the film to Alex.
This ending is better in that it doesn't show the vampires as wild creatures it shows them as a
collective with leaders and such. However….like Alex explained….Neville was the legend.
Legends die….
The introduction of the woman is what really screwed up the movie for me.
If she was like the one in the book and the ending followed the book it would have been a trully great film.

Heckle on Mar 5, 2008

29

This ending was much better. I hated the ending in theaters with the whole community of survivers and stuff. This ending showed some hope but was still very open. Why do studios always have to fuck things up?

Andreas on Mar 5, 2008

30

The theatrical ending wasn't that bad. The alternate ending was better even though I thought realistically they should've killed Neville basically because he's killed so many and their food supply was pretty low. But the alternate ending leaves more room to expand on maybe Neville can return and become this bad ass character he is in the book but then again we've already got a Blade movie so why do another. I'm with Alex, I think the movie was one of the best of 07' National Treasure sucked. They should put the alternate ending back into the movie and release it into the theater again like Michael Clayton.

Tirrell on Mar 5, 2008

31

this ending was so full of win that i'm even more pissed about ending we ere subject to. I wish they would make a real i am ledgend movie that is based directly off the book, or even off the leaked orriginal screenplay (leaving on the tugboat and having an undergrownd sewer city with the creatures in it etc.).

I want a DVD copy of the movie with the alternate ending being used as the actual ending so I don't have to go to special features to watch it.

Avelanch on Mar 5, 2008

32

This ending is far superior. Not because of Neville but what we learn about the infected. They still have a part of humanity and the leaders intentions were more than just get Neville. When Neville glances to the wall of photos of all the infected that he experimented on you can see that he understands that he has lost his humanity as much as them. This ending would have made this film much better. Overall the theatrical ending was just lame, although I didn't mind that Neville died. Will Smith was an amazing force in this film.

E. Jones on Mar 5, 2008

33

This ending is quite amazing. It totally captures the same feel as the ending from the book and at the same time is updated and fits with the rest of the movie. The only reason I can think of that this wasn't used is because they felt they had to dumb the movie down for the masses. Once again the sheeple have ruined a perfectly good movie.

Knightmare on Mar 5, 2008

34

this ending is definitely 1000 times better. this was the ending that should have happened. thanks for showing it to us. i of course would have liked a movie that followed the book a lot closer, but this is fantastic. again, thanks for showing this alternate ending. it's the great ending this movie needed.

julius on Mar 5, 2008

35

While I think this ending would have been an improvement over the one that they actually used, I can honestly say I still wouldn't have liked the movie.

I'm not going to claim any reason other than the book has been one of my favorites since I was young and the movie was just wrong. Will Smith himself did amazingly well. I didn't realize he was that talented an actor, but he is drug down by the fact that everything he's in has to be such a big blockbuster and have lots of CG and a huge budget.

I actually stopped liking the movie as soon as the vampires showed up. They were just wrong. IF you've seen 30 Days of Night (not a spectacular movie in itself really, but… ), the vampires in it, with a tiny bit of tweaking were much closer to what the vampires in this film should have been. I do not and never will understand why they would use all CG to create monsters that are basically sick human beings. It makes no sense and it ruins what little chance this movie had of really sucking you in. And when the woman showed up, it just got even worse. Neville coped entirely to well and too quickly….. okay. I'm going to stop or I could go on and on.

Basically, why take an amazing book and change it so much it barely resembles itself? Hollywood does it over and over and over. It's incredibly frustrating.

XMalice on Mar 5, 2008

36

I didn't like the survival town thing in the theatrical ending. It took the hope out of Anna's character and made it reality. However, I did like that, in the theatrical ending, he finally cured the disease. The blaze of glory was to satisfy the folks who like explosions and violent self-sacrifice, nothing more.

I'm iffy on this alternate ending. I'm probably leaning toward it, though, because it puts more humanity into the vampires and Neville gets out of the situation alive, and is presumably able to continue his research.

Colin Dean on Mar 5, 2008

37

I would have much prefered that ending to the movie.

Dustin on Mar 5, 2008

38

Alex Billington #6, I love the idea of Neville being killed because it simply fits in with the concept and title of the novel and film. For one to truly be a legend, one must be dead or have their existence in question. If Neville lives with Anna and drives away from the vampires in Manhattan, the title comes into question for the viewer as to why the movie is called I Am Legend. It'd be quite difficult for the viewer to connect with the vampires in how they see him as a legend. Certainly, humanity will not see Neville as a Legend if he lives because there are other survivors who should also be called Legends as well. But if Neville dies, then it is easier for the viewer to understand that he is both a legend to humanity and the vampire nation alike.

Matt S. on Mar 5, 2008

39

Yes, the movie was AMAZING. Like many have already mentioned, however, this ending is much, much more fitting. They hinted at the unknown advancement of the "vampires" earlier in the movie, and this ending brings that fulfills that idea. This is way more satisfying. Warner Brothers screwed up.

Evan F. on Mar 5, 2008

40

Obviously someone in WB said "let's finish the movie with a big explosion" and there you have it. This ending is a lot deeper and unveils something that Neville character didn't thinks in the movie: that the beasts doesn't want to be cured.

Reiem on Mar 5, 2008

41

Just the same bull. And you should read the book again. Neville is legend because he is an relict of a former society that doesn‘t exist anymore. He commited suicide.

Mark on Mar 5, 2008

42

I agree with you Alex. This was definitely the ending that we should have seen in theaters. But, like you said, Warner Bros is thinking they made the right choice. A truly satisfying and optimistic ending.

Apples to oranges comparison: I also believe that the alternate ending to "Rocky Balboa" on the DVD was the ending we should have seen at theaters. It was a much more satisfying ending that capped off the franchise. That ending alone would have helped the flick garner bigger box office!

Spider on Mar 5, 2008

43

A much, much better ending.

It was never really explained how or why the vampires (though they weren't really vampires) were so clever in setting traps etc to then just want to tear Neville apart. Showing the Alpha male doing everything he did just to get his woman back shows that they are evolving or that they still have human characteristics.

It shows that Neville was the one out of place not the vamps. He was the last remnant of the past and the world had moved on. Had it been played better, with this ending and the girl not turning up it could have been an awesome twist at the end (just like the book was)

Having such a thoughtful and considered ending makes the clumsy appearance of the woman and them heading off to the safe haven too good. So I know I want everything but in a perfect world it would have had this ending and maybe even Neville just shuffling off to do his own thing, wiser to the fact that life is still going but just fundamentally changed.

What a shame that WB's didn't have the bottle to run with this.

Payne by name on Mar 5, 2008

44

The original ending didn't suck, but this is sooo much better. Thank God for alternate endings!

If you're a drudge fan: drudgetracker.com

Jimmy L on Mar 5, 2008

45

Um, has it been pulled by WB already?

Birdwatching From Mars on Mar 5, 2008

46

I am so sick and tired of going to see movies which work perfectly well up until the end, when you can almost smell the men in suites walk into the cinema and spray their idea of what they think people want all over the place like a wolf marking its territory. I think Frank Zappa called such a phenomena as a 'Cocaine Decision'.

Thank you so much for letting me get a chance to see this otherwise brilliant movie, in the way it was meant to be seen - or at least in the way that actually makes more sense of the entire rest of the plot.

Jim Gardner on Mar 5, 2008

47

Wow, ya, this was waaaaay better of an ending than the theatrical release. This followed closer to the book, compared to the theater release which was a big disappointment for me when I saw the last 10 minutes! I would LOVE to see this put on the dvd as an alternate ending and shoot, even if they were to consider a re-release of sorts! I'm not a huge fan of franchise movies but I think this could have had a continuation in the story if they had wanted to. Will Smith did an excellent job!

Sean on Mar 5, 2008

48

I have NOT read the book so I am not biased in that way, I liked the theatrical version much better, so i guess the original concept is hes a legend to the vampires and not humanity? Uh great? So in other words we all die and Nevelle is a "Legend" to beats that have no real communication skills, how do they pass on legends? in grunts?

And Nevelle just decided oh man i killed vampires with feelings, i guess i should leave them alone and let whatever happens happen, screw that, fight till the end or die trying.

lol I don't know I thought that was a very interesting and cool alternate ending, but like i said i liked the theatrical better.

Richard on Mar 5, 2008

49

While I was watching the movie in theaters, I thought Will Smith's character would give back the vampire's woman seeing as how I thought it was obvious to the audience that was the driving force behind the attacks.

Having him sacrifice himself help the others escape seemed to break the continuity of the story. Now that I have seen the alternate ending, I am more at ease that I was correct in that feeling.

superfob on Mar 5, 2008

50

I don't know. Having read Richard Matheson's book I was fairly disappointed with the movie. It would have been great as a movie unrelated to the book, but I was really looking forward to the final scene of the book when he looks out over the new population of vampires and finally realizes that he has become their legend. I think if nothing else the original ending holds truer to the concept of a legend. He dies to get a cure out etc. While this ending is powerful, I think it strays even more from Matheson's vision.

Liz on Mar 5, 2008

51

I read the book before seeing the movie and loved the book. I enjoyed the movie interpretation on some levels as well. I can see why Hollywood went with the alternate ending of Neville going out in a blaze of glory. This made him so much more the hero. Completely self-sacrificing. And, as someone noted previously, could average joe movie goer have figured out the I Am Legend twist that Neville is a legend to the vampires as a legendary killer? I would hope the answer would be yes, but possibly not. He would might have had to actually state somehow that to the vampires he is a legend for some people to get it.

One thing I didn't like about the alternate ending, was whatsername giving the final broadcast. If Neville is still alive, why wouldn't he do the last one? Why is she suddenly the focus? It was HIS story all along, with either ending. Her speaking the epilogue doesn't make sense to me if he's alive.

I do think having him die makes so much more of a statement. I didn't like the original endings twist on the 'legend' aspect because of how COOL the book ending was. I liked the alternate a bit more, but there was less bittersweet triumph with it since every one is alive and unharmed. Meh. Like the interaction with the head vampire, and the tenderness between him and the female. Really drove home the fact that even though they were very animalistic in nature, they did retain some human nature after all. Or maybe were starting to regain some humanity. That was great.

So, all in all, neither ending was perfect. If I could have mixed and matched a bit, then it would have been perfect, but I was also very spoiled by reading Matheson's original story.

Amber on Mar 5, 2008

52

Wow!

When I saw the Movie in the Theater I, thought Great Cinema, Crappy ending and as a Result I didn't recommend the movie to friends. I Thoght it to downbeat. To Anti and not really complete sort of light a Book were the Author died and they got someone else who didn't get it to write the Last Chapter. This ending has rectified the Movie for me. I hope WB gets it attached to a Directores Cut edition so that one can watch the Movie as it was ment to be.

Y-not

Stephan Hauser on Mar 5, 2008

53

WB made a horrible mistake! This ending would have made the movie much better. Like most people here I felt the end just left you hanging and I hadn't read the book when I saw the movie. I expected this type of ending and was disappointed when it didn't happen. It just makes more sense why things played out the way they did….

Jeff on Mar 5, 2008

54

Wow! Great ending, far better than original.

S?awomir Koz?owski on Mar 5, 2008

55

The theatrical ending was better. People need to realize this was this was the ORIGINAL ending, so "the evil suits" only decided to change it after several complaints received at test showings. Movies aren't made for geeks, a lot of things done in the book would've looked retarded on the big screen. What works inside your mind/imagination, doesn't translate that well in film… take for instance, the way everyone keeps saying "they should've done it just like in the book" - uh, no. You would turn what was a flick almost everyone enjoyed, into a real cartoon fest.

Cesar Manzo on Mar 5, 2008

56

FIRST - as for the guy who ripped your opinion about this being one of the best movies of 2007 and called it one of the worst - Get A Grip!

I love the personal feel to this website and everything about it. Alex didn't ask for opinions about him, it was about the ending. To refer to Alex as an a _______ is out of line.

As for this ending, I preferred this alternate ending to one used in the theaters. It does show that the remaining people do still have a SOUL, unlike real vampires, and not just blood thirsty killers (at least some of them)

The ending in the move was OK, but like others said, very FINITE.

As for the ending in the book, I am maybe one of the few (and do know others who feel the same) that the book ending was screwed up. Why get him all the way through that only to have a new race (execute him for what he did). If the infected still had a soul in the book, then they would have realized the Neville was doing the same thing they would have done if they all believed that the vampires/infected were only out to kill him.

Maybe keep him imprisoned, but not kill him in the book and study why he was never infected.

As for the movie, they could have easily incorporated the vampire/infected becoming the regular race, Neville giving the girl vampire/infected back. AND THEN drive out of the city …. THUS leading to a sequel where he could have been captured on his way to Vermont, leading to interrogations and imprisonment and then taken it from there.

John on Mar 5, 2008

57

SOOOO much better than the ending we saw in theaters. Didn't the ending posted here not test well, so they changed it? If so, what the f*ck was that test audience thinking? I know they didnt choose the alternate ending, but this one, the original, is fantastic and made the movie much better. I want to watch the whole thing over again with this scene included.

Keith on Mar 5, 2008

58

Way to be the man, and get this out to everyone. Youtube had to shut it down b/c of the copyright infringement crap, but thank you for keeping the mirror alive.

As for the alternate ending. OMG. I was floored that this original cut wasn't the final ending! It truly is a testament to how changing anything in a movie just to make money IS THE WRONG WAY TO MAKE MOVIES. It is a shame that WB was the instigator here. I think the facade that all the "dark dwellers" are basically inhuman is greatly contrasted with this ending that proves this wrong and makes Neville the "legend" he is. Great ending. Thanks.

Steve on Mar 5, 2008

59

Great ending, one question, how did they rebuild the bridges so quickly?

Marcus on Mar 5, 2008

60

now that's and ending to a movie that i would have been proud to spend 10 bucks on.

groonk on Mar 5, 2008

61

I think the reason for her doing the epilogue is to trick you for a moment into thinking he died.
Then it gives you the shot of him smiling and she mentions his name.
Besides he recorded the previous message that was broadcast. It was her turn.

heckle on Mar 5, 2008

62

WOW. I was so disappointed with the ending they chose for the theatrical release, but I finally feel like I was vindicated from that with this alternative ending. It explains why that lead vampire (that, to me oddly enough, looks like John Malcovic) went to such extreme lengths to get back his love. That kind of dedication reminds me of What Dreams May Come with Robin Williams.

I absolutely loved the book, and I feel the movie ran as far as it did because it used the name "I Am Legend" as a vehicle to propel it. Finally, with this ending, I'm satisfied with where it led.

PS: Thank you so much for showing me this.

Chinda on Mar 5, 2008

63

This was a fantastic ending. The theatrical version was just too abrupt an end for a character much of he audience had attached themselves through. I'm a huge proponent of killing off a main character if it's appropriate, rather than having Hollywood corporate influence dominate the ending. But there are certain characters who just go through too much for them to have an unhappy ending. It doesn't feel right that after two hours of rooting for this person, fearing for them, actually being on edge when they are on edge, and feeling every emotion they feel so profoundly that they should die and you are left with nothing but those emotions. A sense of accomplishment needed to be felt in I Am Legend, and it is sort of felt in the theatrical version. But in this one, it also humanizes the vampires, if only for a moment, and gives a great deal of development to Neville. This is one character I would not prefer to have dead. The last minute or so though, with the car on the bridge bit, wasn't so appealing. Maybe they should have shot Anna's voice over a montage of her and Neville packing up and cleaning up his house, rather than insert a trite bit of cinema. Overall though, this was a much stronger, much more well-rounded and less hurried ending to an otherwise superb movie and acting effort on the part of Will Smith. Had it not been for that ending, I truly believe he would have at the very least gotten a Golden Globe nomination.

Reza on Mar 5, 2008

64

The bridges thing is a good question.
Also…In the book i can totally see why they would want him dead. He was killing them off.
He was a serial killer. Don't we execute our serial killers?
Oh also….test audiences are often not the people that would normally go see the type of movie they are viewing.
They are often just told that it is a movie with a certain actor and maybe what genre it is.
So they arent the best judges of the films….its a flawed way of testing.

Heckle on Mar 5, 2008

65

Even though the movie wasn't spectacular, this ending would have made up for it plenty. This was a MUCH more emotional and impacting ending that at least payed a little bit of homage to the book it was based after.

Bob Smith on Mar 5, 2008

66

i like this one better, much better!
I completes the movie better.
I would have enjoyed the movie better too. I make have to make my own cut of the film to watch in the future, with this ending.

louis on Mar 5, 2008

67

Here's the mistake I think people are making with this ending: it only really works if you've read the book. Otherwise, it doesn't make a lick of sense. You have to infer so much just based on glances and gestures that you end up scratching your head. Why would Neville apologize to these ruthless monsters? I get the reasoning based on what the book is about, but that's not the story the movie was telling. The filmmakers figured this out, thankfully, in time.

For me, the theatrical ending is so much more powerful. You end up with this science vs. religion thing that was in the movie the whole time, but only very subtly so. And when it fully emerges…I remember thinking to myself, "THAT'S what this movie's about." It becomes about this marriage of science of faith where the legend in "I Am Legend" is the legend of Robert Neville's sacrifice for humanity (making him a Christ figure) and his salvation of it through his work in the lab. I thought it was brilliant and was completely shocked to find out that the novel was otherwise when it seemed so perfect in the story the film presented.

Brock on Mar 5, 2008

68

I liked this ending, however i feel that nevel still should die at the end for his crimes. not out of principal, but to lend the story a more tragic feel. After the vampires kill him ,(if they must keep the woman and the boy in the film and go with the whole survivor storyline to leave room for sequels), they could walk away and leave the woman and boy alone, continuing on with the second ending of driving over the bridge but not finding other people just yet. and for gods sake cut out the over the top voice over.

Dan on Mar 5, 2008

69

I don't like either ending, but since I think the movie was uninspired, I think either ending suits it. There seems to be a lot of talk in these comments about vampires though, so maybe we didn't watch the same movie?

Ponens on Mar 5, 2008

70

that was the ending they should have used, much better then wat they used. I have one thing that i dont like about it tho, at the end when Alice Braga's character starts talking, i think Will Smith should have ended it just my opinion tho still amazingly better then what we saw with the theritical ending.

Curtis on Mar 5, 2008

71

Well, bottom line is it totally saves the film. I had a hard time with the "Scooby Do" monsters….this eased the pain a little. Still really did not enjoy it that much. I really wanted to as well. Still the Batman/Superman logo ad was still one of my favorite segments. But thank you for this, I will pass it on.

Tim Clovefield on Mar 5, 2008

72

This should have been the ending in theaters. In the theatrical ending all of the vampires' behavior was explained away by saying they had socially degenerated. This actually explained why the lead vampire kept returning to try and kill Neville personally.

Cioeboy on Mar 5, 2008

73

Love the alt ending. The release ending left me disappointed and feeling the movie was uncomplete. Thanks for showing us the "true" ending.

Chad on Mar 5, 2008

74

Thank you for posting this article as I completely agree that the theatrical ending we saw was not good. I didn't read the book so I was judging the film completely on it's merit. I enjoyed it up until the ending where I thought he needed to survive and make his way to the colony. Ideally I was hoping for a little bit more even from the alternative ending. Obviously this film is not CHILDREN OF MEN and I think I set my standards to that movie every time now. The raw emotion you feel when Clive Owen delivers the girl up the stream and to the ship is unsurpassed. Unfortunately LEGEND was never gonna deliver this kind of power and the ending in either form is anti-climactic. CHILDREN OF MEN mixes the sadness of Owen's death with the joy and optimism for the future of the human race. In the actual theatrical ending of LEGEND, its wrong that Smith dies. But in the alternative ending it can't avoid but be happy and cheesy as they sit in the car smiling at one another. All in all LEGEND is a fun flick that would have benefitted from the alternative ending but not been made great..

Dom on Mar 5, 2008

75

Wow, this ending was awesome. I was a fan of the movie overall. I understood why they took the movie in the direction that they did in order to make it appeal to a broader audience. But I think that they could and should have kept this original ending to the film. The ending to the theatrical version was the one slightly disappointing part of the film. I am glad that I got to see this version, as it is much better.

NamelessTed on Mar 5, 2008

76

well….I thought the film was…okay. I'm so damn done with bleak endings, no more mankind, etc. Yeah, sorry kidsNational Treasure was dopey at times, but more "fun" at least.
Really now. Sure the we become the monsters (or Neville becomes the monster) and the infected vamp-like ones are the 'new society.' bullshit. What society? I've readmany of Matheson's works, including his original novel for this but….
this ending is more 'satisfying' in its own way. I'm all for humanity still existing, no coming to end replaced by these creatures. Perhaps it's because I'm a parent and not just some sci-fi fanboygeekola. Will Smith did a great job in the film, I just found it, again unsatisfying. But not as horrible as Cloverfield. Asked for money back, though the theater manager wouldn't do it because we'd stayed for the whole film, taking no responsibility for running what was ultimately crap. But that's another debate, ain't it?

crankyoldguy on Mar 5, 2008

77

This was the right way to end this movie. I won't buy a DVD of it unless there is a version with this one restored, not just as an 'option' to watch separately.

Ranson on Mar 5, 2008

78

SO much better!

Also, this alternative ending opens the opportunity for a sequel, something the studio should have thought of.

Tortuca on Mar 5, 2008

79

I just don't understand why it would have been that hard to follow Matheson's concept. Braga's character is in on it. She has evolved further than first generation vampires. She becomes the narrative voice explaining why Neville had to be executed at the end.

This is the kind of stuff that drives me crazy about science fiction getting translated into films by major studios. Matheson wraps the vampire convention in a plausible life-science scenario of genetic mutation and species evolution. It's a big idea kind of book. And it builds and it builds and it builds and you have no idea where it is going until wham! You are on the last page and there is the big reveal and it is over and there you sit - astounded by what Matheson has pulled off. Something you never see coming. Just like the ending of The Sixth Sense.

Imagine if the movie studio heads determined in the end that audiences weren't smart enough to understand what M. Night Shamalayan was doing in The Sixth Sense and told him to erase the part about Bruce Willis's character being dead - scratch that part. Let him solve the murder mystery conventionally and become a fond uncle to Haley Joe Osment's character. I can hear them: "Let's let him watch the young man mature and live happily with his wife into the future. Much brighter that way. Audiences like bright." That is essentially what happened to I Am Legend. Some studio head at Warner Bros. decided that people were incapable of handling a big idea movie and instead settled for science fiction movie conventional ending #435. I was fuming when I left the theatre. They took an amazing plot and eviscerated it. And that happens all the time.

This modified ending helps some, but still leaves so much that could have been great unrealized.

Tim on Mar 5, 2008

80

I love this ending. I thought the theatrical ending was a cheap gimmick, and that Neville never really "got" the real truth of what was going on. In this ending, he did. Amazing.

Ingrid on Mar 5, 2008

81

I honestly thought the original ending was much better, this one was kind of bad. not gonna lie

Dan on Mar 5, 2008

82

this ending was better than the first but still missed the point of the book. he only becomes a legend through his death. the world has started over and left him behind as civilization has found another way and he is the only thing left for them to fear. so with his death he becomes the story that a new culture will tell scary stories about. the ending would have been perfect the way it was envisioned by the author. before seeing the movie i imagined a beautiful scene of will smith accepting and going to face his imminent death and finally speaking the same simple words that ended the book so powerfully. "Full circle. A new terror born in death, a new superstition entering the unassailable fortress of forever. I am legend."

Daniel on Mar 5, 2008

83

This was the way the movie should have ended. It's SOOOOOO much better. Just watching the alternate ending made me change the way I thought about that movie. IT's now so much better, I hope the DVD has that version of the ending as a choice for you when you watch the DVD. I hope you can select that as the version cause it would make me go out a buy the DVD. That was the real ending as far as I'm concerned. FANTASTIC!

Tim on Mar 5, 2008

84

i think the final cut shown to us made sense without knowledge of the book. i think that's why they did it that way. if you had not explained what was in the book, i would not have entirely understood this version and would have had to guess why things were happening. but all that aside, this version was powerful and broke the cycle of the same ol' ending. i would have been happy with either ending. on a side note: i like how Neville flinched when the other Vampire creatures tried to spook him. showing he's not in control of the situation and is vulerable.

craziemutant on Mar 5, 2008

85

bottom line, they trashed several classic movies and made a horrible version of Money Making Crap.

I thought Will Smith had better morals.

This movie (and all of your 'awesome' reviews) makes me embarrased to share a love for film with such kooks

dan on Mar 5, 2008

86

This ending was definitely superior. The one in theaters was so bad I laughed my dick off. What kind of frag grenade blows up like a nuke? Get dicked on WB.

Dick on Mar 5, 2008

87

regardless of the book this ending was far better than the original

payton pickard on Mar 5, 2008

88

A friend of mine sent me this page because I complained about the ending and as an aspiring writer and director, I told him how it should've ended, just like this cut!

I have never read the original novel, I just deduced that the ending should have the vampires more humane since that's how the entire movie played them out to be, that they weren't mindless. And that the boss dude was in fact the lover of the girl.

Why Francis Lawrence didn't allow this scene in the final cut is just perplexing…

But it has made me happy that I have a similar vision to the original's idea and they chose to film it.

Bernard Lau on Mar 5, 2008

89

I much prefer this ending - what a great twist to turn him into the monster. It would be better though if the lead vampire wasn't a spitting image of Ted Danson - mannerisms and all.

nathan on Mar 5, 2008

90

When watching the film in the theater I immediately picked up on the relationship between the head vampire and the captured test subject. That was further reinforced with "kidnapped mannequin" sequence. When none of that was paid off at the end of the film I was let down, even confused by it.

This ending is SOOoo much more emotionally satisfying I can't find words to express it.
My hope is that this will be an extra on the DVD release, then I'll just cut the film together the way I had hoped to see it in the first place.

If it isn't an extra to allow that to be an option, then I won't bother picking up the DVD at all, because the way that it was released in the theaters was a "fine ride", but ultimately not worth my owning it. I know I just wouldn't bother watching it with that unsatisfying ending.

Dinosaur Dan on Mar 5, 2008

91

I like this ending WAAAAAY more. It gives a more human feel to the ending of the movie. The ending in this movie was way too simple and Hollywood like.

Mac on Mar 5, 2008

92

That was SOOOOOOOOOO much better than that piece of crap ending in the theater…

Bill on Mar 5, 2008

93

In most cases, mass media has to follow a fixed format in order to successfully integrate into the market. The alternative ending does not follow the "golden rules" that make a product viable to the "dreaded" lowest common denominator (read: profitable). This is the sole reason WB consistently "slaughters" fantastic creative works in a rather predictable manner, regardless of artistic merit and plot integrity the deviations are required for a return on the millions of dollars invested in production. I'm sure it's a fantastic book, but intellectually challenging epic novels will rarely (if ever) make it to blockbuster level following the original storyline verbatim.

MEOWCHiX on Mar 6, 2008

94

…they ruined the movie.

They RUINED the freaking movie.

For WEEKS after seeing the film, the lack of this very type of connection irritated me. I needed to see the connection between Neville and the lead infected. I needed to see the point at which Neville realized that they HAD retained their humanity. I needed to see the point at which Neville realized that the lead infected was simply trying to rescue his love. Neville never should have died…that ruined the entire concept.

Thank you. This has literally rescued the movie. If there's a petition to get a release of this movie with the alternate ending, point me in the right direction. I need to sign it.

THIS MOVIE NEEDS TO BE SEEN WITH THE PROPER ENDING.

Gordon on Mar 6, 2008

95

I have never read the book or seen other incarnations of the movie…The Will Smith I Am Legend is the only reference for this story that I have - that said, I really enjoyed about 50% of this movie. The first half was superb, conveyed emotion and held my interest. The moment the woman and her child were introduced I began to get bored and started to dislike the story. You could see where it was going - nowhere good. The ending turned out to be ridiculous as expected, and defeated the first half of the movie that I had really enjoyed. I had hoped that the lead male mutant would back off after seeing that Neville had cured his mate and that Neville would become legend in the eyes of the cured vampires…As the female he had cured related his story at the end. I would have really liked that to have been the end, but alas, it was not to be…And the woman and her child as well as the sudden religous themes at the end ruined the movie. This alternate ending is, in my opinion, better than the theatrical one by far - but is still not precisely what I was hoping for after watching the first 50% of I Am Legend…Had they allowed Will to truly be the last man on earth this movie would have been great, however it will now go down as mediocre and poorly ended.

SOMEONE on Mar 6, 2008

96

Hi,

I have not read the book, i thought the first ending SUCKED and ruined the whole move. I actually left, not liking the film, probably only because the last 10 minutes just plain sucked.

This ending is much better. and I see it as bring much more hopeful, a scientist who discovered the cure and knows how to administer it, as opposed to the movie's ending where he gives some info, kills himself and hopes someone can figure it out.

Either way I'm intrigued to read the book… and Omega Man was still 100x better than this film!!!

Chris on Mar 6, 2008

97

Yeah this was deff a way better ending i mean come on his dog dying was enough sad dramma then him dying too nah way to much at that point i was like oh nah they didnt need 2 do that… but this ending saves tha day and i think its 100 times better ……wmhs is da click dat i roll wit …..

canadian kid on Mar 6, 2008

98

I think some people are really missing the point. This end states clearly that Neville is the monster, hence the 'I am legend' title. Without this ending the title and film makes no sense at all.

Tim on Mar 6, 2008

99

All I can say is wow. That was a better ending by far. There was so much feeling and struggle in that six minutes that would have pushed that movie over the top. Hell I probably would have seen it a few more times in the theater instead of saying at the end, I might buy it. thank you.

azriel on Mar 6, 2008

100

That was a stupid ending. The theatrical release was actually a more daring attempt because it wasn't such a sappy ending…

Harner on Mar 6, 2008

101

Come to think of it, these comments must be fake. This ending is the one that seems cheap and tacked on. The original unhappy ending was the correct and brave choice. Bravo WB.

Harner on Mar 6, 2008

102

Now that ending is a hell of alot better then the theatrical cut it should have been used because I wasn't exspecting thr hero to die at the end.

Carl on Mar 6, 2008

103

Better than the original ending, but still not what it could have been.
From the moment the woman and child were introduced the movie went downhill.

I agree wholeheartedly with post #79

chris on Mar 6, 2008

104

We constantly berate studios for NOT taking risks when it comes to their main characters. Well WB chose to kill their lead in the end and it ruined the ending of this movie.

This alternate was everything I look for it was shocking yet touching, bold yet understated.

I really wish they would have gone with this ending b/c after a great ride the movie fell flat in the last 10 minutes.

lib4 on Mar 6, 2008

105

this ending was truly amazing, like 100 times better than the other, the other ending never actually made sense to me, even though the movie itself up until the ending was awesome, so this changes my once clouded opinion of this movie to it being totally amazing with this ending!!

rayhaan on Mar 6, 2008

106

The alternate ending is controversial and I loved it!!! Not even close to being as harsh as the book, but a twist reality whose really the villian now….. still a PG-13 ending, but that's the demographic the film industry is pandering to.

Vinny on Mar 6, 2008

107

That was really interesting. And I'm quite surprised most of you like this "happy ending" more than the one released. I really enjoyed the movie, I don't love it or anything, but it has many interesting things.
The way the story goes, there is no way it can end in a fully-happy-fashion.

As I said, it was really cool watching this alternative, but it's not quite believable to me. The mad zombie/vampires getting emotional? It makes no sense at all. Too much touchy-feeling to me. Robert Neville has nothing else to live for, his family is dead, he had to kill his dog (SPOILERS!). How can he be smiling in his SUV with his "new" family? It seems like a happy advertising.

The one released isn't perfect, but I think is much more close to the original intention of the novel. There is no concept of legend here.

Sam on Mar 6, 2008

108

Just to clarify..You consider a man coming to the realization that he's experimented on & tortured dozens of sentient beings as opposed to raging monsters a 'happy ending'???

The point of the story is that he's now in the minority..The legend element is what he perceives to be monsters are now the dominant species and they tell stories of him. He kidnaps and murders their kind, thats his 'legend'. The title and whole point of the story is him coming to this realization.

If he blows himself up with a grenade, how exactly is he supposed to find out how they perceive him?

I cant read these posts anymore. I despair.

Tim on Mar 6, 2008

109

Scott, you are way out of line.

People can have different opinions about movies without running the risk of being labeled assholes or fucktards. Grow up.

Mike on Mar 6, 2008

110

I watched the movie and I personally expected more…. but if this alternative ending was placed into the movie, it would have been a lot better.. I really liked it

jose on Mar 6, 2008

111

Thanks for showing us this version.

I never read the book so I saw the I Am Legend film for what it was. I have to say I greatly enjoy the theatrical versions ending much more. It was tragic to see the Robert Neville die but at the same time it was refreshing for a movie. With this version Robert Neville lives but it just seems to come to a to common ending, they leave, Robert Neville lives and rides out with his new family to the survivors colony.

The theatrical versions ending is so much better, it seems different from the typical Hollywood movies ending. I might be in the minority though, I've shown this version to some family members and they seem to like it simply because Robert Neville lives.

Hans on Mar 6, 2008

112

Love it,,,

Jacob on Mar 6, 2008

113

Legend was a complete rip off of 28 days/28 weeks. STOP THIEF!

Lis on Mar 6, 2008

114

this ending is a million times better!!!

timaree on Mar 6, 2008

115

"I Am Legend" was written in 1954, you dumbass. 28 Days/Weeks Later were both made after 2000.

Lis is an idiot. on Mar 6, 2008

116

The altenate ending is definitely better but it doesn't save the movie for me. The ending of the book is much more powerful, that ending ligltly touches it, but it's still too light. In the end, Neville should be the monster without ambiguity, anything else and the point is moot.

Corbor on Mar 6, 2008

117

I feel like it's hard for this movie, considering the book was so breathtaking. While this new ending doesn't necesasrily SAVE the movie from what happened to it (unecessary character additions,) I think it certainly allows for a much more moving, engaging conclusion to the story.
I wasn't the biggest fan of Neville's "FIRE TACKLE" in the long run.
As a reinterpretation of the book, I really quite like this film. This made things a bit better for me.


–IK

Ian on Mar 6, 2008

118

I believe the original ending is the best way to show our emotional to our kinds from all races that we are humans already. Today, we faced war every where. I found the theatrical ending so similar to our today situation in the reality. Fight them, kill them, and having a castle for survivours. But the original's , I think, is trying to show us a balance between good things and bad things. Every one has a right for living even, vampires. We can not find peace in a castle which is so similar to a home, we can find it in a balanced world.
Finally, I perefer the original ending. It was great. Thank you.

Mehraz on Mar 6, 2008

119

The theatrical ending was sloppy and lazy. I liked this ending much better.

Ryan on Mar 6, 2008

120

This ending far surpassed the theatrical ending. As someone who was a fan of the book well before the movie was even announced, I truely wanted to love absolutely everything about this movie before I even saw it. After watching it, I did love it, but was definitely let down with the ending. This new ending, however, completely changes the tone of the film. For the better. Bravo and thanks for sharing this.

shaun mcalister on Mar 6, 2008

121

This unreleased ending fits the movie better!! It already alluded multiple times to leader wanting the girl back. It played off of his last bit of humanity (and his growing intelligence in how he went about getting her back) and how he was like Dr. Neville, who had lost his own family in the tragedy that spawned the "vampires." The theatrical ending, although fittingly depressing in terms of Dr. Neville's character, just never really did it for me, and it was abrupt.

I grow really tired of dumb suits who focus on money and know nothing of art and story attempting to dumb down the American audience, or consider us idiots to begin with who can't handle "complicated endings." You know, Shakespeare remains timeless for a reason and he was far from simple-minded in his writing. Hollywood keeps trying to clone Pixar's success but never realizes what makes Pixar's soul isn't computer animation but great story telling that doesn't dumb it down for the audience. Computer animation just happens to be the medium they like to tell their stories through–and they use that tool damn well.

Art on Mar 6, 2008

122

Jeez, we're all such moviemaking experts! Maybe I'm a sucker, but I'm baffled by people who bash this movie with such severity. I found it totally engaging; for 2 hours, I didn't worry about work, bills, the government, etc. I was completely entertained. I like the book, and even the Omega Man flick, but I watched this movie for what it is, for what it tries to be. Yeah, we could probably do without the woman showing up, and somehow saving the main character, but sheesh, minor point. Will Smith was terrific in the part, and as someone who lives in NYC, it was pretty neat to see him zipping thru Times Square hunting deer.

But anyway, thanks for posting this alt ending. It puts a whole different twist on the story.

Citizen54 on Mar 6, 2008

123

I liked this one better. The ending in the movie was too abrupt for me, and the idea that you could reverse those types of "symptoms" was beyond belief.

And I think there was enough death in the movie, without Neville having to die at the end, too. The fact that the dog was sacrificed on the alter of "art" was more than heart-wrenching to me. I'm just glad Neville didn't have a cat!

But I'm so glad you shared this alternate ending. I'm sure it will make it's way onto the DVD version, but I would have rather my theater experience ended this way than the ending they chose.

RStewie on Mar 6, 2008

124

Why the fuck didn't they show this on the big screen? A million times better than the theatrical cut with the bullshit semi-religious ending!

The alternate ending leaves a nice possibility for a sequel too.

Kenneth on Mar 6, 2008

125

I was very disappointed by this film originally but this ending mitigates it somewhat. there were just too many dense stupid things done by a man who otherwise was doing loads of intelligent things. Not anyway near enough action for this type of film or enough tension instead of action.

I haven't read the book but of course am aware of it and the impact it had upon publication etc. Am i wrong in thinking that neville went round the world raizing cities to the ground a la I am destoyer of worlds. If so that would have been much better than resorting to the cliche of another survivor coming to his rescue in his hour of need. but hey that's hollywood cater to the lowest common denominator

bboy on Mar 6, 2008

126

That's incredible. I would have MUCH rather seen this ending than the crap they are feeding us at the theaters! In all honesty, I was so disappointed after watching the movie the first time … and I honestly think that I would have liked a LOT better had they kept the original ending!

Nicki on Mar 6, 2008

127

Holy crap that was awesome.

Joseph on Mar 6, 2008

128

I think the theatrical ending fit more with the theme's that were emphasized throughout the movie. ie. saving humanity, finding the survivor city, etc. The ending that was used made the story feel complete and tied up most loose ends (this coming from someone who hasn't read the book and didn't know what the story was about until now). Now that I know what the real story was about the alternate ending is incredible and completes the story so much better. But of course Hollywood is all about making money and chose the ending that they thought would appease the masses.


How did they cross the blown up bridges in the end??Haha

Lori on Mar 6, 2008

129

What do you think of this new ending and would you have preferred it in the theaters?

I almost cried - that is the way the movie should have ended.

Oh hell yes I would have preferred it in the theater. Hey, Hollywood - we're adults and we prefer being treated that way.

Brian Dunbar on Mar 6, 2008

130

Charlton Heston should not have gone from Hollywood.

drancope on Mar 6, 2008

131

At the theatre I felt ripped off by the cost of the ticket, which tends to sour me on going back to the theatre for a while. This ending would not have given me that feeling. I'm vindicated though thinking about the gate receipts that I have withheld as a consequence of WB making a totally irrational decision that resulted in ruining the movie.

Doug on Mar 6, 2008

132

Fact: The alt. ending is much better then the one potrayed in theaters.

Mike on Mar 6, 2008

133

Alternate ending preferred by myself and at least 5 other folks I've shown it to.

Jon on Mar 6, 2008

134

I like this ending MUCH better than the theatre one. I really enjoyed the entire movie in the theatre, but I felt like the ending was a bad cut and paste job. Now I know why. It was. All of the foreshadowing throughout the movie makes this the natural and more satisfying end. Too bad they had to "lowest common denominator" it at the last minute. As far as it not sticking to the book…honestly, have you ever seen a movie that did? You just have to accept them as totally seperate entities and it usually makes both much more enjoyable.

Cat on Mar 6, 2008

135

I loved the original ending and feel cheated that the powers that be felt it necessary to change it.
I was shocked at the ending in the theatre and felt like it ended too abruptly. This ending fits so much better than the one they chose to show us.

Wow what a mistake they made in not showing us the original ending!

Jeanie on Mar 6, 2008

136

Sheer Awesome.
Much better than the original ending, and Im glad that it'll be appearing on the DVD.

I'll be picking it up.

Neef on Mar 6, 2008

137

I really like this ending!! I read a part of the book but not the whole thing. I like this ending because it further affirms the fact that the lead "vampire" was just trying to get his woman back. I thought the part when Neville says to the camera that because the vampire exposed himself to the light that he'd lost all human charchteristics, made it seem like the vampires were animals. When, in fact, anyone with a brain could see that the male was hurt, angry that Neville had taken her. I, personally thought, that because the lead male thought his girl was dead that he wanted to hurt Neville in the same way by some how killing the dog (which, by the way, had me sobbing in the movie theater).
I didn't like the chick showing up just like that all of a sudden, but reading all of your comments about an evolved female who takes Neville back to the rest of the vampires, makes sense. And this ending gave me that AHA feeling. I understand why he was legendary. Because he was a Serial Killer.

The theatrical ending wasn't bad, but this one is makes alot of sense and it definately would've been a gamble.

ALMA on Mar 6, 2008

138

Wow. This is probably the best alternate ending I have ever seen. To me, it ties up the movie miles better than the theatrical version. I was extremely moved by the character interaction as well, and it really leaves me more satisfied at the end. WB needs to see this.

Chris on Mar 6, 2008

139

This is the better ending, definitely and makes more sense based on the setup IN the movie. The fact that the movie completely drops the intelligent monster aspect lead to a fight within our group of whether or not the vampire intentionally set the trap for Will. It seemed like he did but then why have that aspect and no follow up, and further why make it a point to say that the vampires aren't intelligent after we clearly saw that they were! Not only was this ending better but, to me, the ending in the film made no sense whatsoever. With that said, I still found the reveal of the human woman completely lame if they weren't going to go the way of the book and how did she even get to Manhattan if all the bridges were blown up?

Mel on Mar 6, 2008

140

To those saying this alternate ending was "rosey" compared to the final theatrical ending got it backwards. In this alternate ending, Neville realizes he is the monster, when he looks up at the wall observing all his previous "failed" experiments. He recounts the the acts he's committed through THEIR eyes instead of his own and realizes. We are then left with the thought that.. humanity is doomed. Possible coexistence is possible but we dont know if any of those immune are still alive besides the three as they drive away.

I cant even believe they chose that popcorn crap ending over this one, did they even read the book? I mean… did they even understand the relevance of the title? They spun it completely the wrong way and nutured the story entirely.

WAaaaaaaaay better on Mar 6, 2008

141

They called THAT the "controvercial" ending!? and the ending where they glorify a suicide bomber and make him the hero is. . . what? Seeing the film in the cinema was a big let down. They took a good book and twisted it into a generic Hollywood everyfilm. Too bad, could've been awesome

Richard on Mar 6, 2008

142

I really loved this ending, it was much more emotional and really would have made the movie, just that damn much better.

Chuck on Mar 6, 2008

143

I much prefer that ending. I too felt the one in the film was rushed and abrupt. I preferred seeing the humanity left in those with the infection.

Nicola Ball on Mar 6, 2008

144

Much better than the twee small town USA dross we had to sit through at the cinema, had this been the ending I would have enjoyed the move a lot more.

praxis22 on Mar 6, 2008

145

I did not read the book but I have to agree that this alternate ending is much better. When I watched it at the theatre I was drawn in to the film up until the ending. It didn't seem to really fit. I am really looking forward to reading the book to see the different dinamics. Thanks for putting this out there.

Happy on Mar 6, 2008

146

This actually changed my mind about the movie.

Much more superior- much more emotional. Makes you ACTUALLY care.

douche bag on Mar 6, 2008

147

This ending is amazing!

Tommy Villarreal on Mar 6, 2008

148

I liked everything about the theatrical version including the ending, however I do prefer this ending for a few reasons that have already exhaustively been mentioned. I liked the visualization of the remaining human nature shown in the infected. I liked when Neville was made aware of the type of legend he was viewed as from the infected point of view. The only major part of the book missing now would be the execution of Neville, which should have been ordered by the lead Vampire after retrieving the female, & the fact that Neville should have been portrayed as the last human on earth.

Alex, the theatrical version still should have easily made the "best of 07" list.

Sinner on Mar 6, 2008

149

I never read the book, any reviews or even saw any previews before watching this movie, so I came to it totally clean.

It was amazing! I`m quite hard to please with movie's.

firstly, can I ask people to stop calling them "Zombie's" or "Vampires". I hate that. They were diseased and mutated human beings, extremely infa-red light sensitive, stronger and more violent. Even a major film reviewer (Julie something) on ABC tv here in Australia got it totally wrong, and called them Zombie's. She canned the whole movie because of it, that this guy was trying to save the Zombies blah blah blah. Totally missed the point.

Secondly, I think the best ending (for me), having seen both versions, would be for a mixture of the two:
- Will tells the chick and boy to open the door for him, then shut it and get into the oven thing.
- Will takes the mutant lady out etc. Near the end of Will sees the wall of 'trophies'.
- When the mutant boss leaves, the others go to rip Will apart, and then Will sets off his hidden explosives and blows himself and the rest of them away.
- Chick drives off like above, movie ends as above (but without Will). Although I didn't mind that she found a virus-free colony somewhere in the original ending, I think it would be more interesting (and maybe lead into another movie) for her not to have tied up the whole story like that. I suppose they had to though, as Will's blood was needed as the cure, and he can't have died in vain.

If it had to be a choice between the two endings, it's a tough one, but maybe the one they didn't use would have been better purely for the fact about the message of Will being the cruel and violent one (even if his cause was just), and setting it up for a sequel. They have to make a sequel, surely.

But yeah, do a better job on the mutant cgi. I think they did a very good job on the movements and facial animations etc (definitely scared me), but the textures were too plasticky.

Gary Storm on Mar 6, 2008

150

Although I liked I Am Legend, that ending made it waaaay better. Way better.

Landon on Mar 6, 2008

151

The book concept has the idea that Neville is now the legend in their myth, for he is the minority of reality. But this alternate ending while good has no bearing on that point it just shows that Neville has finally realized he under estimated their intelligence and worth as people and is willing to be the better man and be diplomatic to the creatures.

This still has nothing to do with the concept of becoming a legend. Overall in vampire lore, there aren't points where the vampires (being the minority, the legend to humans) stop and go "maybe the humans aren't so bad after all" "maybe I will stop thinking of them as inferior". lol and no where in this alternate ending do they make an references to being or becoming a legend. So while good, this alternate ending doesn't add to the movie nor does it stay more true to the book, we already knew the infected were smarter then Neville assumed, we already knew that the Alpha was coming for his woman (hence that he loved her) the only difference is that Neville doesn't die which is not true to the book and we still don't get an accurate sense of what it means to become a Legend like the book's concept.

Teno on Mar 6, 2008

152

So since there isn't a filmed ending that is exactly like the book, if I had to choose between the theatrical and the alternate, I would choose theatrical. Because this version is happy go lucky everyone wins, Neville doesn't become a legend in any sense whatsoever and from all appearances no one finds a cure either.

Teno on Mar 6, 2008

153

Oh and the last thing, I see a lot of comments saying "this version made me care more" well in either version we know the Alpha male is coming for the female infected, just in the theatrical version he never accomplishes his goal but that doesn't mean he didn't love her. And if the theatrical version made you not care, does that mean you only care if people live? and when Neville dies you don't care? hmmmmmmmm…..

Teno on Mar 6, 2008

154

This ending is marginally better, but the movie is still a crap festival that bears no relation to the book it is supposedly based on.

Skullfuc| on Mar 6, 2008

155

I liked it as it was shown in the theatre and with the alternate ending. But it is irrelevant which ending anyboby likes. The part that didn't make sense to me was Neville getting caught by the vampires. That whole trap stunk. When that dummy appeared out of nowhere on the street, his thought would have been "TTTRRRRAAAPPP". His sense of self preservation suddenly eclipsed by the emotional bond he had with a mannikin? Give me a break. OK, so they copied his trap. They were watching him like a hawk. They might have noticed he always carried a flamestick or boomstick or one of those AK-47s. The vampires might have gone looking for some of those. Do you follow me?
One night while Rob is kicking back in the tub with Fido, the Vampires blow into town and start capping all the mannikins they can train their sights on. We get the usual scene where the protagonist starts stuffing every armament known to man in his shorts and bolts out of the house
guns blazing. Nev is wasting hundreds of these twitchy fuckers when suddenly the head vampire arrives, grunts up and pulls a Browning out his asscrack. Everybody dies in a blaze of gunfire.
The "Hollywood" ending we all know and love.
OR…..
We could beg Hollywood to apply the "Home Alone" ending to this movie. Robbie gives the bastards whatfor with swinging paintcans, tarpits, bricks, flaming rope and "Snakes" with his lousy cheating on the countdowns. All the vampires get picked up by the cops and Robbies mom and dad finally get back from Paris.
I'd let one sneaky vampire bite Buzzs' head off at the end for that last thrill that tells us the whole damn thing ain't never gonna end.

Yeti on Mar 6, 2008

156

That is the ending I wanted to see in the theatre. Just so much better. Wow.

Seth on Mar 6, 2008

157

If they'd wanted an ending like that, they never should've dumbed-down the vampires. There just wasn't enough time devoted to them to make that ending seem plausible to audiences.

"Because this version is happy go lucky everyone wins, Neville doesn't become a legend in any sense whatsoever and from all appearances no one finds a cure either."

Agree completely. There is no "legend" in this version of the ending. This whole thing just reeks of too many cooks, and it's a shame they wasted yet another opportunity to actually film the book's ending. It would be different if someone could actually come up with something better, but after three attempts, no one has.

James on Mar 6, 2008

158

I agree with what most folks were saying. I loved I Am Legend, and I thought Will Smith was amazing in it, but the ending did not sit well with me. It just didn't seem to follow through with where the rest of the film was going. But THIS ending follows through. I love this ending. Please, WB, release this cut.

Carrie on Mar 6, 2008

159

There is one continuity error with this ending. It shows them DRIVING OUT OF TOWN OVER THE MANHATTAN BRIDGE. Earlier on in the movie, it was clearly indicated, and, in the case of the Brooklyn Bridge, shown, that the Air Force destroyed all of the bridges connected to Manhattan.

Brandon on Mar 6, 2008

160

To be completely honest, this was the ending that I expected to see in the movie. Everyithing pointed to it. It was obvious to me that the head "vampire" was there for the love of the woman stolen from him. I was surprised that Neville never caught on to this, and that they ended the film the way they did.

John on Mar 6, 2008

161

Wrong Teno & James. This new ending shows more clearly why he would be concidered a legend. He's not a legend b/c he found a cure. He's a legend in the infected eyes b/c he has hunted & killed so many of thier kind in broad daylight w'out being hurt. He is the last of a species & they do not understand why he captures & kills them. Like the book say's, & Alex points it out as well, Robert Neville is "legendary" because he is that myth that goes out day after day hunting them.

Sinner on Mar 6, 2008

162

The altered theatrical version was a departure from the book's conclusion, but so was the original (alternate) ending we see here (Neville lives). I do prefer the alternate ending though, as Neville appears to understand his "social de-evolution" as much as the apparent cultural de-evolution of the nocturnal zombie's.

The theatrical version misses the book's epilogue of demonstrating the nature of the (de)evolving zombie culture and their view of Neville's predation on their species; the primary head zombie character, his mate, and Neville are wiped out in the final confrontation of the theatrical release. After Neville's final solution, the story or "legend" of human existence cannot be passed on in zombie culture since all were wiped out. The theatrical version deviates from the book in that it is trying to make Neville a "legend" in the surviving human culture.

The alternate version shows a somewhat remorseful Neville, but could have been portrayed in a more poignant manner — Neville's realization of what he had become, and the effect that social de-evolution had on him. The photos on the wall are his works. He might have emotionally broken down against this wall of his work instead of against the isolation chamber. Although Neville doesn't die in the alternate version, the zombies (the relationship between the leader & his mate) could also have been shown to understand what they have become and how they may evolve into a civilization, by realizing Neville's remorseful act.

I think the decision to present the theatrical version was made due to the time limits placed on the length of the film, and how much story can be told in the time allotted.

Papers2 on Mar 6, 2008

163

I saw this movie opening day and because of the ending they display in theater I suggested that people not see it because everything they foreshadowed turns into a huge letdown.

This is what should have been displayed because it gives the movie its meaning.

Suriel on Mar 6, 2008

164

great frickin ending, loved it , they tied up that movie well.why didnt they used that ending.

Darrin on Mar 6, 2008

165

A slightly better ending, but Neville should still die and still be the ONLY human alive. It's not enough to save an already slow and boring movie, with little to do with the source material.

avoidz on Mar 6, 2008

166

"He is the last of a species & they do not understand why he captures & kills them."

The only problem with this is that he is not the "last of a species", as the final scene reveals. This version wants to have the new society of Matheson's story, while also allowing Neville to live happily ever after with the human colony. The whole thing's a little too politically correct for my tastes.

As I said, the vampires needed more time for development. There's not enough in that ending for audiences to walk away saying, "Oh, you know what, they now see Neville as a legend because…" They'd get the humanity and evolution aspects, but it would still be pretty weak overall.

They should've just stuck with the book's ending, which completely blows away both of these muddled attempts.

James on Mar 6, 2008

167

The theatrical ending could have been improved if it just showed Anna and Ethan looking for other survivors, but you don't know if they find them.

It occurred to me that another avenue they could have chosen would have been the captured infected female becomes "cured", but she has torn loyalties and in the end betrays Neville.

I would have added a flashback scene showing the last of Neville's human companions getting killed by the infected. In the movie, you never see anyone actually get killed by them, and it would have added to the sense of terror to see what they were actually capable of.

Tommykey on Mar 6, 2008

168

I liked the theatrical ending for the theatrical adaptaton. I haven't read the book and I would like to, but if the original concept was that he was the last man on earth, then what about the woman and the boy?
I do agree that he being a legend in the eyes of the "vampires" is genious, but the thing is…. that does not really show during the movie right? Their less than primitive inteligence and them always attacking, never running from him, doesn't really quite make it happen for the real ending. And note that survival and fear are basic instincts.

Fred on Mar 6, 2008

169

Having never read the book and seeing the movie purely because it looked like it would be good, I was a little disappointed with the ending. I actually said "What… thats it, he blows himself up and thats it? WTF". This alternative ending was sooooo much better, it just seemed…..right.

Karen on Mar 6, 2008

170

I liked the way the vampires huddled together in dark. It was sweet.

Yeti on Mar 6, 2008

171

This ending is absolutely fabulous, I can't believe they didn't use it for the original movie!

charles johnson on Mar 6, 2008

172

Thank you SOOO much for letting me see this. I would have wanted to see the movie more than once had it contained this ending. The entire movie was great, don't get me wrong…But the ending just disappointed me like a mUUFuugga. Thanks again.

DaNky on Mar 6, 2008

173

Why are you all referring to them as vampires and zombies??? In the movie they were infected humans who mutated. What were they in the book then?

Gary Storm on Mar 6, 2008

174

btw before I said the cgi textures for the mutants could have been better, but damn! he looks pretty real in that pic at the top of this page.

Gary Storm on Mar 6, 2008

175

As others have stated, the theatrical ending was a huge disappointment. I really wish they had this ending instead.

Zak on Mar 6, 2008

176

This "alternative" ending should definately have been the ending that they released in theaters; I would have told a lot more people to go and see it; rather than saying "It was great, but the ending was kind of lame"…

kat on Mar 6, 2008

177

I told myself before the movie that I wouldn't associate it at all with Matheson's book because I knew I'd be disappointed. I was going to look at the two as seperate creative works. Doing that, I really liked the movie. I still found myself disappointed that they didn't use the ending from the book though. It's one of my favorite endings ever from any type of media and I was really hoping they'd use it. This ending is much, much better than what we saw in the theater. It would have elevated the entire movie (and my review of it) from good to great… well, maybe very good. Either way, this ending kicks ass.

Patrick on Mar 6, 2008

178

Now thats what you call an ending…

Stryker on Mar 6, 2008

179

They were "vampires" in the book, and Neville was figuring out the fact from fiction of their condition.

The alternate ending is muddled, like James said in comment 166. But by the end of the movie adaption of the book (it's _based_ on the book) it's too late to inject any notion that the infected are a new society, since they spent the running time making them into videogame baddies with no development whatsoever. I don't count the mannequin scene, because I think it's safe to say the consensus is the movie Neville became delusional and walked into his own trap, rather than the idea of the infected leader copycatting the earlier trap.

And where the hell did that bridge come from in the alternate ending? They were blown up!

avoidz on Mar 6, 2008

180

A better ending for the audience maybe, but by Killing off Neville it acts as an ultimate sacrifice for the sake of humanity. The alternate ending totally changes the perspective of things and the 'Good guy is really Bad' role reversal isn't always the ploy that Hollywood buys into. You can now bet that with the publicity this ending will get, will act only to bolster the sales of the DVD "Contains original dramatic ending". The Hollywood machine that owns the, 'Will Smith saves the world' tactic sells theatre tickets and i wouldn't mind betting that's the reason it stayed in.

Mark W on Mar 7, 2008

181

I prefer the alternative ending, much more powerful and thought provoking, but, it would be made so much better if the Woman and Kid hadn't been brought into it. For me, that totally takes away all the gravitas and suggestion that Neville is a 'Legend' among this new race of Vampire-folk.

Paul W on Mar 7, 2008

182

I hated the theatrical ending, I prefer this alternate ending sooo much more. I loved the whole movie, I really loved it, from start to just before the end. Again, I HATED the theatrical end, it almost destroyed the whole movie, I felt like it came from nowhere. Boom, they find his house. Boom, they get inside. Boom, one of "them" is cured by Robert's vaccine. Boom, he sacrifices himself. Boom, there actually is a whole freckin' village of people living somewhere else. Boom, end credits.

This end was so much better, period.

Niklas H on Mar 7, 2008

183

The theatrical ending provides proper climatic resolution, this version is just a wash out and I can't believe all the posts supporting it. What's up with all the zombie / vampire sympathizers in this post? On the sentient being scale they're two steps below mass murders and baby rapists, the good doctor was totally justified in his actions. Personally I was hoping he'd whip out the big guns and photon bombs and give 'em a real what for- but no he came across as a total goodie two shoes who never did no wrong (he even returned his video rentals?!). This alt ending just took the 'pansydom' to a whole 'nother level. Why not just make the monsters fluffy pink and foofy cute while we're at it?

Anonymous on Mar 7, 2008

184

I am a big fan of the original book. While a film will never be able to capture all of a books content I was pleased with this version of I am Legend until the end sequence. Warner should have used the one you have posted it makes much more sense and completes this version of the film.

AndyB on Mar 7, 2008

185

Definatly prefer this ending was hoping it was gonna end like this when i was watching the film.

Nicholas Abbott on Mar 7, 2008

186

Not having read the book yet I can`t compare this movie to it but after seeing the movie I do want to read the book,I`m hoping it`s better than the movie.

This latest version of the story was I felt weaker than The Omega Man. In that movie the ability of the mutated humans to speak their thoughts about Neville make him more of a legend than in this version. For all it`s faults The Omega Man was a far deeper and better scripted version and the death scene at the end had,for me, far more impact than the theatrical ending of I Am Legend. The mutants in The Omega Man were as pathetic creations as the animalistic creatures in I Am Legend but at least in viewing The Omega Man I didn`t feel like I was watching a pc game.

As much as I preferred the alternative ending I feel that having it as the theatrical ending would have added an amount of style and depth that the film didn`t deserve. I hope that they will make another version of the film that lives up to the alternative ending.

damnsuicidalroos on Mar 7, 2008

187

I only read half the comments (haven't got that much time on my hands) so I appologise if this point has already been made but my problem with the theatrical ending was the idiotic subversion of the meaning of 'legend' away from the book. At least this alternative ending doesn't try to give the movie's title some idiotic explanation.

Stevie K on Mar 7, 2008

188

I think this alternate ending falls flat as well.The original falls flat because of the introduction of the woman and child. They were not needed for anything except lazy exposition. But as far as the alternate ending goes… to Neville, the vampires are still infected humans. They are not a new race or society. They act like they do because they are sick from being infected by an incurable disease. They were society being devolved. I think the theatrical ending showed the seeming futility of trying to change a majority that believes one thing when they are exactly another. But back to the movie that was released, if the vampires were just this new society and Neville was the serial killer, why was the survivor camp at the end fenced in? Obviously to protect them from something? I thought the best way to end this movie within the parameters of the introduced set-up was to have the woman and child exist only in his imagination and show his descent into madness. Later we can see civilazation in whatever form it evolved to be and a museum like exhibition of Neville's lab and experiments. Whether it was positive or negative exhibition would be up to the writers.

Ern on Mar 7, 2008

189

However this movie ends, you can't polish a turd.

demiourgos on Mar 7, 2008

190

Never a truer word spoken

avoidz on Mar 7, 2008

191

I haven't read the book but from reading the other feedback I get the basic premis. I enjoyed the moviebut boy did it have its faults! I agree that the female lead turning up in the middle of the movie was played out badly and completely unnecessary, it was like WB telling their paying cinema goers that Will Smith couldn't hold the audiences attention, Which i thought and am sure all will agree that he without doubt could of done for the entirity of the runningtime, as his performanceinthe movie was outstanding. The CG was at its worst was Cartoonish (What did they spend the budget on the Lions??) Anyway to the Ending I do much prefer the alternate ending sticking to the Idea that Robert Neville was the Legend (to this supposed 'Vampire' mutation of the humanrace)which you dont really get a feel for in the theatrical release, rather than a legend to survivors. I think it comes down to WB like many other big Studios believing that the cinemaq going public arent intelligent enough to understand the more complex emotional and existential ideas that the original story (and the alternate ending) explored. TO me the alternate made much more sence to the whole over all feel of the movie.

SimeonD on Mar 7, 2008

192

Much cooler ending.

Unfortunately it still has the shameless and jarring product placement of a spotless Ford SUV to finish it.

Norman on Mar 7, 2008

193

Stunning. Beautiful even. And makes so much more sense than the original ending - they set up all the stuff with the trap, hinting that the head zombie/vampire was pursuing the girl who had been taken - and to finally see the pay off is brilliant. Thanks.

S on Mar 7, 2008

194

How on earth did WB consider that ending over this one? This one takes the movie to a whole new level.

I also never really understood why they chose to do CG monsters. Real people like they used on 30 Weeks Later would have done a much better job.

Helder from Portugal on Mar 7, 2008

195

I thought the movie was amazing, up until the ending. It killed me that a series of avoidable mistakes eventually led to the demise of the hero. I truly did feel that the theatrical ending ruined the movie for me for more reasons than one. This ending gave me chills when I watched it and I only wish I could've seen it on the big screen because then I would've been walking out with chills instead of the feeling that I just watched a wasted movie!

Nate on Mar 7, 2008

196

Holy cow. What an even FURTHER crap-tacular ending.

Geo on Mar 7, 2008

197

Thanks for this post!

I am very happy to see that this ending was filmed, what a much more satisfying end to the movie! The biggest part of this for me is finally understanding why they were so aggressive once he had the girl patient, you would never know or understand that the vampire was his wife, etc. This ties together many of the theatrical scenes and makes the movie come full circle.

Much easier to understand and watch this way.

I felt a little cheated in the theater, but kind of enjoyed her finding the humanity camp. Then again, the natural questions of if th vampires could scale a 4 story apartment that they could jump over those walls came to mind, and the whole idea of that even being possible with the vampires shown "ability's" seems that much more improbable, and I could not enjoy it.

I know, its just a movie right? Its just a person like me like it when a movie is so real, covers all its bases and leaved you informed and satisfied. The bean-counters at WB could care less what ending we saw, as long as we paid to see one or the other unfortunately. No movie produced by a major company is made with the first intention of quality cinema. Its all about the BOTTOM DOLLAR and how much money a movie will make.

Good call releasing this WB, I will be buying the DVD now because of it.

Jared G on Mar 7, 2008

198

Thank you very much for sharing this alternate ending. I prefer this one to the official one. In the book, Neville is a legend in the vampire world. The official ending made him a legend for mankind. Stupid, IMHV. At least, he gains respect from the lead vampire in this alternate ending…

Raphaël AJ on Mar 7, 2008

199

This ending is far better than that of the theatrical cut. It brings much more closure to the story and really rounds things off nicely. The theatrical cut hinted at the "Dark seekers" being smart but never followed through. This ending gives them a whole new dynamic and a much clearer motive.

Whilst I agree in some respects that they could have taken Neville away for execution, I always felt that aspect of the novel was a mis-step. At the end we're supposed to realise that Robert is the real monster… yet, in lining him up for public execution whilst having absolutely no sympathy for his cause shows THEM to be the monster. It's complete injustice.

So I think, all round, had this ending been in place for the theatrical release, this would have been the more satisfying story.

Mobiug on Mar 7, 2008

200

I loved most of the movie. I didn't like so much when they used the butterfly as some kind of "god's signal" of what Will Smith character should do in the end. But in this alternate ending, they use the butterfly-aspect in a more believable way (well, "believable" within the consideration that this is a movie about a post-apocaliptic vampire society… ha!). I think this ending is in some way more attached to the original concept described in Matheson's book: Neville is the "bad guy", not the saviour of mankind, because… what mankind is left to save in that new context?
Very cool. I'm looking forward to buy the DVD/Blu-Ray disc/whatever new technology the future brings!

Jorge Leiner on Mar 7, 2008

201

"it's too late to inject any notion that the infected are a new society, since they spent the running time making them into videogame baddies with no development whatsoever"

Exactly. The real advantage for this ending is that the Big Bad Studio cut it, so we automatically assume it's an artistic triumph. In reality, this ending probably represents just as many conflicted visions as the theatrical. If they *had* used it, everyone would've complained about them tacking on a happy ending where everyone wins, and that it still wasn't true to the book.

I like the idea of Neville finally realizing he can't solve the problem of Ground Zero, and that it may no longer be his place to try. But the film wasted the opportunity to tell that story, and instead chose to represent the vampires as (largely) generic, cgi zombies. A handful of cliched moments doesn't really make up for their lack of development. The actions of both Neville and "Main Vampire Guy" in this ending are simply too abrupt to be believable. It's simply too little, too late…except as a strategy for selling a few more dvds.

The theatrical version ruins the "legend" aspect of the book once it reveals that Neville is not the only human on Earth who is immune. Once they made that creative decision, it becomes more logical for him to be a legend to humanity. They robbed the vampires of so much intelligence, the idea of them relating to Neville as a legend becomes a much, much weaker concept.

James on Mar 7, 2008

202

An improvement.

Svlad Cjelli on Mar 7, 2008

203

Wow really liked this. The best thing is its just as bleak as there isn't isn't this big commune with people living there as in this ending they just have to move on but he has to confront the fact that to the big scary monsters he's the big scary monster. Loved it! WB please take note

Gordy on Mar 7, 2008

204

Hello from spain

First, sorry for my English

I think as you, this end of movie is better than original


Hola desde españa

Lo primero, lo siento por mi ingles

Pienso como usted, este final de pelicula es mejor que el original

J on Mar 7, 2008

205

Much more 'powerful' than the original ending in the movie.

Cockapoopoopeepeeshower on Mar 7, 2008

206

I didn't like the original ending. It was kind of cheesy and didn’t stand in one line with the whole movie. But this “new” ending doesn’t make to feel as a complete either (except for a wall of victim’s pictures of Dr. Neville).

All of a sudden they gave so much human personality to vampires? I do understand they were on a path to become more cunning (primal instincts of survival), but not humanly cunning and certainly not so fast.

To me the idea of killing the Leader and himself by Doctor Neville is more appealing as the Legend should die to leave in memories. But the ending the movie, I think, should be exactly as in “new” ending: a car on a road with a woman and kid inside and a voice calling for survivors…no hope for hope.

Ilona on Mar 7, 2008

207

Damn, I enjoyed this ending much more. The ending of the theatrical version left both my girlfriend and I disappointed. We both thoroughly enjoyed the movie up until the ending.

I really think this should have been the theatrical ending. Thanks for sharing.

Micah on Mar 7, 2008

208

Definately a lot better. So much more depth in the unaired one than the one shown in theatres. The fact that Dr. Neville has realized that he has been killing the creatures and never really examining their actions with one another. I agree, breathtaking is the best way to describe this.

Taylor Hudock on Mar 7, 2008

209

I never read the book but would be in agreement that the theatrical ending was too abrupt. The ending was tied up nice and neat, a bit contrived, and really left me wanting for more. In my opinion, the original (alternative) ending was better. Thanks for posting Michael! I hope WB takes note.

Tamla M. on Mar 7, 2008

210

when I saw the movie I was expecting exactly this, that the vampire really was in love of the vampire-girl that Smith had trapped, and he was seeking her.
But that first ending, bad tastely inspired on inmolation (God!, it´s terrible to propose that he turns into a hero by inmolating himself, is almost terror-propagand!) and then the "great" idea was that curation was in his blood!, (what´s so great about it?, he already knew!) and the final scene, that disgusting utopic-post-apocaliptic-lutheran community (notice the white church…)
Far better end this alternative one. The detail of the photographs behind Will, all the vampires that he killed for his experiments, is so heavy.
Anyway, seems a little unbelivable that the vampires resisted eating him at last…
sorry my poor english

Necium on Mar 7, 2008

211

Very well said Scott!
Yes I am another person who read and loved the book. Especially the ending which is fantastic, but I’d like to give my opinion without whining too much about how "it wasn't the book"
I still thought this film was quite mediocre I felt that the director was a little lost in approaching his subject matter, and congratulations to the CGI could the vampires have looked worse. Look! I can fit on entire beach ball in my mouth and I’m no longer affected by gravity, or appear to have any bones.
This said there were some touching moments where the sheer desolation of his circumstances came through and while this ending doesn’t blow me away (mostly because of that stupid woman) it still so much better than the piece of excrement shown which was yet another flag waving america will never be beaten snore fest. If it had have been kept at least I wouldn’t have left the cinema wanting to purge my mind of it with a red hot knitting needle

Emma on Mar 7, 2008

212

I'm still in awe at that ending. I felt like the only one to see that scene where Neville captures the female…that this was why the male stuck his head into the light. That there was a new evolved sense to these creatures that Neville dismissed.
That scene comes full circle with this ending. At first, I thought that the writers completely missed their own story line…but now it makes sense.
I would have liked the end credits to have us see some of their travels…finding more survivors…possibly curing others…

John-El on Mar 7, 2008

213

YES! That is exactly what I thought would have happened as I was watching it. The ending in the theater shocked me. And really kinda pissed me off a bit.

TroyJMorris on Mar 7, 2008

214

Oh and no, I never have read the book. It just seemed like the natural progression.

TroyJMorris on Mar 7, 2008

215

I have never read the book, and even so I absolutely loved this new ending. The movie was very good up until the lab scene at the end and it made me feel very "so-so" about the movies as a whole. When I saw this new ending, however, I felt touched.

Tim on Mar 7, 2008

216

I was, shall we say, more than a little angry with the theater ending of this flick when I caught it months ago. If I hadn't been so completely dumbfounded by the complete reversal of the orignal story, I think I would have thrown something at the screen.

This ending is much better in that respect; I don't hold 10% of the ire I had for the first ending towards this one. I was downright outraged before. I'm just sort of resigned now. While at least partially restoring the actual MEANING OF THE TITLE that was so inexplicably reversed previously, this is still a rather vapid (though not nearly as much so) reflection on Matheson's work. Instead of a contemplation on the inevitability of the "Other" conflict in human society, and the inability of such dissimilar groups to exist together (thus always driving them to destroy each other) we're told that all monsters are just like us; seeking restoration of the familial unit.

A noble message? Maybe.

Matheson's story? Not remotely.

Plus we keep the anti-science message of the film, and tack a happy ending onto one of the most nihilistic books of classic Sci-Fi.

Color me unimpressed.

MCWagner on Mar 7, 2008

217

I was truly moved by this ending…. the love, the compasion, and let's not forget forgiveness…this should have been the ending that was released and showed to the movie audience.

Vinnie on Mar 7, 2008

218

I don't understand, why are you so exited from this "happy ending".
Behavior of these zombies is not coresponding with the rest of the movie, it's seems more like a cheap emotional trick to me. Even more, there's nobody to be called a legend - everybody survived, everybody's happy (obviously except me).

So I'm glad that more darker ending made it to the final cut, this is just good enough to be on DVD in deleted scenes…

Steven on Mar 7, 2008

219

Yup, this is definitely a better version. Too bad, even Warner Bros fuck up sometimes.

Vivien on Mar 7, 2008

220

And LOL for post #192, you are so right!

Vivien on Mar 7, 2008

221

The whole reason I hated this movie was because Will Smith dies at the end but now that I see this ending it would have been way better and I would be looking forward to watching a second film. This could of also run as a Television series just like stargate did.

Amadamia on Mar 7, 2008

222

This is by far the better ending. The ending in the theater made me feel cheated.

Ronnie on Mar 7, 2008

223

Dont you find this movie a little like ….uhm lets see Resident Evil? Which i thought was a much better movie then this … this movie was sooo bad i think i fell asleep and caught the ending…. And by far this ending was much better.

Jason K on Mar 7, 2008

224

I found this ending way much better than the one in the movies. I strongly believed that there is always hope at the end of the tunnel and this ending encourages faith and hope.

Victor on Mar 7, 2008

225

altho i like this ending, i prefer the one they showed in the cinema.
because he dies, it give us that human emotion of a happy sad kind.
a real tug at our heart strings, through out the film it is pretty much just him, we become attached to him and there for when he dies to save man kind, we find this more moving. a marter (not sure on spelling) is a better hero than an alive one in most stories.

even tho most people seem to like this ending, and it is a good alternative ending. i prefer the cinema released ending.

sikes MW on Mar 7, 2008

226

to me the first ending was way better than this one it had a better jump to this i dont know how to explain this esacly but the feeling that i derived from the first ending was more powerful than the one i got from the second i know at the end it just goes down to the individual and which one he prefers best.

edward on Mar 7, 2008

227

This was definitely a much better ending. I can see why WB changed it though because people don't want to think of the 'hero' as actually being the 'monster'. They wen't with the big explosion and the selfless saviour routine instead because they know the lowest common denominator of movie watchers understand explosions and heroes.

I would love for this one to be the proper ending on the DVD though if I could choose.

cybrpunk on Mar 7, 2008

228

WB if you are reading this, fire whoever replaced this ending with the one that was used theatrically. The alternate ending is MUCH better than the one theatrically.

lazycat on Mar 7, 2008

229

def a better ending.

cldoode on Mar 7, 2008

230

Boy did they screw up… And to think they want to make a sequel… "I am still Legend"..

ANOTHER DUMB STUDIO MOVE

terra-rizing on Mar 7, 2008

231

HOLY CRAP WAS THAT ONE BETTER!!!!

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!!!!

I LOVED this movie, all except for the ending; this really makes a difference. I WILL say that I liked his dying at the end, but this made the WHOLE MOVIE make so much more sense; the way the leader zompire behaved. In the theatre, it made no sense b/c they didn't justify it.

THANK YOU!!!!!

Bones Rodriguez on Mar 7, 2008

232

Agree 100% this should have been the theatrical ending.

Johanna on Mar 7, 2008

233

I too did not like the ending in the theatre version, it was too abrupt, this one is sooooooooo much better!! Thanks for sharing!!!!

Contessa on Mar 7, 2008

234

That was a better ending 4shore but the whole movie was out of wack. There wasnt anough fighting and no real survival action. It was pretty much just Neval going mad and having a bitty party for him self. They could of made a realy great movie with the money spent. Maybe they should of listern to the die hard fans of the book insted of making a pile of shit.

maker11 on Mar 7, 2008

235

I did like the original ending, but that was…
Wow.

Just 'wow'.

whazat on Mar 7, 2008

236

wow thatsz crazy

indya on Mar 7, 2008

237

Ah Come On!! This alternate ending is amazing. The "religious" cinema version/ending was so bad it nearly ruined the whole movie for me. I am so glad I saw this

Simon Fleming on Mar 7, 2008

238

It was nice how everyone lived, women love happy endings. I prefer realistic ones. This ending is not a legendary ending for those who did not read the book. Your average viewer would have left the theater wondering why the title is I Am Legend. In order become a legend one must die. It was easier to leave movie goers with a legend who died for the cure so that humanity could go on and tell the legendary story of Neville. In the movie, he could not become legend to a bunch of vampires who had a total of about 10 to 15 minutes of screen time to develop their character.

Frank on Mar 7, 2008

239

Well after watching the film and thinking it was rubbish then reading the book and realisng the whole I AM LEGEND thing I have come to the conclusion that this ending did not fit the thetrical film. It may have fit the film if there were other bits in the earlier parts of the film to dictate that the infected where inteligent and had a society.
The film for me started as a pyschological drama and then turned into a Video game. Great for kids and your average viewer but I dislike stuff like that immensly. The theatrical ending fitted the theatrical feature. Maybe the alternate ending may have fitted the true film before it was edited into a piece of mindless tosh.
Who knows maybe it could have been a good film maybe it would have made less money maybe maybe …
Maybe it will all be on the DVD but i should imagine they will dedicate most of it to how they created the infected using CGI for the Fanboys.

Eve on Mar 7, 2008

240

Again, most of you still do not know why he is called a legend! It is not b/c he finds a cure! He is viewed as a legend from the infected! It's the reverse of the old "us (scared shi!less) against the vampires (legends)" story's. In their eyes, he is legendary b/c he is hunting & killing them. This new ending makes more sense b/c when the lead vampire / infected person looks @ all the pics of fellow infected that have been accidentally killed, Neville realizes how they view him; a monster…a killer…a legend.

Sinner on Mar 7, 2008

241

YEA DEFINITLEY I COULDNT AGREE MORE, THE ENDING IN THE THEATRICAL VERSION DID SORT OF RUIN THE WHOLE FLOW OF WHAT WAS HAPPENING AND LEFT US OFF ON AN INCOMPLETE SORT OF BASE. THIS ENDING, EVEN THOUGH IT DOES APPEAR SORT OF INCOMPLETE SOMEHOW OVERCOMES THAT OBSTACLE BY ADDING ANOTHER DIMENSION TO THE ENTIRE CONCEPT OF THE MOVIE.

smokie on Mar 7, 2008

242

Hmmm, after watching that "happy ending", I didn't like it as much. The whole point of the movie was for him to be a "legend". I understand his name was "Legend", but come on. There would've been no subconscious meaning behind the name to begin with. Besides, the way it played out is what Shakespeare would call "a tragedy".

I think if he did survive that ordeal, and ended up getting the girl and driving off in a nice SUV with smiles and sun shine, it would've been just another "Gettin' Jiggy Wit It" summer flick.

I think the fact that he died, proved to make him a "true hero" and a "legend" at that. He made the ultimate sacrifice and for that he deserved the medal of honor. Otherwise, all he gets is a purple heart.

Overall though, the movie wasn't that great to begin with. It had its moments, but not enough for me to put it on a scale with films like Gladiator, 300, or even 28 Days Later. And we all know where these raging mutant humans concept derived from right? Yeh, it was the last film I mentioned.

ToVo on Mar 7, 2008

243

This ending is wayyyy better…it makes more sense but I guess this ending clip will be a myth, a legend to some of us.

J on Mar 7, 2008

244

This movie would have been great just by sticking 2 the book, the reverse legend idea is a very original idea as far as hollywood goes… that being said the idea that them killing him making the alternate version less impacting because it would imply a lack of humanity in the form of ruthlessness doesn't quite register because it is an irony of the retaining of not only obvious and positive human characteristics, but also that of the mob mentality, as was seen during witch hunts and also in the direction of vampire hunters too which causes unnecessary death. in short, i believe in order to preserve a powerful storyline, Will Smith should have to die by the book if he was to die at all.

Joel on Mar 7, 2008

245

Didn't read the book. Normally I do, and i usually prefer the book over the movie. I decided to see the movie, then read the book. I will read it soon. Anyway, I really enjoyed the movie. I like the fact that Neville dies and becomes a legend for all of humanity in the future. The savior of life as you and I know it. I'm really not sure how I would of felt about the alternate ending had i seen it instead. I think it would not have been as satisfying, because it was kind of anticlimactic. Also Eve made a good point; that alternate ending didn't fit the film as well as the one i saw at the movies. I didn't really like the look of the vampires, but they were pretty intense. Great action sequences too. Gotta say best movie i saw this year. And I think i'll like the book too!

Doomsday on Mar 7, 2008

246

TBH, both endings are ok. I personally prefer the one in theatres. This one was ok as well, but I was happier with the theatrical one.

lol on Mar 7, 2008

247

It's a far more interesting idea for Neville to be the "legend" to the new society of creatures than the same-old cheesy "savior of humanity" ending. The book got it right; the movie just doesn't get it.

avoidz on Mar 7, 2008

248

I prefer this ending to what ended up in the theatrical release. It manages to tie up a few loose ends that bothered me. Neville's incorrect assumptions about the creatures were briefly touched on a few times, but I was disappointed that it didn't delve deeper into it (lack of humanity, etc). Even with this more appropriate ending, I still think I Am Legend is extremely flawed - especially the last half. By no means, is it a terrible film, but a lot of potential was wasted.

John D. on Mar 8, 2008

249

its too bad thats not the original ending i saw because i would have been alot more satisfied with it

josh on Mar 8, 2008

250

I rated this movie a 72% when I first saw it in the theater. I watched it again a few days ago and walked out even more dissatisfied with the third-act turn the plot takes. This ending would have been worth at LEAST an extra 15-20% on my rating scale. Very cool.

Jared on Mar 8, 2008

251

No doubt … this is how the movie's ending should have been done and not the other way around.
I trully don't know why they didn't keep this one.

This movie was a true piece of art. However, by watching the original ending, I was not happy because a hero should remain alive in the story.
True, in some stories the hero could die and beomce a martyr. But I preffer this new ending. It represents peace, a reward for someone's true believe in accomplishing something while hope is almost gone, a challenging decision from the hero when his woman was trying to make up his mind to stay behind the safety door and not to face the enemies, a loving ending clear and simple.

Too bad it was not the original ending …..it would have been the best movie 2007-2008. Ohh well… Decision making should be critical like they say.

Jamal O on Mar 8, 2008

252

That made so much more sense. Everything that didn't sit right about the other ending is … well, okay with this one. Much, much better.

Eri on Mar 8, 2008

253

WOW! That ending was so much better! I would have seen that at least 5 times in the theater if they used that ending! But because they used the other ending I only paid to see it once. WB could have made a lot more money!

Kendall on Mar 8, 2008

254

oh yeah, this ending is much better. i was amazed at wide streaks of wonderful suspense and storytelling, but really wondered where that central picture from the trailer had been cut out…

It all makes sense now. The conventional ending is a bit like "war of the worlds", with the chucrch bells tolling about god´s mercy. (I´m atheist, so I don´t find that all that thrilling.)

With this ending, the movie really makes sense.

3v4d3 on Mar 8, 2008

255

i loved the movie till the vampires attack the lab.. but killing neville frustrated me… after seeing it the whole movie gets bugged… but if dey had used this one, people have surely loved it… i love dis ending.. atleast in DVD they shud use this climax rather than the previous one…

DK on Mar 8, 2008

256

I have to say, I loved the theatrical ending, but I probably prefer this ending as it is at least closer to the concept from the book, which I unfortunately never read, but have heard much about.

I also like that this ending is a bit more open to interpretation because it ends wtih the 3 of them searching for survivors, not with the definate finding of survivors, it still leaves some mystery to it…

This should have been the theatrical ending.

Chris G. on Mar 8, 2008

257

I loved this new ending, I must say that the theatrical ending didn't make me happy, I felt like it was missing something, now I know what it was…

Greetings from Chile and thanks for showing this alternate ending

Diego on Mar 8, 2008

258

This was what would have made that movie a lot better. The ending they used was terrible and totally ruined the movie for me. They still should have gone with an ending closer to the actual books though. The movie execs still managed to mess with this movie in various places like introducing the counter hunt and the whole religion element… which made this film less than it should have been.

It would be like if they made a movie out of Cormac McCarthy's "THE ROAD" and instead of the ending that he had written, or one that was thematically similiar, they opted to end the movie with the man and the boy finding a McD's selling hamburgers. It wouldn't make any sense unless you are a happy head member of the Idiocracy.

Sean Tobin on Mar 8, 2008

259

I read the book years ago and liked it very much. I have also seen the original movie and the first remake with Charlton Heston. I believe, had WB left the alternative ending in place, this version would have been the most powerful. I certainly would have left the theater with a much more positive feeling about the end. As it was, I left scratching my head (as is often the case with movies) wondering what they were thinking. No worries. It's just a movie and I liked it.

Sean's comparison to McCarthy's "The Road" is spot on. Now that "No Country for Old Men" won all those awards, it's likely that "The Road" will become a movie as well. We can pretty much take it to the bank that the moron execs in Hollywood will screw up the ending. Too bad. It's a great story.

Wayne on Mar 8, 2008

260

WHOA.

THAT WAS FANTASTIC!!!! That ending was soooooo much better than the theatrical release version. I, too, thought the movie was good up until the ending. It wasn't bad, it was just… unsatisfying. This ending is spectacular, scary, exhilirating, unexpected, thrilling, shocking, and yes downright COOL. WB, if you're reading this, RE-RELEASE the movie in a limited theatrical run. You know, just for 2 weeks in the major cities at first. I WILL PAY MONEY TO SEE IT… AND SUPPORT IT. And I guarantee you, others will, too.

BASSROCKER on Mar 8, 2008

261

I read the book in a day and finished it minutes before watching the movie. I really enjoyed the movie until the end, which was "not enough". This ending is much much better than the movie one, it is at least related to the "legend" concept of Richard Matheson.

Wouldn't this ending be better for "I am legend 2" with Will Smith?

Deniz ARIKAN on Mar 8, 2008

262

Much better! I did not actually like the film that much, the gammy cgi scuppered it for me visually and I thought the plot was as subtle as a brick to the face.

This ending, however, has at least remedied the latter and boosted the film overall.

Now the question is why this was not in the original…

The Great Bastard on Mar 8, 2008

263

Sorry, the CGI monsters in this are so bad, no alternate ending even matters, and this "new" ending is not better anyway. It flies in the face of absolutely everything that comes before. The movie establishes from the first frame that Neville is alone and shattered and suicidal and that the monsters (not vampires) are souless killing machines, and that's why the movie ended the way it did. To have the monsters suddenly appear sensative and loving, and to have Neville live, or even want to live, is the exact opposite of everything that went before and makes no sense. This film, because of the terrible CGI of the monsters and the relatively boring, predicitable pacing of the entire film, makes it one of the worst of the year. This film will soon be forgotten and will not hold up as time goes by and the only reason it's even still around (DVD) is because it made so much money. You fan boys will watch anything the Hollywood money pit throws at you; really sad.

nick r on Mar 8, 2008

264

I have never read the book, but i find this final better.
i ask too, Why wasn´t this the original end?

rodrigo on Mar 8, 2008

265

I think this ending is a lot better than the theatrical version because it isn't just the typical Hollywood and-the-day-is-saved ending. It seems that every single movie these days has to end all happy and everything is back to normal. This ending is a lot more realistic. And makes much more sense - Much more fitting.

Winter on Mar 8, 2008

266

the origanal ending for I AM LEGEND doesn't download anymore that 16% and is rather frustrating.

Joe on Mar 8, 2008

267

this alternative ending is much better than the original,

Tom on Mar 8, 2008

268

This ending is simply amazing, better and better than the original one. While the original gave me a sense of claustrofobya out of the cinema cause of the dead of Neville and a point of view a little bit pessimistic, this ending totally satisfy me and i think gave to the audience a true sense of optimism, and it' s what hope is about… sorry if i made some mistake with my english but i' m better in italian…

Francesco on Mar 8, 2008

269

Dude, why didn't they use this. I hate how people can change a movie and ruin it. I was so disappointed by the ending they used. It just dropped off and did that cliche: "He sacrificed himself to make life better for others" thing. Matheson's ending was so profound and unexpected and this ending actually gets at that. It's not the book, but at least it uses the concept.

Alex on Mar 8, 2008

270

Personally I didn't like the theatrical ending at all. I loved the movie sooo much, but then it got to the idea that "God" told her that there were survivors in this place, and Neville dies suddenly believing that she could be right, it just completely threw me off. Here's this great science fiction movie, and it ends far too religiously for me. I liked it when the only unrealistic thing you had to accept were the vampire-zombies and everyone being dead.
I like this ending a lot better. It explains more, and actually shows what was implied to begin with, that the creatures actually were self-aware and, in a way, intelligent; forming connections and communication with each other.
And while it didn't so much upset me that he died, just the way it happened bugged me, so I do like this one better, but not just because he lives.
Anyway. For whatever reason, I prefer this one.

Rainy on Mar 8, 2008

271

I would have been more satisified with this ending instead of the original.

Tracey on Mar 8, 2008

272

I had never heard of the book before seeing the movie, but I was excited to go see it because it looked like an interesting movie. When I walked out of the theater, it was with much disappointment. The ending didn't feel right to me, it felt almost disjointed with the rest of the movie. Throughout the whole movie, he thought that the monsters had lost everything that had made them human. The alternate ending proved that wrong, making the movie and the monsters much more realistic. It showed another side of them which brought the movie from being flat and the vampires from being 2-D to being much more complex and interesting. People and creatures aren't just one thing, they can change and have different emotions, the alternate ending showed that.
If they had used this ending instead, the movie would have been so much better and I might have actually enjoyed it and recommended it to friends.

SummerSunshine on Mar 8, 2008

273

I thought that this ending was interesting, it was more interesting than the original. However, I do not prefer this ending over the original. I don't think that the "book argument" is even valid because I don't believe that one can even compare the movie to the book. The book is so different that I could potentially argue several changes that I would have made if and only if I were trying to make the movie an exact replica of the book. Obviously that wasn't the goal. I like the book and the movie equally. I'm sure I would like the book and all the other movies that have been inspired by Matheson's "I am Legend" equally. I'm sure each one has its differences.

It personally dissatisfies me when a movie unrealistically ends in happiness. I'm sorry. It almost seems rather cheesy. Either way, both endings probably would have "disappointed" me in a sense that …Yeah, I would have liked to see more of the outside world, maybe all the answers for the audience, maybe a conclusion to how the cure worked. Unfortunately film makers don't have all of eternity to finish off every last detail to satisfy their audience. I can only assume that film-makers leave these details to the audience's imagination.

I'm not a film-maker but I were, I would expect my audience to trust the final decision. Not very many people may know specifically what the reasons are behind why the ending was chosen, or wasn't chosen, but I feel like I can make an educated guess. If my opinion isn't obvious to a particular, then I don't think summarizing it will be of any hope either.

Unfortunately, those of us that are on this forum don't have the capability to decide whether to add the idea of pretty clouds, happy sunshines, and glittering rainbows or the realistic (in this case) idea of death and destruction.

In both endings the film-makers' idea of hope is still exemplified. I appreciate both endings' illustrations, but I think I prefer the original ending the most.

This is my comment. Not my condemnation.

Shaula on Mar 8, 2008

274

I have my own copy of the dvd. Is there any way i can swap this ending with the other? you know like tape over it? that would be sweet.

maker11 on Mar 8, 2008

275

Oh. Was this movie based on a novel? I thought it was a sequel of the Residence Evil videogames and movies. Let's be serious. The alternate ending may fit with the book, but it doesn't fit at all with the movie. They are all brainless monsters because infected by a virus (like resident Evil indeed) and in the new ending the girl is the fiancee of the leader? What? There is even a leader? Nonsense. The movie is wrong since the beginning and the new ending would make it even worse. Yeah, the Hollywood hero that stays alive and conquers the faith of the zombies. Happy ending and all stuff like that. And guess what? Now WB will make even moooore moneyin DVDs because of the alternate ending. Call them stupid.

Michelasso on Mar 8, 2008

276

I've never read the book, but did see the movie. This ending ways much more sense to me…for pretty much all of the same reasons already stated above.

Carie on Mar 8, 2008

277

This ending was much better. Leavse open for a second movie

al on Mar 8, 2008

278

The original ending in theaters was really disappointing, and YES, this ending is absolutely better.

Junghyun on Mar 8, 2008

279

I like the theatrical ending better.

The theatrical ending signifies that the vampires are monsters and Neville is a hero for finding a way to save humanity.

I did not the read the book nor do I care about the book's meaning. The movie stands alone for me as I suspect it does for most movie viewers.

The theatrical ending gives hope to overcoming human's problems. This alternative ending and the book's meaning but humanity, us, as some sort of monsters. I am not interested nor do I subscribe to such ideas.

I have no quarrel with those who view it otherwise. This is simply my preference and beliefs.

john on Mar 8, 2008

280

I think this was a hundred times better than the theatrical version. Throughout the movie I was wondering why Neville was never catching on that the "Vampires" were starting to become or at least act more human. This leaves far fewer loose ends. And I prefer Neville not dying.

Kris on Mar 8, 2008

281

I really liked it. It would've done nicer as the primary ending. Consider this my two cents.

spatnatz on Mar 8, 2008

282

the original ending sucked. i told any1 who asked about it that the movie was great except for the last 5 minutes. this one is way better. especially cuz the whole movie hinted that the girl he captures was the lead zombie's wife, but this one actually ties it up at the end and shows that it really is his wife.

jim on Mar 8, 2008

283

I think that this ending was better by far, but as for the scary factor it killed it.
It fits much better with the movie, but WB was right in that certain people would rather see something scary than something heartfelt.

stacey on Mar 8, 2008

284

I also liked this ending very much. I like the fact that he goes to Vermont. Although, I find it a bit hard to believe that the vampires wouldn't just jump on him. Anyways, this ending made me think a lot more than the original one. I would have preferred to see this one in the theater for sure.
thanks for sharing this! That was awesome!

Miguel on Mar 8, 2008

285

That was balls.

Alternate Ending is Balls on Mar 8, 2008

286

I don't know, I really did like that version, but it seemed sort of far-fetched. I think the concept of keeping the altered humans in an aggressive state is pretty important because we see them as the enemy. If we perceive them to have human emotions (aside from the attachment the male has to the female) we become to sympathetic to our "enemy".

I liked both versions. I felt satisfied with both really. But for theatrical release, I would have left with Neville's abrupt death. While you may think the theatrical ending sucks, the worst part of the movie was when his dog caught the bug. :*(

Dave on Mar 9, 2008

287

its an all right ending but theres no need to get your panties in a bunch and try to "prove Warner Brothers wrong." What good will that do? I think the original ending (the one that appeared in theaters) makes more sense for the film adaptation because it was an epic movie. Therefore, it made more sense for Will Smith's character to have a heroic death as opposed to the alternate ending where he lives happily ever after.

mike on Mar 9, 2008

288

I went to watch this movie without any idea what it was about, frankly. I enjoyed it. And liked it even more because well, for a change, the main character dies. I was duly entertained, and a completely empty Manhattan was eeriely well done. You glimpse the enormity of the loss, because everything is quiet.

Going by the comments as I have not read the book, I have to agree that an amalgation of the theatrical ending and the alternate ending would have worked better (this ending, while showing the remnants of humanity in the infected humans, and while powerful, had a too fluffy ending, despite the 'I am a monster to the monsters' realization - and yes I echo 'how did the woman get in with the kid and how did they supposedly leave question.

A good amalgation might have been to have Neville get the blood, give it to the girl, and then take out the infected woman to the rest of the infected. Cue soft fluffy scene with the infected's leader and the girl tying up the budding cultural/intelligence development the movie built with Neville looking at the wall with the pictures of the infected he'd experimented on, realizing what he's become… a horrific legendary monster to a primitive intelligence.

then, the leader giving the others the go ahead to kill Neville - regardless of whatever else you think, you DO establish that humans are food for the infected. That's when Neville blows them all up to kingdom come with a grenade he had stashed in his pocket - because this ending had me go "WTF why are you going out there? Unarmed?" This alternate ending seemed unrealistic in that he was, while bracing to be attacked and eaten, also counting that he would be allowed to move around provided he moved slowly and non-threateningly.

Then the girl and the boy leave, with the blood, broadcasting their last message, with some scrapes and bandaged up wounds to show, leaving the audience guessing - and the ending open-ended as to whether or not they found other people still alive. And Neville dies, as legends are supposed to.

That's just my two cents.

cutelildrow on Mar 9, 2008

289

I liked this end, too..

Matu on Mar 9, 2008

290

Actually I like this ending much more because I thought this is the way the film should end. I thought (knew) that the butterfly is an important sign from the beginning. In the end, when the vampire leader was breaking the security glass, hesitated for a while, then I thought it will end like this. But suddenly he started again and we all remember the "cheap" grenade ending. This is much more better and explains lot of the main concept. After this, I'm wondering what will be I'm Legend 2 about.

Vodny on Mar 9, 2008

291

"The hero should remain alive at the end", the most used reason why people say they prefer the alternate ending. In other words what you wanted was teen oriented feel good popcorn fodder, cure the world, get the girl, ride off into the sunset. Strange also that those fluffing the alternate so much are comparing it to the books ending, when the alternate ending is the exact opposite of the ethos of the original book, whereas the theatrical ending is the spirit of it, as it was in Omega Man and I Am Legend. All i see from the comments here are a bunch of kind, in mind even if not in body that cannot take a film that doesn't give them a rosy glow, Disney provide movies for folks with that mindset…

Mark on Mar 9, 2008

292

of course i prefer this ending

jonni - italy

jonni on Mar 9, 2008

293

I knew it! there HAD to be some sort of relationship between the lead vampire and his lady friend, from the way he was acting in the movie. I hated the original ending, this one is wonderful!

emmeline on Mar 9, 2008

294

yea this ending's much nicer ! .. tho i sorta wish it was a combination of the two if u know what i mean? like him finding the cure at the same time that he realises the vampire was just after the lady vampire …
then again, that wld be a perfect ending for a perfect world (which we aren't part of btw) lol.

but yea, theatrical ending def got me frustrated..

nash on Mar 9, 2008

295

So much better than the theatrical ending, which ruined an otherwise good movie.

Brad on Mar 9, 2008

296

much better than the theatrical ending.

three thumbs up.

change it.

cptmoney on Mar 9, 2008

297

Much, much better. I would have left the theater happy about spending my money, as opposed to the pathetic ending of the first version. This ending is worth at least a half star.

Devon Shaw on Mar 9, 2008

298

MUCH better than the original, unity of setting and all!

Elizabeth on Mar 9, 2008

299

I loved this ending. i also felt completely let down with the other ending. the trace of humanity shown was so moving. i prefer this ending above and beyond the one used

Eileen on Mar 9, 2008

300

I had not read the book and I did not get the same insight as other posters about the ending. I would have been puzzled by this ending had I seen in in a theater. That said, now that I understand the book and the "legend" better- this would have made a better ending. It would have required more… explanation in the movie though. When you read the book first, you don't realize how much more you can "get" in the movie than those who have not read it.

Heather on Mar 9, 2008

301

So, I've never read the book, and haven't seen the movie since opening day. It took me a minute to realize what i had watched, but after it all came together (and a little help with your explanation) I feel like this defiantly should have been the theatrical ending. I agree that the end in the theaters was quite abrupt, it felt like a cop-out. I invested 2 hours into this guy, only to have him clash with his vampire equivalent in a yin-yang style confrontation? I walked away wondering why any of the scenes in his lab were important at all. Why do we care that he's trying to cure them if he just ends up fighting them in the end? I wanted to see an epic movie that turned into every other action vampire blockbuster.

Don't get me wrong, I still loved the movie, and now with this alternate ending, I think I will be watching this movie for years, instead of buying the dvd and watching it every once in a while.

Thank you for pointing this out in advance, you have pushed this to a "buy upon release" title for me instead of "buy when I notice its finally out." WB should realize that we might actually understand an ending like this, or maybe it would raise conversations of people's interpretations. God forbid we leave a movie saying something other than "I liked it" or "I want my $10 back."

Kyle on Mar 9, 2008

302

Incredible. Like most others, I found the original ending terribly disappointing. This ending made much more sense, and really played out better than the "hey, let's just blow the joint up" ending.

Barry on Mar 9, 2008

303

"DIDN'T THEY BLOW UP THE BRIDGE THOUGH?!?!"

Isn't there more than one bridge into Manhattan?

Doug on Mar 9, 2008

304

The ultimate ending was much better than the original, I don't know how WB messed up what could have been a decent movie. The fact that the infected show signs of intelligence earlier in the movie when they capture Neville's dog, suggests that at some point in the plot there will be some form of communication between Neville and the infected. But to no avail, WB instead of taking advantage of this critical element decided to instead do all the talking with a grenade. If I wanted sub par plots and explosions, I would have rented Rambo. I am banning WB for a while because of this, cause there is no way they will give me my money back or fix the ending that they ruined by selling it on a special edition DVD.

Andrew on Mar 9, 2008

305

In that last comment please replace the word "ultimate" with alternate….I am such an idiot, you think that I could at least use the right words if I am going to bitch.

Andrew on Mar 9, 2008

306

Color me underwhelmed by this ending. I don't care if it's more faithful to the book, it's very cheesy and schmaltzy.

Samir on Mar 9, 2008

307

Of the two endings, they both have their cheesy side but at the same time there is still a very deep meaning to both. In the first Neville sacrificed himself to allow Emma and Ethan to escape without being followed because at some level he had done what he wanted to do, fix the disease (problem), which he did or had atleast started to. This alternate ending allows the audience to understand even better than *spoiler* the trap idea near the end of the movie did, that the "vampires" as the author called them are not your mere zombies, they are still human, they still have a number of instincts and emotions that we do, the difference is the "disease" is all. Both endings are well done but I would have preferred to have seen this alternate ending in theaters rather than the theatrical one.

Josh H on Mar 9, 2008

308

This film is CRAP… no matter what ending it has.

JPV on Mar 9, 2008

309

I love the alternate ending. I was not happy with the original ending and was so frustrated I had to read something on the internet. I am glad I found this website and the alternate ending with explanation. It makes more sence on why the zombies where so smart and wanted him so bad.

Robert on Mar 9, 2008

310

I knew that the moment the creature jumped out into the sun light after Robert captured the female creature, that it had something to do with the leader caring for the captured creature (and even though when Robert was voice recording the behavior he said that all traces of humanity were gone. . . I was expecting him to say that he found it peculiar that the leader would jump out into sun light and risk death for one of their own and show signs of intelligence)
This alternate ending makes much more sense but from reading the comments above, I guess there is even more hidden things in the book. That will be for sure one of my books to read very soon. Thanks for posting the alternate ending. I kinda seemed cheesy that they would just leave him alone in his basement after getting the female creature back, but at the same time i was expecting that the creature leader would speak some sort of cave-man English and show that they were intelligent.
The actual ending is horrible IMHO because of the heroic antics and that she makes it to the supposed village of uninfected people. . . Great movie either way! Too bad Sam died *tear*.

Carlos A. Valle on Mar 9, 2008

311

i haven't read the book, but i thought the ending that was shown in theatres was not good at all… this ending was much better! as in the film i could see (or at least i thought i could see, which i see now i could see, (thats quite a sentence Bradley!)) that the lead vampire was somehow, wanting… to, well, do something other than just get in their and kill them. i was thinking perhaps he was understanding what Robert was saying about how he could help him/cure him - but now of course that he wanted his wife:P

Bradley on Mar 9, 2008

312

i really love this ending, but i see why they left it out. i think most moviegoers wouldn't have understood it. without really thinking about the ideas and the concepts the film and story are based on, which most people who go to see action movies, or movies of any kind, aren't going to do, it wouldn't have made sense. without a voiceover epxlaining what it means for that to happen, and for him to look at all the photos, i think it would have been confusing, because in movies the humans are always the good guys and the monsters are always the bad guys and anything else isn't going to fl unless explicitly explained. however, i do really love it and prefer it to the original.

Genevieve on Mar 9, 2008

313

Well I think this ending sucked, thank you for putting it out for us to see but if you think about it all it shows us is that these guys love and care for each other and they just wanna be left alone and that will smith is the bad guy, wellllll isn't that a little hyprocritical considering that they are the reason that the rest of the people who did survive died? So I think this ending sucked for that reason. It was cool how he came in contact with them like that but throughout the whole movie it focused on these monsters being so violent and so aggressive and now at the end they are all giving hugs and kisses and Ol will is the bad guy when he has been just trying to find a cure to bring these guys back to human form. I mean come on, the only guy in new york city and when he is done watching a dvd he returns it and rents another one how bad do you think he is?

code9d on Mar 9, 2008

314

This ending made so much more sense. The elaborate trap to kill Neville's dog, etc., all created a story arc that this "vampire" simply wanted his girl back (I mean, DUH). The fact that a brilliant scientist couldn't deduct it and believed them to have no semblance to human nature/communities was absurd. Had this ending been in the theatrical version, I might not have wanted my money back upon leaving the theater. There was such an opportunity to touch on the paradigms of Other (us vs. them), social constructs, etc. It just seemed as if the producers dumbed it down to the lowest common denominator. Which, of course, given the rampant idiocy out there, is probably why it was such a blockbuster. Thanks for providing this!

Demandra on Mar 9, 2008

315

This movie was complete and utter shit. I read the book 2 weeks before the movie came out because a friend of mine told me about the release of the movie, and let me tell you, the movie 'I am Legend' and the book have nothing to do with each other. Robert was a hard drinking, chain smokin, vampire killing, Badass. Sorry to spoil the ending of the book, but lets just say the women in the movie should have actually been a vampire, the end vampires should have kicked the shit out of Robert and he should have died a horrible tortured death as he realized he was the last man on the planet, a Legend if you will, to th rest of the beings on the planet.

There wasn't even an explanation of how the vampires really worked; the significance of why a cross works against a "vampire," why sunlight kills them, why stakes work but not bullets. This movie should have been SO much more than it was. And seriously?…why Bob Marley throughout the entire film. I should have been on the edge of my seat throughout the whole damn thing, not relaxing thinking the world was going to be ok. This movie needed more grit. All the people that liked this movie are mindless idiots that probably think the "Da Vinci Code," was not only a good book but a great movie.

Tip: if you really want to watch a good movie, watch Citizen Kane, the Bicycle Thief or the 10 Commandments (and not just cause its Easter or because you're in the NRA). Watch the movie, PAY ATTENTION to why the director/DP shoots scenes, and pull you heads out of your collective asses.

FAIL.

Quinn on Mar 9, 2008

316

Brilliant ending. I really liked the movie up until the end. The alternate ending would have been more satisfying.

Loved It on Mar 9, 2008

317

Please, you people need to find a good science fiction film to adore, this film is utter nonsense, boring and unimaginative. Just watch Aftermath Population Zero now playing on the National Geographic channel if you want to know WHY I Am Legend is a bore. The world suddenly without man would be a nightmarish disaster but for this film, Neville's world was, well, kind of mellow, a few weeds, an occasional lion, come on, watch the Nat Geo show and you will see the amazing complexity and catastrophic consequences of a world without man. You people need to read the classics of science fiction and use your imagination, then you need to go to Hollywood and make significant cutting edge ORIGINAL films because this is not one. If you are 10 and you love this film, that's understandable, but if you are an adult, you need to grow up.

nick r on Mar 9, 2008

318

I don't understand. Why didn't they use this ending? It is so much better than the one they used? BTW didn't they blow all the bridges up? I only saw the movie once, so I could be wrong.

autumn on Mar 9, 2008

319

This ending is so much better. It makes me not feel robbed. I hated the ending of the movie so much. I think that the original ending of the movie caused so many contradictions in the rest of the plot that it made me hate its existence. This ending makes me love the movie all over again. Mainly because the whole time watching the final scene I was thinking "Just give them the girl!!!" Now it happened

Lindsay on Mar 9, 2008

320

Hey Scott (#11) why don't you tell us what you really think…

Yaya on Mar 9, 2008

321

I think this ending is better than the theatrical one, even though in general, I didn't think the movie was not very good. Great VFX, CGI, and acting (the vampires looked all the same). Also, I thought the movie was too short, I remember getting out of the movie theater wanting more of the story.

Yaya on Mar 9, 2008

322

I'm incredibly impressed by this.

I thought I saw some promise when we saw the male freaking out early on, his reaching out for her and getting burned hinted at an ending like this. It was just left dangling with the theatrical release.

This ending is so much better.

Kaira on Mar 10, 2008

323

it's much better, when I watched the movie the first time I had this impression that the end looked so so bad! and the entire movie was short!

I'm so sorry they didn't use this end, hopefully they will put this end on the dvd version!…

we'll see

ikkio

ikkio on Mar 10, 2008

324

I am one of the few that actually liked the theatrical ending more - maybe because I have never read the book and therefore am not watching the film with particular expectations.

In the movie it was made clear that the "vampires" have un-evolved back to primitive beings. Therefore the alternate ending doesnt make sense because here is a vampire trying to get back their "loved one" where they can have a nice tender moment for all you bleeding hearts - it just doesn't gel with the rest of the film. The theatrical ending is more consistent with the theme that the vampires can't be reasoned with and therefore only something final like blowing them up will finish them off.

Oh - plus I am sick to death of touchy feely endings where the hero always survives and lives happily ever after. Hollywood needs to kill off the hero more often!

Sirotilk on Mar 10, 2008

325

to tell the truth i wouldn't liked this ending too much, i mean this is too rosy to be a legendary ending, the idea of the the film is not to see human side of the vampires, the idea is to see how great Dr. Neville really is fighting them, trying to stay alive, having a family with 2, 3 kids is not my idea of how this should end, mb it is just me, but i liked the other ending better. anyway, both ending is cook i guess and i would have liked it anyway.

Joy on Mar 10, 2008

326

This is the real ending, not the choosen one! Hoping in a director's cut version.

alessio on Mar 10, 2008

327

I absolutely agree - the theatrical ending was simply disappointing.

vincenzo on Mar 10, 2008

328

Personally I would not have minded, as comment 288 pointed out a mixed ending.

I would have liked to see Neville give the woman the blood, and then bring the vampire woman out to the Alpha vampire, then when the vampires are gone he'd send the woman away, and we'd see her driving away broadcasting the message. Then it cuts back to Neville staring at the wall of pictures of vampires he killed, then he would shoot himself in the head and it would end.

Tucker on Mar 10, 2008

329

I complitely agree, this ending is much more better than the theatrical one. Especially because the theatrical one doesn't make me feel any emotions and hoping for the future and sensations of communication between the Nevillle and the lead vampire…and in my opinion the "men legend" must survive and establish a sort of respect between them…

Silvia on Mar 10, 2008

330

I would have liked to see vampire flashbacks. For instance, the vampire patient the Neville almost "cured" could have flashbacked as she was getting back to being human. She could have flashbacked to her illness and turning vampire, during which maybe she kills and eats her own baby. As she is being cured she remembers what she did, and dozens of other deprications, and begs Neville to kill her, or let her stay a vampire, rather than return to being human and tortured by memories of what she did.

Brendan on Mar 10, 2008

331

I think that both endings don't match Matheson's novel. However I prefer the theatrical ending.
Patrizia, on Mar 10, 2008.

Patrizia on Mar 10, 2008

332

Loved the new endin! I found the theatrical one dry and it left you with a bad taste in ur mouth. The original one portrays vampires as capable of loving and feeling. This was truly amazing. It also portrays Neville as finally realising that he does not listen in more ways than one! A cruel reminder of how he perhaps should have listened to his wife years back. Great to see this version since I hated the ending of the theatrical one!

Lynsey on Mar 10, 2008

333

I have never read the book so this is my interpretation.

They should used this ending. The other left me "Just There".

Neville had a cure and nothing is permanent. I didn't like the fact that after all those years, the ending made Neville a "quitter". He could have device a plan to cure all of the mutants. [ a lease giving us a glimpse of hope]

I had no clue why the lead vampire was so pissed off at Neville. I thought it was because Neville was the "last human" and he was hunting them. Who would have thought that this "PASSIONATE ANGER" was that he wanted to retrieve his love one.

TWO THUMBS UP FOR THE ORIGINAL ENDING!

and remember if a "NOVEL" is "GREAT" and someone decides to turn it into a "MOVIE", there is a 50/50 chance the movie will fall from grace.

Lacee621 on Mar 10, 2008

334

First off, great post. I'm a huge fan of the movie & I'm currently reading the book now. I do have to say that I disagree w/ you about the alternate ending being better though. In my opinion the version we saw in theaters was way better. Why, well for a few reasons. First. Not everything has to be like its original (In this case, why make it like the book. That story has been told why revisit it, I welcome a refreshing new look on things). Secondly, Will's character giving up the girl to the head Hive creature makes no sense if she has the cure in her. They'd (the Hive) reject her & possibly kill her once she's fully healed, not to mention her rejection/fear of them. Another thing that didn't make sense was when the head Hive stopped to wipe his hands on the glass (& paused), ……at what point was it established that these things weren't beasts anymore. Although I know they were once human I don't buy the sudden surge of emotional intelligence. That takes away from the fact that Neville was ALONE fearing for his life against a world of incoherent MONSTERS (it just seems less dangerous/adventurous all of a sudden,). This type of communication between Neville & the Hive is too much like spoon feeding the audience (why not accept that this man is in a lonely struggle but "is" working his way out via his lab studies, not that the he & the beast sympathizes for each other). Having the moment when the monster couple cuddled was too Hollywood typical. I'm a fan of love & all, but why must it be in everything (movie)…it didn't fit the format what so ever. Not having Neville die in the alternate ruined it for me (whether he did in the book or not….haven't gotten there yet) because it crushes his true legend. Living legends are good, but we all know dead legends are more glamorous. Again, I do want to say that this was a great post & I'm glad you still did like the theatrical release of the movie, but to me this alternate ending was just too….easy.

Tony Stark on Mar 10, 2008

335

Much much better ending. It was like the movie went through all the extra trouble to show you that the zombies had a civilized/intelligent side to them (even if Legend didn't see it) and then they just throw it all out to give an overly dramatized ending with Legend killing himself (which was totally unnecessary). The original ending is so much more effective at getting the point across that Legend is the "bad guy", not the necessarily the zombies (which seems to be the original intent of the whole plot).

My wife and I excitedly went to see the movie and loved it, until it ended. We drove the whole way home cursing ourselves for wasting 20 bucks to see such a dumb movie. If this had been the ending we saw, that would've been frikkin awesome and we'd have recommended it to all our friends. Instead, we told them not to waste their money. Watch it on Redbox or better yet, wait till it comes to TV.

Christian on Mar 10, 2008

336

This was a slightly better ending. There should be a third variant. But since there isn't then back to the second. The second is missing some scenes. Between the scene where they cut from the underground lab to the above ground daytime shot there needs to be about 5-10 minutes of more footage to blend/smooth it out. There could actually be a real final climax in there as well but otherwise this ending is also lacking.

Cyborg264 on Mar 10, 2008

337

Like you, once his Dog died I thought the film suffered in quality. I haven't read the book, but I thought it was obvious the head vampire was concerned with his woman from the scene where he almost came out in sunlight, and I couldn't believe that Smith's character kept saying they were devoid of eeling considering what he had witnessed…

I assumed he was going to realise they were there for the woman at the end - when it just descended into hollywood 'blow everything up' ending it was the last straw for me.

While I still think the film needed more work from the point his dog died, this ending would have been much better than the one shown.

frankp on Mar 10, 2008

338

Sorry but no… I disagree.

Robert Neville has to die at the end of this story, otherwise it should really have been called "I am living-legend". It's been a while since I read it, but, to me, the concept that Matheson was trying to get across is that we are so self-righteous that even if (in the case of Neville) there was only one human on the planet, his right to survive would superceed any other creature's (i.e. the infected). The execution of Neville in the book is key, and I would have loved to see something similar.

I enjoyed the Lawrence adaptation, but always felt that the ending was a let down. I don't think this alternative is particularly enkeeping with the rest of the story though. The idea of absolute loss of human emotion is introduced during the story (by Neville); all that is left of the infected, is the necessity to survive. I agree with some previous posts that a mix-ending may have been best.

In short, Neville must die, and preferably not by his own hand!

RJ on Mar 10, 2008

339

Thanks for sharing this mate, not seen the film and was really up for it until I heard it didn't follow the book. I saw the trailer when it was first out and prompted me to read the book. For such a short book I thought it was amazing and was really looking forward to seeing the film until I found out what the ending was. If I knew it was this ending then I would of went to see it and gladly given my money. I still prefere the book and would of been a die hard supporter if it followed it.

This may of convinced me to buy the DVD.

Adamski on Mar 10, 2008

340

absolutely loved this alternative ending.
so much better than the one shown in theaters :]

Katie on Mar 10, 2008

341

This ending was lame - HOW do those ravening beasts not kill him? It came out of nowhere. Theatrical ending was far better.

Matt on Mar 10, 2008

342

I think this endig makes more sense than the other one respect to the continuity of the movie (head monster braves the sun, neville comments about it but thinks they are still animals, they set him up thus showing they are intelligent…) and I was kinda expecting the love between monsters to come out at the end…but it's also true that this ending doesn't make sense because the monsters should tear him to pieces so I agree with comment 288..thx 4 the post btw

d on Mar 10, 2008

343

makes me want to reed the book now and makes me appreciate this movie more

corbin on Mar 10, 2008

344

Agreed. I prefer this ending. It suits the movie title.

Adrian on Mar 10, 2008

345

Hmmm, pretty good. But not very emotional for me. Indeed, I felt Neville's sacrifice was more emotional in the original ending. Personally, I don't care what the creatures percieve Neville as, because they no longer care. It's apparant that their only reason for living, is to feed. Neville should be a legend to the survivors, as it is his voice that leads Anna to him, and eventually saves the world(we are lead to assume.)
This is a good substitute, but not as good as the original ending.

Joshua Cookingham on Mar 10, 2008

346

*comment removed due to offensive material*

I am Roberto on Mar 10, 2008

347

Profound is the word. The feeling I get with this ending, just says hey. No matter how different we may seem, even monsterous…..at the end of the day we all understand want Love. And we all not matter who or what we are will fight for it.

That is the connetion, for all of us.

This film should have had the alternate ending…..they blew an opportunity here….

Eric D on Mar 10, 2008

348

So, did a roomful of people watch both of these and unanimously choose the worst ending to put into the theaters? This alternate was a wonderful ending. The movie ending was awful. It was a borderline Rambo-style ending for the character.

Mike Kutha on Mar 10, 2008

349

much better ending, why kill off the one trying to save us all ot leaves a blank and bleak message about society and our expectations for survival in any situation that is challenging. thank you for showing me this.

anthony k on Mar 10, 2008

350

I love the book and I think this alternative ending is much, much better than the "original" one.
I wish this was the version out in the theaters and not that crappy one…

KastaRules on Mar 10, 2008

351

I read and really liked the book and this should have been the ending they went with. This ending turns the movie from a good to great movie in my opinion.

ZacH Licht on Mar 10, 2008

352

That was great. When I saw this movie, I was disappointed that they did not even explain the whole concept of the book/movie title. The whole idea that he was a legend for finding the cure is totally off-tangent with the book that I read the book again just to feel better.

This ending is better suited to the book, but Neville was supposed to die by the hands of the vampires for them to achieve their own justice.

Yurs on Mar 10, 2008

353

I wish they would have followed the book exactly. This ending was better than what was shown, but the movie was still…very lacking.

On a side note: The bridge was blown up earlier, so how the hell did they drive away?

Cobra on Mar 10, 2008

354

I very much rather this ending than the one in the theatical version. First off for the simple fact that the theatrical version didnt keep up with the "connection" the lead vampire had with the female vampire. It showed a glimpse of how the lead vampire felt after Neville captured her, but didnt follow through enough to be sure of it. This ending showed the actual feelings of it all and how they felt towards Robert Neville. Its ironic that him trying to fix his mistake was a mistake all along. Crazy.

The relationship with him and Sam was just all too real and amazing. I LOVED the fact that it wasnt one of those "hero falls in love with girl, live happily ever after"

The love for the female actress in this movie was his best friend and companion sam.

And believe me, i cried when he had to let her go.

Celeste on Mar 10, 2008

355

I prefer the theater ending… sorry.

Eduardo on Mar 10, 2008

356

Hoy crap! I never read the book, but that was an ENDING, not just an end to the movie, like they actually showed.

This would have been SO much better.

Clay on Mar 10, 2008

357

I enjoyed the ending here WAY better than the ending in the movie… the movie one left me feeling very confused. I still don't know why he had to go out in a blaze of glory like that… his death was seemingly unnecessary to me.

Warren on Mar 11, 2008

358

it was way better then the cinema version.

som on Mar 11, 2008

359

OMG i loved this ending.

i personally loved the movie, and would of preferred the ending. Rather than the dam film companines also made it taht he "found" the cure on the same date and time as september 11.

also all the bridges were destroyed…… just thought you would like to know

WilSZN on Mar 11, 2008

360

A very good article Alex and thanks for sharing the alternate ending.
I watched the theatrical version last night and even with no prior knowledge of Richard Matheson's book the ending did feel a bit like a cop out. The alternative seemed to 'fit' so much better. Watching the movie I did wonder about the idea of a zombie/vampire/whatever 'society' but the theatrical version obviously didn't go down that road.
Thanks again.

Richard on Mar 11, 2008

361

LOL, the vampire zombies obviously rebuilt the bridge at night when Wiill Smith was sleeping (that was the sound you heard while he was sleeping in the tub) construction, not the soulless moan of the thousands of mutant vampire zombies… just to let you know

Kevin on Mar 11, 2008

362

Oh and this ending was WAY BETTER, I felt it gave much more feeling to the movie, and I LOVE that they didn't show some survivor colony surrounded by some 12 foot wall that the vampires just couldn't seem to climb/ was too cold to go out and find, which is crap because last February in Manhattan I freezed my ass of in 15 degree weather.

Thanks for posting the clip!!!!!

Kevin on Mar 11, 2008

363

Still a real shit film, a total waste of time!!!

Billy on Mar 11, 2008

364

This ending makes this film strong and a story with a message i cant understand why WB thought their ending was better.

Brent on Mar 11, 2008

365

omg all the comments

coyo on Mar 11, 2008

366

I have not read the novel, but the theatrical ending, looking at I am Legend from a zombie-like survival movie point of view, was a complete let down. When the movie started I was excited to see a new take on the genre, which usually follows an average person during the zombie/monster take-over. I am Legend shows what happens long after humans are nearly all gone, from the perspective of someone who knows how to survive. The original ending seems to fit much better, and it's interesting that he is still alive at the end. His survival implies that, at the end of an epidemic, those immune to whatever happened will proceed with their now-somewhat-different lives separate from those infected/affected. I'm not sure if that would be accurate, but it's interesting to think about.

Alexander D on Mar 11, 2008

367

I've read the book, and watched the movie. This ending is astonishing, the books ending is different. WB made a huge mistake by killing Robert

Ozan Keskin on Mar 11, 2008

368

It'd be cool if they used real people as zombies in the movie instead of the TERRIBLE CG atrocities that made the final cut (the effects studio responsible for these crimes should be ashamed of themselves). Actually, the fact that they didn't (use real people) is another reason on top of many as to why this was one of the biggest steaming piles of shit ever pushed out by Hollywood. See what happens when they get a good story? They dress it up with Will Smith in a Mustang (how the fuck was that car spotless) and proceed to shit all over any sort of artistic integrity the original author possessed.

Jake Tracker on Mar 11, 2008

369

Thank you so much for posting this. I enjoyed every moment of the movie up until the final ten minutes where I found myself disappointed. Having never read the book I never grasped the true meaning behind the 'legend' aspect of the title. I have felt uncomfortable with the released ending ever since I saw it but after watching this ending I am much more satisfied in having the the a chapter of the story be complete. WB chose the wrong ending.

Bryce Carter on Mar 11, 2008

370

I don't like the new ending…and I wasn't crazy about the original either.

In this new one it's appears like, "Hey, the zombies aren't that bad, and Will Smith gets to live!" I've never read the book, and they appear to be zombies, and one glance at the wall by Will Smith doesn't make me understand…"Wait, Neville is the bad guy!" You have to understand from the point of view of a person who's never read the book that Will Smith has been built up as a good guy for 2 hours. If you expect a person to figure that out from one glance to the wall, when they're geared mentally towards an action flick, good luck with that. This alternate ending only makes sense if you've read the book and I would guess less than 10 percent of the people who saw the movie read the book.

Of course, the original theatrical ending was crap too. I knew she was going to find the village. Can't send people out of the theater without a happy ending. Can't have a gray area for them to fill in the blanks.

The book ending sounds pretty kick ass, but it would never happen in the modern cinema. Hell, I was shocked they killed off the main character in the theater ending…how will they get a sequel?

whitemale_98 on Mar 11, 2008

371

By the way, in my opinion, the only way to get people to understand a twist ending is to hit them in the face with all the subtlety of a frying pan to the face.

To serve man…you don't understand…it's a cook book!

whitemale_98 on Mar 11, 2008

372

WOW. What a joke of an ending. Seeing how many people though prefer it to the original, I can see why they went with the original one instead. Sorry folks, but just because you have been fed sappy happy ending after happy ending for pretty much every movie put out by Hollywood doesn't mean that when they decide to actually kill off the protagonist is a mistake on part of the studio. Looking at this alternate one and watching Will Smith try to play all hurt and remorseful was like a kick in the nuts. What crap!

Oh yeah, gotta laugh at the people who say "WB Made a mistake!!!!!". Yeah, as if you'd know, you peons.

AlexB on Mar 11, 2008

373

Alex, you are so true! I saw I AM LEGEND together with a friend and my brother, and at the ending we all had the same reaction: "Great movie; though being sort of a vampire-movie it was still very original, fantastic acting by Will Smith (as always), the right atmosphere, great psychological stuff in it (the way Neville is being shown as extremely lonely)… actually we thought this almost was a perfect movie.

There was only one thing we just couldn't really get somehow. The ending simply didn't seem to feel right. It wasn't a bad ending or something, it was quite surprising actually. It was extreme also. So it wasn't bad after all. But like I said, somehow it just didn't feel right.

Now I've seen the alternative ending… and the funny thing is: THIS was the kind of ending we all were expecting. In many cases, a movie IS great when the plot is so extremely surprising as the original ending was. But with I AM LEGEND, we were not only expecting the alternative ending. We were also hoping for it, and we all thought it would've been the better ending.

Anyways, I think you'll get my point by now
I completely agree with you!


greetings,

Bart Holwerda

Bart on Mar 11, 2008

374

WOW!!!! Great I'd but this on Blueray The original ending was kina week and a letdown
Thanks for posting this

Phillip.

Count0nz on Mar 11, 2008

375

Now that I've seen this true ending I am thoroughly disgusted with the change. It bothered me the first time that I saw it and this ending only solidifies that WB needs to wake up. It's not always about large bangs to complete the ending to a movie. Sometimes following the natural progression of a story line doesn't call for it. SHAME ON YOU WB!

alw101373 on Mar 11, 2008

376

1. these things shouldnt have feelings.
2. if he were to make it out alive, he wouldnt be a legend, he'd be a hero and eventually forgotten, then turned into a folk tale.
therefore, even though the movie was shit, the ended was upgraded.

eincross on Mar 11, 2008

377

1. these things shouldnt have feelings.
2. if he were to make it out alive, he wouldnt be a legend, he'd be a hero and eventually forgotten, then turned into a folk tale.
therefore, even though the movie was shit, the ended was upgraded.
#2

eincross on Mar 11, 2008

378

I much prefer this ending.

Maureen Smith on Mar 11, 2008

379

I Loved this alternate ending

IcedNyior on Mar 11, 2008

380

This ending was better than the theatrical. I could stand to watch the whole movie again knowing this was coming rather than the putrid garbage at the end of the theatrical release. Its still nowhere near as good as the novels ending. I wish film makers and studios would start staying a bit more true to stories that have dark endings rather than making them "happy" so the mindless masses will pay the ticket price.

Daniel Hathaway on Mar 12, 2008

381

I'm sorry but I'm glad this ending wasn't used. Quite frankly, I think it's fuckin' retarded.

All of a sudden this crazy, infected vampire is a caring human being that growls? Gimme a break.

And in terms of being a "powerful ending," the theatrical wasn't THAT much of one, but this one is far less than even that. It's not powerful at all. It's a Hollywood happy ending that frankly makes less sense than the theatrical ending.

Tom on Mar 12, 2008

382

This ending is much better, this should have been the theatrical release's ending. Much more thought provoking then Neville simply blowing himself up.

Although it does raise further questions for me as to how much humanity the other vampires have, do they also retain any shred of humanity left themselves for wanting to protect their loved ones (if they have any).. or if they are simply drones willing to throw themselves mindlessly in harms way under their leaders bidding, which was the way it seemed throughout the entire movie.

This ending still wasn't perfect though as per usual Hollywood still cannot seem to offer any other alternate then endings then that which are 'happy'.

Random User on Mar 12, 2008

383

I must say you are correct in my eyes. I loved this movie, except the last 10 minutes. I couldn,t put my finger on what I didn't like other than it just didn't seem right. I got a version that was supposed to be the alternate and wasn't so this morning I decided to read about it when I found this blog "thank god!" I really enjoyed this ending and think that I can now say theres nothing I didn't like about this version. Thank you.

tshannon on Mar 12, 2008

384

I'd have prefered it if he'd shot the lead vamp then jumped in the garbage chute and blown the lab up , its what i'd have done!

Steven on Mar 12, 2008

385

superior ending, much more thought provoking. A films always successful when u are still thinking about it later, which I certainly wasn't with the original end though now with the factor of Smith being in the wrong, it was a whole lot more interesting

Nk on Mar 12, 2008

386

This ending sucked just like the movie….

Andy on Mar 12, 2008

387

IT's perfect

davide on Mar 12, 2008

388

I haven't read the book at all, though I may hunt it down now.

My brother was the one that recommended the film to me, and he mentioned having some issues with the ending. I am pretty sure he was unaware of the alternate ending, just as I was.

Having watched the original ending I have to agree that it would have made a much better end to the movie. I think it gave a little more explanation to why the vampire creatures had followed them back, and it just seemed to work so much better.

CatK on Mar 12, 2008

389

I much prefer the alternate ending to the theatrical one. I really don't believe that a character ought to die just for the sake of having a dramatic climax to a movie. The idea of Neville being a legend to the vampires is dramatic enough in itself. But then again people are so shallow nowadays. Tsk.

Andrea on Mar 12, 2008

390

Here's the facts the way I see it. I liked the alt ending better, it fit the movie well, but still wasn't as good as the novel.

I read the book years before there was even mention of a movie. I loved it, and was just about sick when I discovered that a movie remake was being made with Will Smith of all people playin Neville. I like Smithie quite a lot, but he doesn't fit the character at all- there is nothing generic and ambiguous about him at all. Anyway, the film wasn't as bad as I expected, it had a few good ideas thrown in there and was quite entertaining- but the special effects destroyed half of it, and the ending was a joke. This alternate ending is certainly an improvement, it feels like much more of a conclusion- ending one conflict and leaving it open as to what happens next.

Some who haven't read the book TOTALLY do not understand what it's all about, or what actually happens in the conclusion of the novel.

Book spoilers here. The ending for those who want to read it, I'm doing this out of (controlled ) anger at the people who clearly think the book is based on the movie.

Basically, Neville spots the first person he has seen in 5 years or somewhat. He grabs her an basically 'naps her, because he hasn't had human contact in quite a while. Then, a bit later, he grabs her wrist and some of her tan rubs off on him. He realises that she is in fact a Vampire, adapted to living in sunlight, with all this special chemical business. She is, in fact a Special Forces/ Secret Service member of some sort, a kind of spy who has been sent to infiltrate his household. In fact it turns out that a whole wee society of vampires has grown up elsewhere, totally civilised, and the legend of him killing hundreds of their numbers has been passed along, possibly cross-country- YES Vampires can actually talk, it's clear some people who haven't read the book do not understand this. After discovering the woman is a Vampire, a bunch of Vampires in SWAT gear burst in, killing a number of the other Vampires (who are like animals in their eyes) and nab Neville.

In the conclusion, Neville is being held in a prison, waiting for execution- just like any death penalty in America or anywhere else- because he has killed so many (the alt ending seemed to get this right in the movie adaptation, but it was a bit more sentimental/ less deadly), and the woman he saw before comes along and gives him some pills so that he dies peacefully before they execute him. He realises the way perception of the legend has been twisted, and that he is now a Legend himself. The last line being:

"I Am Legend."

The Shed on Mar 12, 2008

391

The fact that anyone could claim this is even close to the book makes my brain hurt. If you actually read it, you would be aware that Neville had no such understanding with the vampires after he freed one of them. Nor did he even come close to surviving. Not to mention that he was the last known human alive in the book. There was not a hidden colony in the forests of New Hampshire somewhere. The original theatrical ending at least kills Neville off, if in a somewhat more dramatic fashion. The whole idea of the colony does more to ruin the ending of that movie than anything else. This alternate ending is even worse.

White Shadow on Mar 12, 2008

392

99% of you have no place to debate the quality of the ending when you haven't read the book. Read it. The ending would have been better if it was done the same way as the book. They missed the boat on this one. Although I understand moving the story into a city rather than a suburb, the entire movie was inaccurate from start to finish. Both endings are awful. The author of this article isn't brilliant either. Rather than show support for an alternate ending, someone should let Warner Brothers know that this "interpretation" as Billington so cleverly put it, is barely even similar to the book because they literally rewrote the whole thing. The only constants I saw were that there was a guy still alive and killing vampires, vampires, and a dog. DIAF.

Esteban D on Mar 12, 2008

393

From day one I had a problem with the ending theatrical version of the movie. It did not seem complete, nor in tune with the whole movie itself. This alternate ending seem more plausible and in keeping with the whole tenor of the movie. I agree, it still does not do justice to the book, but, at least it put a better cap to the movie than the one in the screened version.

Locksley on Mar 12, 2008

394

Awesome. I wish that had been the original ending.

Damon on Mar 12, 2008

395

This alternate ending sucks. I liked the "unhollywood" way the main character dies. Although i think the original concept of the book is good, the way the vampires are portrayed in this movie makes the
alternate ending very unbelieveble. Those bloodthursty vampires suddenly turning into a couple of lovebirds… Its just riridiculus. Sorry…

koen on Mar 12, 2008

396

This ending was much better. Thanks.

ed on Mar 12, 2008

397

Definitively a better ending!!!

RB on Mar 12, 2008

398

didn't like the ending in the theater, loved this ending… end of my story!

scotcho on Mar 12, 2008

399

I thought this was a way better ending to the film than the original. Actually this was probably the original and then the studios skrewed it up. This new ending brings a different light to Nevilles character and really brings out an aspect of the film that wasnt aluded to in the theatrical ending. The "Vampires" ,if you can really call them that, actually never lost their humanity it just eveolved as did their bodies to the virus. Neville was actually a causual factor in the whole mess and in this new ending turns out to be the antagonizer instead of the hero looking for the cure. He dose however find the cure. which brings up other interesting questions. When I saw thsi in theaters I was dissappointed by the last ten minutes only and thought to myself why did that women and the kid show up for no reason. I didnt make any since. This is a classic example of why Hollywood Studios get involved and ruin a movie by trying to appeal to to wide an audience. Look. This movie was well done it had good acting and I thought that Will Smiths acting was strong regardless of the lack of character development. This new ending was right on except for the happy ending. I know it goes against the books story and the film but I think Neville should have turned into a vampire in the end to show that just as the vampires had eveolved so did the virus. The women and kid should never have been involved in the first place. They were stale characters anyway and brought nothing to the story line in my opinion. Thanks for the new ending it really changed my opinion about the film and I may even buy the DVD now. It makes you wonder what other great stuff was left on the cutting room floor.

JayWok on Mar 12, 2008

400

I really don't understand why they didn't go with this ending. The one shown in the theaters wasn't really bad, but all of the build up with the main vampire being obviously "emotionally-attached" in some way to the girl doesn't pan out very well in the original ending. In my opinion, the alternate makes much more sense and actually challenges our view of what it means to be "life-deserving". I would not have purchased this movie with the theater ending…it's just lacking something.

BT on Mar 12, 2008

401

4 sure a better way to end this tale. Isometines think that movie makers are focusing too much on awesome computer generated graphics and forget to tell a good story. The theater version was good-but I much prefer this ending. As an added bonus the alternate ending could have sparked a sequil!!!

mrturdstirer on Mar 12, 2008

402

Well that truly was amazing it really did make me a bit upset! I think that should definately have been on the movie or even put on the DVD as an extra when it comes out. I am a HUGE Will Smith fan and i think that he has done very well in this film. But that ending was absolutley….well im just speechless.

Thanks for showing it XD

Sophie on Mar 12, 2008

403

This ending by far topped the charts for me! The theatrical ending was thr ruining part of a movie that I was really lookng forward to see! If this ending was in I would have bought the gone to watch it again and recommended my friends.

Baden on Mar 12, 2008

404

this was the goods, however there is should be no lady and child, and freshprince should die at ends

anonymouse on Mar 12, 2008

405

A huge improvement! This ending leaves you with a feeling of hope. Considering it ties along closer to concepts in the book, i feel as though this is the ending that should be the one associated with the film. DON'T BE FOOLS Warner Bros! Seriously!

Zach on Mar 12, 2008

406

Never did like the ending in the theater and was confused because in previews you see neville and the head vamp face to face…this is THE ending, much more what I expected and it storylines the book better. I hated the act that there was some village and humans were slowly gathering back together. Takes the LEGEND part out of the whole story

Ryan on Mar 12, 2008

407

This was far better than the ending showed in cinemas! I would have been able to wholeheartedly recommend the film with an ending like this. As it was, the last few minutes overshadowed the rest of the film for me. I wish it had been shown with this scene instead.

Rachel on Mar 12, 2008

408

Wait, are you suggesting that Warner Brothers — The WB, fer crying out loud! — might have made a . . . mistake in going with the bang-up ending? P-shaw! These are EXPERTS! How dare you second guess them.

Blah, blah, blah.

WITH THAT ENDING, the movie swings, baby. Absolutely fantastic. AND it clears up a mystery: once upon a PR time, there was talk amongst the WB boffins of how they are looking to the the Disney / PotC thang with everything with their initials on it and spin Neville into a multi-part hero. Heck, with THAT set up (the no-see-um version, that is), it coulda gone James Bond-like. Or, uh, original Planet of the Apes-esque. Hmmm . . .

Or . . . right! Genius! Gangway for Success!

A Cavemen-like spin-off (http://imdb.com/title/tt0981216/) for TV: Dash Mihok & Joanna Numata in "The Honeymooners Redux." Or it just coulda been Ms. Numata siting around for a half-an-hour. That'd been pretty watchable, too.

E "Eddy"Edwards on Mar 12, 2008

409

Way way way better ending. Thanks for posting!

Jason on Mar 12, 2008

410

I really liked both endings. But I like the original ending better, because the good guy can't always win. But, I liked both endings.

JoeMama on Mar 12, 2008

411

I haven't read the book but I HATED the ending of the movie nonetheless. I think the emotions between the lead characters were portrayed well enough in the film to use the alternate ending. THIS ENDING IS SO MUCH BETTER!!!!!!!!!!!! It brings so much more to the movie…it is unbelievable.

Rachel on Mar 12, 2008

412

This was a real happy ending but I like the theatrical ending better. It makes you feel the sorrow and agony the hero had to experience all alone. This feeling would vanish it was a happy ending.
Anyway, with either ending the movie was very good.

V on Mar 12, 2008

413

I did prefer this ending to the theatrical one much in the same way I would prefer a swift bullet to the head over a slow death by drowning. Bottom line: the means are easier to take but the final product still sucks. The movie completely missed the entire point of the book. I cannot emphasize this enough. The ENTIRE POINT of the book was obliterated by Hollywood. Imagine that. Basically, I say if any of you haven't seen this movie yet go rent it (because it is decent for the most part) but turn it off with 10 minutes to go. Better yet, save some money and borrow the book from the library. The last paragraph of that book is enough to blow your mind.

John on Mar 12, 2008

414

I love this ending so much more than the one the studio selected. The humanity of it is so touching. We need violence to feel satisfied.

kim on Mar 12, 2008

415

I am legend, the movie not the book, was to me a movie about a man and his dog. Nothing more. Therefore once the dog dies the movie should have ended. But it keeps going, and goes downhill fast.

Atleast with this ending you relate the concept of his love for the dog with these two people though.

David on Mar 12, 2008

416

I liked this ending better overall, but Neville still should have died. The book's whole purpose was to show how Neville was the legend to the vampires, much like they are to us. When I first saw the movie, I thought Anna was going to be the evolved vampire and lure Neville into his capture. It was changed for this, fine. Perhaps Neville could have sent them away and he stayed behind to attempt more research, and that is when the vampires could execute him. This ending was closer to the fantastic ending of the book, but it still could have been better.

Steve on Mar 12, 2008

417

This ending shits all over the original.
I loved the movie up until the chick saved him…… gay
Then the end just absolutely killed the movie for me and i left the cinema very disappointed.
It wasn't until a watched it for the second time that i began to appreciate the film, but this ending capped it off for me and would by far be preferred ending.

Aaron on Mar 12, 2008

418

both endings are horrible…

qtarantino on Mar 12, 2008

419

Man.. this alternate ending is SOOOO much better than the one they released!
I also was one of the people that just loved the movie until the woman arrived.
I mean it was still good, but it did feel too "hollywood"… especially how her char ended up being with the whole "you're not alone" sappy bullshit.

I've never read the book so don't know how it's 'supposed' to actually be so my commenting is only about the movie.

LisaL on Mar 12, 2008

420

The sheer stupidity of the original article and most of the prior comments has driven me to post…
For the record, there are about to be spoilers:
I have seen only a few that got it right earlier in their comments. The whole point of the book was that in the end, Robert Neville was the "legend." The one that was now different, and no longer fit into the society. This is not addressed AT ALL by either ending.
We have the one where he dies (which is at least right), but then there's an entire colony of people thriving, and fighting back. So far off I'm not even going there.
Or, we can choose the ending that Neville survives in (WHAT!?) because the vampires that have been going after him the entire time decide that the love interest? of the main vampire is now more important than their animalistic instincts. Had the rest of the movie actually followed the book a little better this actually would have been tolerable. In the book the vampires were split into 2 distinct groups, the more pure ones, that were actually intelligent, and even talked to Neville (with words, not just growls and nasty looks), and the wild ones, that were even hunted by the first group. The intelligent (book) vampires might have been capable of such an act; allowing Neville to live in return for one their own back. But not the movie vampires. Not once did they show such intelligence.
How anyone could say that the new ending is closer to the original is beyond me? They're both so far from the original that their difference in negligible.
Now that I've gotten most of the rant out of my system (I could easily write a lot more about why both endings sucked in comparison to the book) I will say that the movie was enjoyable at points as just a stand alone movie, but not as "I Am Legend." And if anything I prefer the theatrical ending, because they do not suddenly change the dynamics of the vampires, and Neville still dies. It's rare to actually see a movie that allows the main protagonist to die in the end.

AndyLand on Mar 12, 2008

421

Wow. This is terrible. Not this ending, but rather how incredibly stupid the producers were to do this.

When I saw the film, so much was pointing toward an ending like this. Then they change the ending, BUT leave in the things that point to this humanity in the creatures, wtf?

Even worse, with Neville's comments on how, what is really an act of humanity, the venturing into the light for the girl, is an indication of a complete loss of humanity.

It is just so stupid when they try to change one element at the end of production, and end up with a film that contradicts itself in so many ways.

I woo loved the film up until the last 20-30 min. Largely because they all lead to the ending we saw.

Were it to lead to an ending like this one, the film would have been so much better. Not just for a better ending, but because it keeps the rest of the film together within itself. This one change at the end that they made unravels so much already set up in the film. So much set up, and then just abandoned so they could do a different ending.

If you're gonna change the ending like that, you can't abandon all else you put into it without changing it to be appropriate.

GDW on Mar 12, 2008

422

I've never read the book. But as I was watching the last few minutes, I was actually expecting something like the alternate ending. The theatrical ending was abrupt, unexpected. We want our heroes to live, and we want our legends to actually be legendary. The alternate ending provided both. Thanks!

Ramon Antonio on Mar 12, 2008

423

Much better ending. The theatrical ending was hollow, but this actually offers some emotion. Let the studio know they messed it up and the concept from the book, which is probably why they chose it in the first place, was right.

BC on Mar 12, 2008

424

I actually preferred the ending in the movie! @ Ramon how does the alternate ending make him legendary? In the movie ending he sacrifices himself for the good of humanity, in this ending he realises that his studies have been disproven and there is an element of humanity left in the dark seekers. This alternative ending leaves too many holes in my opinion. I'd rather see heroes go out in a blaze of glory any day than ride off into the sunset with the woman slung over his horse, maybe a spagetti western would suit better

Rossc007 on Mar 13, 2008

425

I want to know (without having read the book yet) why there had to be a mention of God and his plans? I enjoyed the film, right up until the woman and the boy entered it, with her message about god. Really, it felt unnecessary and to be honest kind of lame.

hannah22 on Mar 13, 2008

426

If you have a question and you haven't read the book, then you should read the book. It is really short, maybe 200 pages. Easy read.

Esteban D on Mar 13, 2008

427

Ramon Antonio: the original history, the book, not the stupid adaptation that they do, has no hero, no hope, and there´s no promising future for the "human" race. Because in the moment that Neville dies, he becomes the legend. If he not dies, is just another stupid human.

Hannah22: go read the book, in the novel, Neville becomes a modern Jesuchrist, even, there´s more religious symbols, that the producer decides to replace with the Bob Marley speech…

qtarantino on Mar 13, 2008

428

This ending makes much more sense in the plot of the movie. You clearly see that the lead "Dark Seeker" has a grudge against Neville and with the ending shown in theaters you don't get a resolution as to why did he set him up, why did they pursue him now, considering he's been around for over three years.

The concept of him being reversed from the vampire legend is great and I appreciate the movie so much more thinking this is the message that could be transmitted.

PhoenixP3K on Mar 13, 2008

429

I Haven't read the book but I reallt prefer this kind of ending….I think that the One we've seen in theaters was too Rude and n sad….after havin already seen the death of his Dog….Nice decision to put this ending in DVD's

Guido on Mar 13, 2008

430

Both endinds are good enough for me. I did not read the book yet, so I think this way, the director will always have the chance to sell director's cut movie… more money

jjavier on Mar 13, 2008

431

When will Hollywood learn that audiences like endings to make sense, not just to blow up? Whoever chose the theatrical ending should be fired. This original ending is MUCH better.

Eoin on Mar 13, 2008

432

Wow.

I don't think it directly addressed the theme of Mattheson's story exceptionally well, but it did acknowedge it at least, and it is many, many, times better than the theatrical version. Had this version been attached to the end of the theatrical release, I believe Will Smith may have received an Oscar nomination.

Roninspoon on Mar 13, 2008

433

What pissed me off about I am Legend was that they never seemed to acknowledge the culture that they demonstrated being built up by the vampires and that Smith's heman posturing was fulfilled at the end totally frustrated me as well. In this, the other is acknowledged. I love this ending.

pbp on Mar 13, 2008

434

This is SO much better….. oh wow.

Thomas Mannino on Mar 13, 2008

435

This ending is FANTASTIC.

Amurana on Mar 13, 2008

436

WOW!!!, GREAT, GREAT, GREAT, BEAUTIFUL, EXCELLENT, this is the REAL end, i saw the film, and definitively, i prefer this end, is better, I LOVE IT!

Jack - Mexico on Mar 13, 2008

437

damn. that was a much better ending.
i too loved the movie up untill the ending.
I have yet to read the book myself, i have started it, but am only a few chapters into it.
this ending makes me want to read it much more since i can see it is much deeper than i imagined.
thats annoying when hollywood thinks people cant handle a nice ending that is actually deep and doesnt have alot of things exploding.

sigh. and i like that you are making a big deal about it. hopefully some hollywood dudes are listening.

Rachael on Mar 13, 2008

438

Wow… When I saw the fim at the theater all I could think of was "I feel bad, I feel bad and I don't want to go to the cinema and end up in a bad mood… It's not my idea of entertainment…" I felt sad, because, although I hadn't read the book, as the film developed I was waiting for a real climax, and I hadn't ot it. I was expecting something that would show that the vampires were not just irrational monsters… Neville mentions somewhere in the film that they have no rules, no hierarchy, no bit of humanity at all… but a couple of times the film showed a primal hierarchy, with that vampire leader actually leading… So I was waiting for an ending that would reveal that fact, that the monsters were somehow contempt with their fate, that although they were not really humans, they thrived, that they were not just monsters but a new species… (now that I think of it, the fact that, with all their violence, they were able to live together without killing themselves was an obvious tip in that direction… they hunted only others, so they were self-conscious…)

And here it comes and I get to see the very ending I was hoping for develop under my eyes…. just amazing!!!

Hanami on Mar 13, 2008

439

This ending was much better then the other one!

Stephanie on Mar 13, 2008

440

WOW, DOESNT MAKE SENSE NO WONDER THEY CHANGED THE ENDING

acceiz on Mar 13, 2008

441

Damn it I *knew* it. I knew there was a reason he was coming so hard, and it had to be for the girl. Why do they DO this to movies?

cavalaxis on Mar 13, 2008

442

from a visually artistic perspective, i am so glad that warner brothers decided to include this ending in the dvd. i worked on the visual effects on this movie and was so disappointed when we were told to redo the ending. our zombies looked amazing in this sequence. we never get to really see them up close until then. many, many hours and tons of sweat were spent getting them to look this good and then have the shots deleted was very disheartening. this happens all the time in our industry, but this one was a tough one to take. i hope everyone who sees this new ending will enjoy it as much as most of you have.

anonymous on Mar 13, 2008

443

Thanks for "making a bit deal" about this ending. I saw I am Legend in theaters several months back and was IMMENSELY disappointed with the ending. I agree with many others that the plot seem to consistently decline with the entrance of the female protagonist. While the film likely would not have had wide appeal had it stuck closely to the novel, the alternate ending provides a good degree of thoughtfulness to the film which, I think, people really enjoy. This ending was without question a botch-job. It makes enormous sense that it in fact WAS a cut and paste act, given that it felt like they ran out of money funding the big New York scenes and had to cut the film short because of bad planning. The trite, idealistic "he lives on in our hearts" ending was a slap in the face. It seemed very clearly to be a patch over a gaping hole. Though this ending is still a bit dissatisfying (they just didn't develop the plot well enough and focused too much on the protagonist's isolation), it is FAR more satisfying than the theatrical ending. I agree with some others that this is one of the worst film making mistakes I've ever witnessed (relative to the scope and budget of the film as a whole, and the weight and popularity of the novel/story). I suspect the main reason this feature did "well" in the box office (besides the lack of intellectual integrity in many an American mind) is that they packaged the previews quite well and made viewing the film look quite enticing. I imagine that, had they employed this ending, the box office results would have been much better. Unfortunately there's no clear fiscal indication of this film's failure to deliver, but such a mess up does deserve some measure of noticeable negative consequences so that such foolishness doesn't occur again. I'm glad they're at least offering the ORIGINAL ending on the DVD.

Andrew T. on Mar 13, 2008

444

I was really excited to hear this book had made it to screen….and with one of my favourite actors to boot. I loved the entire film until the end. The altruistic self-sacrifice is moving, and is also parallel to Matheson's final scene…..however the way it played out completely disregarded Matheson's entire concept.

To become a legend, Man must die.

The original ending was formulaic hollywod - cotton candy gratification that dissolves as quickly as you begin to taste it. It followed the formula of every zombie flick ever - man's last stand against the monster, and in the end, the last few stragglers drive off into the sunset, carrying nothing but hope. I love zombie flicks, and I love the formula.

….But in this case I think it was dishonest to brand the movie in Matheson's name and discard the humanity in the monsters. Those moviegoers who came because they loved the book were buying tickets to the wrong movie.

This alternate ending, while still a drastic change from the book, finally does justice to the monsters, and the book's concept. It comes closer, and it is Much Better!

Still, I would like to see Hollywood take a risk, and accept the finality in the Matheson ending. Let mankind die. It's just a movie after all.

Brigid on Mar 13, 2008

445

Look the biggest problem with the ending that was seen above is that first there where survivers and so that completely took away from the idea of him being a legend to the vampires.

2nd the lead vampire should have ordered his kill even though legend gave him back his girl. Its entirely unrealistic.

Haplo on Mar 13, 2008

446

I thanks you fo this ending. It's not like the book, but it shows why Ben keeps coming back.
To the people who don't know who Ben is, he's the 'lead' vampire.

Jacob P. on Mar 13, 2008

447

So, it means that Robert Neville doesn't really found the cure for the "vampires"?
Plus, the leader of the "vampires" set a trap on Robert because Robert caught the "girlfriend" of the leader of the "vampires"?

this is so COOL..!
thanks for sharing your blessing, man..! ^_^

WB only cares about only the money and the enjoyment of their audiences?!
i pity them.

Ged on Mar 13, 2008

448

I liked this ending more than the theatrical ending simply because it ties the book and the rest of the movie together (somewhat). I think that Neville should have died in this ending though, although it may have been a bit too much for people who haven't read the book to process. I think by killing him it would have showed that the new species (I can't find myself calling them vampires after watching them onscreen) were a society and not simply mindless killers. This ending showed that they had a leader and, obviously, rules, since the other members of the group respected the wishes of the leader. By Neville being taken away and deliberating about what he has done before his execution it would have allowed the viewers to understand the concept behind the book without even reading it. Perhaps using a more direct method of showing the number of them he has killed in his drive to restore normality or what he considers normal than just having the shot of the test subjects at the end.

Donnie B on Mar 13, 2008

449

I would argue this ending is inconsistent with the actions of the "vampires" up until this point. I am a firm believer that they could have pulled off the proper ending that takes place in the book. All the characters are present. Why not just have Neville escape with the help of the sympathetic female character only to be captured once they make it to the stronghold and have it play out the same way as in the book. I was disgusted with the film's use of God and religion because the book handled it beautifully. Seeing the church towering on the other side of the giant doors in the last shot of the film destroyed the film's chance of being any kind of "horror" film.

Travis on Mar 13, 2008

450

I loved this ending more than what we saw in the theater, but I agree with Travis in that it should have played out more like the book (though I'm not certain I agree with Travis' statements on God and religion). Neville should have been captured and possibly killed. However, since I know they're already working on a sequel this ending - or an ending like the one Travis described where (like in Mark Protosevich's original script) Neville escapes - would have allowed Will Smith the chance to be in the next one. Moreover, the writers of part 2 would have had more freedom to pursue the story wherever it went, as this ending left the issue of the survivor colony somewhat ambiguous. (As it is, I don't see how they could continue this franchise with another film without having to star an entirely different cast of characters in an entirely different setting. I just hope the next film won't be about the "brave survivor colony struggling to cure mankind". That could only work if they pulled it off more like a traditional vampire/zombie film, with the Darkseekers attacking the colonists from all sides as in "Resident Evil: Extinction" or "28 Days Later".

Jerod C. Batte on Mar 13, 2008

451

Amazing. I feel this ending closes the movie better and that it companions the novel more. But the only thing that confuses me is, when theyre in the car going on the bridge, and we can hear the radio broadcast, she says she's "traveling with a man named Robert Neville and a boy named Ethan." If Ethan is supposedly her son, why doesnt she just say "my son Ethan?" Plot change made for ending perhaps?

Ian T on Mar 13, 2008

452

Wow… now that's an ending. I bet they redid the ending because screening audience didn't feel "positive" especially when in time of war, a more proper solution/resolution is needed. Simply leaving the city in search of others wasn't enough. They had to make it so there is HOPE. btw, the original book ending is amazing although that will NEVER make it into a hollywood film ending.


too bad WB, you missed out and played safe. boo

Jacob on Mar 13, 2008

453

This movie is amazing, but when i saw it with the ending they put in theaters it made me almost hate the movie entirely because the last ten minutes were so horrible. This ending is much, much better. I feel like the other ending was a lazy way to end it. This ending is very touching because the monsters still manage to have human emotions.

Brianna on Mar 13, 2008

454

I haven't read the book. However, I enjoyed this ending much more. This ending ties a few things together that the theatrical version simply left alone. In the theatrical ending you only get to see briefly in Neville that he is noticing some form of human personality in the vampires.

Maybe I'm reading too much into this, but in this ending when the vampire leader tells everyone to leave, leaving Neville alive.. It reminded me of the part when the lion and family were eating the deer that Neville had been trying to hunt. He left them alone and ordered the dog to as well.

So they were able to feel compassion too, apparently. :p

Angela on Mar 13, 2008

455

I like alternate ending however i think that the original ending was very great i loved it. I loved the movie. There are a lot of subliminal messages in that movie. I love it

dip on Mar 13, 2008

456

This ending is so much better than the original theatrical. My friends and I actually spent a good thirty minutes after seeing the movie complaining about how stupid the ending was. If this had happened I think we might have complained a little less.

Sam on Mar 13, 2008

457

Wow, this ending is great! While the theatrical ending was indeed good and fit the general direction of the final release, the dynamic presented with this alternate, original ending is astounding. I especially enjoyed the tense atmosphere created as the vampire-creatures exhibited restraint while the doctor worked. Excellent article and thanks for sharing this clip.

Dockwats on Mar 13, 2008

458

I definitely would have chose this ending rather than the theatrical version. This is actually the ending that I was dying for in the movie. This is probably the greatest ending to a movie I've ever seen.

Donny on Mar 13, 2008

459

The whole movie slowly built on the idea that there was more left of the vampire's humanity than Neville thought, only to see how the original ending did portray them as mindless.
The original ending undid a lot of work the rest of the movie tried to do, and the new ending does finally get the point across.
It is hard to distinguish anger and hurt from evil sometimes.
But maybe the studio felt that if you'd apply this concept to real life, the movie could be seen as supporting terrorists and the like, which would have gotten Warner Bross. in heaps of trouble.

Aynen on Mar 13, 2008

460

I think, had this been the original ending, this would be one of my favorite movies of all time. Nice job getting this redemption of the movie out there.

Zach on Mar 13, 2008

461

This was a much better ending. Leave it to the hollywood machine to ruin a great movie based on an exceptional book. Way to go Hollywood!

ZOE on Mar 13, 2008

462

so…
all the plot is around a man who takes the girl of the enemy, to test some acids, and the grudge that conduce to a war of epic proportions?

qtarantino on Mar 13, 2008

463

so i guess im the odd man out cause i loved the way the movie ended. the reason i say this is because it wouldnt make sense to the title if he lives. by dying to protect the cure to protect what he has worked so hard on made him a legend thus the title i am legend so if he didnt die and didnt find a cure the movie should just be title i am robert neville. and to those that say he is a legend in the vampire type creatures eyes i totally disagree for one big reasons they are mindless and did not kill him at the end for all the stuff that he had done to them. this is just what i think though i personally loved the movie it was one of my favorites that i had seen in the past 5 years.
ps i never read the book i didnt konw there was one taht could have changed my opinion i dont know

chris on Mar 13, 2008

464

much better and didn't detract from the feeling of the movie… as a matter of fact i feel so much better after that ending. the original theatrical ending was weak.

tb on Mar 13, 2008

465

that was amazing. I felt so robbed after the theatrical ending. The book left me floored and i overflowed with excitement in the months leading up to the movie. This is DEFINITELY how it should've ended. Though if they could've ended it like the book i would've danced around the theatre.

READ THE BOOK…its like 170 pages…just DO it

Adam on Mar 13, 2008

466

I have not read the book. I liked the movie until the female showed up and introduced the religeous theme, and I especially hated the ending. The film does set the mutated humans up to being more than what Will Smith's character thinks of them. The guy that thought he fell into his own trap is way off. The theatrical version where Nevile blows up does not fit, the alternate ending allows Nevile to see through his near madness and realize how his wall of experiments was viewed by the mutated humans. His character was too strong to have committed suicide and i could not accept that ending. The movie promos, which were many, voiced by Nevile declared that he was the last man alive, and i nearly walked out when two people showed up stating immunity and that there was a colony of survivors! In the alternate ending the lead mutate "paints" a butterfly on the lab's glass doors and Nevile hears his daughter's reference to the butterfly. He then remembers and checks for the tatto on the back of the female mutate and you can see the flood of realization flow through his face. This is what the movie was building to and we were robbed of. Regardless of the movie's rewrite of the book or a happy or unhappy ending the movies was wrong.

allen on Mar 13, 2008

467

it's a will smith movie people…wake up! who cares! remember..the fresh prince?? i didn't read the book though. there's only one vampire book anyway…interview

tom cruise on Mar 13, 2008

468

I thought this alt ending was great. It showed an understanding oh some kind. I like both endings, but this new one is great =) Thanks for sharing..

Terri on Mar 14, 2008

469

OMG, this was amazing… if only we had seen this at the cinema - it would have saved the movie.

I loved it at the cinema, Will Smith was great but the ending was RUBBISH. I remember walking home talking about it saying… "why didn't we see more of the relationships between the vampires" "it was obviously his girlfriend" and they just didn't let you see.

that ending was great…

Becky on Mar 14, 2008

470

Very emotional ending. To be honest I believe that the released ending is too close with the spirit of the movie, maybe far from the book but appropiate with the movie line. The legend died not survive!

Claudio on Mar 14, 2008

471

After watching the movie, I've thought, that is not how it should have ended. The female zombie and the zombie leader should be together. They should be human again. Neville's work should succeed. Now I see that I was right. I also hated that curch at the last minute. Why does red cross always help saving the human race? This is exact the same ending I've dreamed of. Thanx!!!

earluin on Mar 14, 2008

472

Wow! i have chills! I really enjoyed this movie, until the ending. I rate movies on a regular basis and I dropped the movie one whole star because of the ending. If the alternate would have been shown I would have given this 4 and a half or possibly 5 stars. So emotional and well written/acted.

Payner on Mar 14, 2008

473

Wow! This was great! Still could've been better, but it definitely worked better than what I saw in theaters. Hell, anything would be better. I can't think of a movie that had me more on the edge of my seat until the last 10 minutes of IAL, and I just felt like I had wasted it all. It went from one of my favorite movies ever to one I never wanted to see again almost immediately. THIS IS GREAT! This DVD ending is GREAT! It would've been better to leave out the cheesy kid and the chick though of course. At any rate, though, I would say this is definitely preferred. Also, if he would've found a cure and actualy saved the zombie chick and made peace of some sort, that would be good. I'm guessing he ended up kiling her, right? That's what I got but I could not tell 100 percent, it was a little vague.

Joshua on Mar 14, 2008

474

This version was absolutely amazing. I preffered it completely over the original as it was more interesting and left it with a better feeling overall. This version should have definitely been released in britains theaters

Chris Gray on Mar 14, 2008

475

i do believe this ending is spectacular…it also give more personification to the vampires…as you said we never really see robert neville and one close up…this ending gives them a more human-like quality that sends chills and adds an outstanding affect…this ending is amazing.

Tom on Mar 14, 2008

476

This is closer to ideal than the theater, but if you combine them, you get the ideal ending:
1) He sees that the zombies are going to break through and sends the girl and boy up the chimney or wherever they went
2) He then proceeds to set down the gun, disconnect the zombie girl's IV and open the door
3) He presents her to the lead zombie and he whispers in Smith's ear and then embraces her, pretty much as in the alternate ending
4) All the intimations about him being a serial killer are still made during the hostage exchange, but they are cemented with the final shot being of Smith looking at the wall of photos wondering in self-pity about what he has become
FADE OUT

If needed, the end credits could be shown over a sky shot of the woman's car driving north to Vermont with some interior shots of the woman and boy as in the theatrical.

Tom on Mar 14, 2008

477

I still thought this paled in comparison to the book. However compared to the version released in the theater, definitely far superior. Still, it was not really the same story.

He is the new monster. He had to be killed just as Dracula had to be killed.

If I never read Matheson's story, this might be a great ending…. but I did so it still fails.

todd x on Mar 14, 2008

478

That ending is WAY better. The theatrical ending sucked. my g/f and I loved the movie until the ending, which left a very bad taste in our mouths. It was a huge disappointment. Both his irrational suicide and the lameness of them finding that "survivors" town. This alternative ending you just showed was awesome. WB made a mistake by not using it.

I completely agree with your feelings of the tension, especially when he made physical contact with the lead bad guy. Wow, what a breath-taker that was.

Tyler on Mar 14, 2008

479

This was a new way to look at it…as in, the vampires having emotions…although i believe that Robert Neville should have died, after such a devastating loss (Sam), he would have wanted to die. If they could have somehow combined the two maybe that would be my perfect ending.

Sushil on Mar 14, 2008

480

This ending is way better. I would support your initiative.

Andrei on Mar 14, 2008

481

Wow, I'm surprised they didn't use this. It's easily better than the theatrical ending…

Chris on Mar 14, 2008

482

This ending was so much better than the one that they showed in theater. It is more realistic. Such as at the very ending, it leaves it open instead of just stopping the story like when the lady and her kid show up at the town… This is an awesome ending!

Chris on Mar 14, 2008

483

This ending was so much better than the one shown in theaters…like for many people, the last ten minutes absolutely killed for me the entire atmosphere and tone of the film, and it was absolutely right for you to post it here and show it to us…it did move me to see this alternate and original ending. I am at a loss as to why WB chose the less realistic, true-to-the-film ending. Did they not believe that American audiences could handle a realistic ending, that they could only deal with the fairy-tale martyrdom?

Patsy on Mar 14, 2008

484

The movie is ok until the appeareance of Anna 's character then shher crap, apart from special effects , of course.
It completeply betrays Richard Matheson's novel. Demagocical. rethorical and a plain spot for right wing propaganda . By the way in 1971 Charlton Heston played the same role ( Robert Neville ) Vampires c. They believe science and technology to be the cause of the war and their punishment, and Neville, as the last symbol of science, the old world, and a "user of the wheel", must die. Neville, using electricty, machinery, and science attempts to hold them at bay.
Now the vampires seem to have taken power and starting producing these kind of film in syle " Science fuck s up everything but there's always some God with Plan B .

Flaiano on Mar 14, 2008

485

Sorry i forgot to add that the 1971 film title is " Omega Man ".

Flaiano on Mar 14, 2008

486

And further explanation : Omega is the last letter in Ancient Greek Alphabet , thus title meaning , in a more elegant way , The Last Man. Different times , different culture and , alas , different America..

Flaiano on Mar 14, 2008

487

I disagree with many of the people on this site. The theatrical version was way better, it just goes to show that there isn't always a happy ending. Braveheart is a good example of this, did everyone want William Wallace to survive? Of course they did, but it has so much more of an emotional impact on the audience when a character we have become attached to is gonzo.
It was so epic when he went out with the grenade in his hand to save the cure, an ultimate sacrifice. I did not read the book, which is probably one of the main reasons why I liked the theatrical ending better, but all in all, the theatrical ending was WAYYYY better.

Head Vampire on Mar 14, 2008

488

This alternate ending had substance — the theatrical version was fluff. I will buy the DVD, but only the extended version, because I will NOT watch the stupid theatrical disaster again. I LOVED the compassion shown in the alternate ending. WOW, Great!

Judy on Mar 14, 2008

489

Thank you so much for posting this alternate ending. I could not wait to see I am Legend. I loved the movie up until the end - by the time the last 10 minutes were over I was completely depressed and disturbed. I couldn't believe they killed him. This alternate ending has made me totally change my opinion of the movie. I only wish they had used this ending instead. Thank you!!

Lisa on Mar 14, 2008

490

I hated the original ending…. i thought it washed out the rest of the film that was brilliant.

Wolfbite on Mar 14, 2008

491

This ending, well. What to say? It's fantastic. It pretty much completes the movie, there's so many hints throught the rest of the movie that the Alpha 'vampire' (and by extension the other ones) are far more intelligent than Dr Neville has given them credit for. The sheer frustration of the alpha male as he steps too far into the sunlight, the traps, the way he acts in the house. It's all there building up to an ending that's supposed to reveal that the 'vampires' are still, in their way, human.

But the theatrical ending robs us of that. This ending doesn't, it rewards and completes the tale. Turning it on its head and letting Dr Neville understand that they see him as a monster, that they themselves are no worse than he and that both sides failed to understand the other.

It is the ending the film deserves, and if they release a version of the film on DVD with that ending. I'll buy it. But I'm not ever watching it with the happy ending that they felt they had to use in the cinema. Yes, it was a happy hollywood cop out ending they went with in the end Dr. Neville sacrifices himself to stop the evil vampires, he cures the world and they all live happily in a magical little village on the hillside. Pfft.

Earth's Mightiest Yak on Mar 14, 2008

492

I never read the book, but I also thought that the movie was great until about the last ten minutes. The new ending is way better than the original theatrical ending. I don't know what it is with all of these crappy Hollywood endings!?

Thanks for the info.

cognoscere on Mar 14, 2008

493

After a long awaited time and hearing about this "alternate ending," I finally found it and watched it. I really did not care for the one in theaters but like other movies, it's just they way "they" thought it would work out. I am very pleased by the alternate ending because it really shows that the "other humans" are not really bad and they still have that human side to them, whereas the Theatrical version just shows that they are non human and want to destroy the human race in some terms. I really think WB should have kept the alternate ending because it just ends on a good note with the doctor that started it all, fixing it.

Nic on Mar 14, 2008

494

Putting aside any allegiance to the book and looking at I Am Legend as solely a movie, I think the theatrical ending is far superior and less Hollywood than the alternative. What's more smarmy than Will Smith driving over a suddenly "unbombed" bridge with sunlight on his face as a "message of hope" voiceover plays? They got it right the first time. And for the vast majority of people who have not read the book, the closing voiceover in the theatrical ending neatly ties up the "I am legend" title in a bow.

fgiant on Mar 14, 2008

495

Okay, I stopped reading the comments at 60 because I couldn't take it anymore. All of these people complaining about the book ending and then, Cesar's comment about the book story being able to work in a movie…I just got fed up.

First off, Cesar…the book concept did work. You ever heard of a movie called "The Last Man on Earth" with Vincent Price? That was the first time "I Am Legend" was done to film. The movie was almost identical to the book. The only thing that was different was that Neville was just flat-out killed by the vampire hybrids.

As for the people who commented that it didn't make sense that they would kill him after all of that, you guys have never seen what a mob can do, have you? Let's look at this again. Here you have a serial killer; a person who has murdered countless numbers of your people. What do you do when you finally get your hands on the bogey man? They were going to allow him to be killed and in grand fashion if for no other reason than to put their fears to rest; to let everyone see that the monster is a man and he is mortal.

You have to realize that Neville would be to these people. He had become something that the next generation of vampire hybrid parents would use to frighten their children:
"You had better be good or else Robert Neville may come and get you in the middle of the day!"

When some of you people catch a clue about critical literary analysis, start talking about how stories and plots work.

Kragshot on Mar 14, 2008

496

This movie is far better than Charleton Heston's execrable 70's version (The Omega Man), but it's still a poor adaptation of the novel. The alternate ending did humanize the mutants somewhat (though can you really "humanize" poorly rendered CGI?), but it did it at the expense of a happy, cliched Hollywood ending where everyone gets to live and ride off into the sunset.

Jon on Mar 14, 2008

497

The theatrical movie definitely felt incomplete to me. But this one… wow! WB definitely made the wrong choice on this one. I may have to buy the DVD now, just to have this ending.

Mike Schreiber on Mar 14, 2008

498

I've never been one to compare literature to movies… never been a big reader. But I have a brief story as to why I think this alternate plot (middle through ending) would have been so much better…

I watched this movie for the first time at home, alone, about two weeks after moving away from my family. That said, I felt an incredible connection to Neville through out the first half of the movie. I kept saying to myself "This is hands down the most engrossing film I have ever watched." Right up until another human showed up. No exaggeration, the feeling of captivation was entirely gone in an instant.

Were the movie to have played out with Neville truly being the only human… I imagine I would have kept my feeling of wonderment to the ending credits.

Film until Anna: 10/10
Film after Anna: 6/10

Eric on Mar 14, 2008

499

i think this ending is good for one reason:it ties up the main vampire and the girl and makes much more sense. now i know thats been said a hundred times but i just had to say it again. the only thing that doesnt fit is him living. although it sucks to see will smith die in a movie it made more sense for him to die to become a legend as another person said in an earlier comment. so all-in-all the alternate ending is good form the dvd. the theatrical ending was good for the theaters and the main film.

dane on Mar 14, 2008

500

the whole movie shouldve been longer.. I like the theatre version and then the idea of having a more hardcore cult following type alternate dvd ending. Gives you a reason to buy the dvd.. But the dvd alternate ending has to be good like this one.Alternate endings should always try to stay true to a book or original screen play etc etc.. Thanks for posting it. WOW!!!! There are always people that dont care about the book that was wriiten before the movie was made so let them have there theatrical version and the true movie buffs can have there alternate endings when the DVD comes out.. FAIR DEAL


added not.. the 70;s version of omega man was amazing i thought the whole movie was gonna stay true to that and grow from there.. but whatever this is a good modern twist. they could have showed more of the people in the city getting infected and switching to these zombie / vampires.. infected whatever.. lol God i wish someone would ask me my ideas about these movies i would give you guys instant hits.. i know how to cater to the casual movie goers and the hardcore movie buffs.. but i guess they ran out of money to make the movie alittle better

canadianguy on Mar 14, 2008

501

I am glad that i saw that ending because when i watched the other ending i was not satisfyed. i saw that ending happening as soon as they broke in, right then and there i was like, hes dying.
this ending makes you think.
so i agree this one is better.

Eddie on Mar 14, 2008

502

this is a much better ending than the one that was shown in theatres. when i saw it in theatres the only part of the movie that i thought lacked strength was the ending. now that ive seen this alternate ending the movie makes more sense and has a deeper meaning to me. i think WB should have published this ending in the theatrical movie. i would have been way happier with it, just like many other viewers would. i would have also reccomend it to many more of my friends. if i am any similar to the people in my age group, i think everyone else would have recccomended it to their friends, therefore making even more money for WB. they should have published this ending, no doubt about it.

Brian on Mar 14, 2008

503

Suits better for the book, but if we think the movie only, the alternative ending doesn't fit. The alternative ending doesn't exactly make Neville a legend. It would make it simply another hollywood flick among the rest of them.

Slayer on Mar 15, 2008

504

Honestly I like both endings. For the theatrical because it fit the theme of the movie, the alternate because it was the more powerful and filling ending. Though I think that both were not as strong as they could be, because they didn't go far enough. In the theatrical they really should have made his sacrifice more dramatic and mean more thematically and visually; for the alternate ending they should have had an other scene of screaming vamps putting him "on trial" and executing him. Have a voice over of Neville talking about justice and perspective. I have not read the book and I plan to at some time.
My major complaint was the "vamps" look like ass.

Jakob on Mar 15, 2008

505

THE ALTERNATE ENDING SUCKED JUST ADMIT IT!!!!. from the responses i did read, the book ending would have been really good if they followed the book thru-out the whole movie but they didn't!!!. the whole movie would have to change, the chicks wouldn't show up an so much more. people that say it's not like the book, what did u expect it's hollyweird not us making it duh(thats why i wanna be a director). In conclusion the movie is better without the alternate ending. if i saw that ending in the movies i would have been left thinking these vamp/zombies were fucking pussy's! why did they leave him alive? do vamp/zombies have sex? where are the little vamp/zombie? so he didn't have to run home every night like cinderella because there pussy's

Eric on Mar 15, 2008

506

I haven't read the book yet. Though the theatrical ending completely ruined the film for me.

I much prefer this one. I s'pose it gives the whole plot a very real twist, in that, although neville believed he was saving mankind, in turn he was the epitome of evil in the eyes of the "vampires"…. I like. =)

Felicia on Mar 15, 2008

507

Richard on Mar 5, 2008: you gotta understand, just because something/someone is different to "us" doesn't mean they are BELOW us. =.="

Felicia on Mar 15, 2008

508

I hated this alternate ending. I think this is horrible. While I have never read the book before I feel like this is your typical cheesy ending. The idea of humans talking and becoming emotionally attached to vampires is just nuts.

More so, how many times do you see a movie where the lead character makes it out alive and survives. It gets old and boring. I prefer the original ending much more. Because of that ending I became much more attached to Dr. Neviles character, and I am actually willing to watch the movie again. If this ending had been used, I would have felt like I wasted my time watching the movie only to see the same ending as every other movie.

Personally I think WB chose right.

Tom on Mar 15, 2008

509

Simply….the theaters endig was a bullshit! This alternative ending, instead, is really WONDERFUL! I wonder why they decided the wrong one?! Maybe producers was afraid that medium americans would not understand?..Strange, becouse i thought Will Smith was a smart man! I wish we'll have this alternative ending on dvd/Blu-Ray!

criticofan on Mar 15, 2008

510

Have you watched "Omega Man" with Charlton Heston? I have several times in my younger years. I believe "I Am Legend" was a total remake of "Omega Man" and Hollywood was afraid to change the ending! What a shame. I was hoping for the alternate ending you have shared with us. Will Smith was as good as Charlton Heston in this part. Both actors are legends in my book! Do you think they will make a DVD with the alternate ending included? I would buy it!

Sharon Wheeler on Mar 15, 2008

511

I came out of the theaters thinking that this film did not deserve to have the same title as the novel, as almost NOTHING is the same about the two. This alternative ending is much better, in that it makes you stop and think, like the novel. However, no ending could repair the damage they did with the rest of the script.
That being said, I thought the movie was wonderfully acted and directed, it just shouldn't have been connected with the novel.

Courtney on Mar 15, 2008

512

I would buy this film on DVD released with this ending. I will not buy it with the theatrical ending. Further, I would have told people that "I Am Legend" was a great film that they should go see. Instead, I told people that it was ok but they should wait for the dvd to get released to one of the chain dvd rental houses. I think Warner Brothers lost out making a lot more money on this film.

Daniel Jones on Mar 15, 2008

513

Oh my god, the ending really killed I am Legend for Me. I can't believe they shot and finished this ending which is so much better. Who made this change? Was it the studio that mandated it? Wow.

Jonah Lee Walker on Mar 15, 2008

514

This is such a better ending.
It actually makes u want to think about what is going to happen next.
Thx for revealing it!

John on Mar 15, 2008

515

wow! this ending was great.

Zach on Mar 15, 2008

516

I like this ending much better than the theatrical ending. I didn't read the book, but I like it because it seems to fit better with the behavior of the leader when he jumps into the sun and the added aggression.

Andrew on Mar 15, 2008

517

This ending was MUCH better than what was in the theater.

David on Mar 15, 2008

518

Well i havent actualy red all the comment just beacause its 3 am here and dont have the time to read them all but.. Like some people say that Neville shouldnt die.. and other say well he should die because you see him and the pictures of all the zombies (human experiments) he killed in the experiments. Well if you place your self in his position..3 years are an eternity when you are alone so humans lose track of being a person that thinks clearly and wouldnt kill somebody but Neville sees those experiments as a solution and with this ending shakes him awake of being the scientist but let him see the way he usually sees things and makes descions.

Shinger on Mar 15, 2008

519

I hope someone at WB see's this and at least adds this version on the DVD.

Roy on Mar 15, 2008

520

New ending rules just like green day!

Fredfred Burger on Mar 15, 2008

521

Absolutely amazing. I saw the movie three times as well in theaters. This alternate ending really brings out the true character of human nature, love, no matter how deformed the human has become. Astounding really that WB didn't release this ending instead. I really hope they ratify this. It is truly an amazing ending.

Jonathan on Mar 15, 2008

522

Why oh why didn't they use this ending?!?!!? It would given the movie so much more substance. The ending they used felt so traditional Hollywood it made me sick. "Lets kill the main character in order to induce sympathy from the audience." Wow. I can't wait to show this ending to everyone I know who has seen the movie. In my mind this will forever be the true ending.

Landon on Mar 15, 2008

523

I'm a huge Matheson fan, and this is much closer to the ending I expected to see. I knew the darkness and futility of the book's ending would be watered down, but to the creation of a survivor camp and Neville saving the world was rediculous. My wife had never read the book, and she was able to see the point where they started re-shooting to give everyone the warm and fuzzies.

This is surely the ending I expected. Close enough I didn't feel lied to, not so dark that you left the theater depressed.

T-Roy on Mar 15, 2008

524

I didn't read the book but I think I would have walked away confused with the title and the contents of the movie.

In order to understand the title "I am Legend" with the interpretation that you've made, you must have read the book.

In order to understand the title in the movie, the ending had to be what was on the theatrical release because the movie itself did not do a good job portraying the man as a legend during the movie.

I think its a case of not being able to make everyone happy. The people who read the book, and the people who have not.

I did find that the title of the movie, and how the meaning came about in the last 1 minute of the movie quite usual, abrupt, and a bit odd. But it did make sense, but it left me thinking that I would have renamed the movie to something else. "Not Alone" would have made more sense for the movie.

Lucidmike78 on Mar 16, 2008

525

for those of us outside the USA, this film strikes a cord — a growing anxiety about the inevitable and observable decay of american culture … sentimental debates about "endings" are hopelessly irrelevant, and symptomatic of the endgame.

virus99 on Mar 16, 2008

526

All I can say is, that was truely breath-taking

Matt P. on Mar 16, 2008

527

I enjoyed both endings but in all honesty i like the charater too much to see him die. I think the book would have been interesting if a group of vamps are telling the story of the day walker and as they tell the story of the beast that kills them he busts in and slaughters them. It would give much more sympathy to the vamps them then them killing him. I dont think a legend needs to die to be considered a legend there just needs to be something that sets you out from the rest.

bob k on Mar 16, 2008

528

Noo, don't you think this alternate ending, although VERY breathtaking indeed was a little bit too much? I say this because there really is no way that he could get into that close of contact with the infected without them attacking him &Anna &Ethan, (realistically). True, it would have been nice for a main character to come out alive but not that way. There is no way that (realistically) the infected would leave Neville to be alive after taking the infected girl &doing multiple experiments on her. Also, do you think that knowing he found a cure he would want to leave? If anything, it would cause a whole nother part 2 with how he would take the survivors back to NY to try to get the infected, treat them, etc. In a way, Neville went a little psycho because he did think he was alone, do you think he would change his sanity just like that? I don't think so.

I do believe WB chose the right ending, even though it was SOO obvious that he, indeed "was a legend" they should have had Anna say something else. There are a few other things I would have changed like how Anna &Ethan got out alive &what happened after Neville blew everything up. but still, it was a lot better ending than that shiz ^. but nonetheless, the most amazing movie ever! It makes you think about the future, &what's going to happen when someone does find a cure for cancer? Are we gonna take it? haha

Bosssy on Mar 16, 2008

529

I didn't read the book, but I hate movies without ending. This is not an ending. Reaching the colony and giving them the treatment, the protagonist dying and becoming a legend, well … thats an ending.

catalin on Mar 16, 2008

530

Both endings suck to be honest, this ending is relatively better, but they just arent satisfying!

This ending is too happy happy for my liking, it is just too improbable for this to happen, its just lame to be honest!

The best ending would be for the monsters to end it and kill Neville, I mean the whole love ending thing was cheesy, either way the audience would be disappointed!

The biggest complaint with the last ending was that it was too unrealistic, this one would get the same complaints as well, so this ending wont make people happy, lawls!

Nolo King on Mar 16, 2008

531

i liked the ending in the theaters more, only reason being is because the original ending was way to long and the one in theaters made it much more dramatic. i think if they put in this ending the movie's actual rating would have more than lkely been lower.

michael grenon on Mar 16, 2008

532

I much prefer this ending to the one in theaters!! It gave me an entirely different view of the movie and actually made more sense to me. I was thinking all along that the girl 'zombie' that he had may have been the lead zombie's girlfriend or connected to him in some way, but we never actually got that from the movie….it was just a feeling I had.
Thank you very much for posting this for all to see!

Patricia R on Mar 16, 2008

533

p.s. The 'relationship' between the girl and head zombies wasn't the only thing I liked about this ending…..It just seemed more 'right' that Neville should survive after years of trying to find the cure…….

Patricia R on Mar 16, 2008

534

This was a much better ending and I also think it should have been chosen for the theatrical version. I'm still not happy about Neville not being the last "human" left alive.

Shawn Strong on Mar 16, 2008

535

The theatrical ending made me want to puke.
A nice and safe (oh and lets not forget covered with US flags) little outpost of humans in Vermont…..WHAT!?
I was waiting for Martha Stewart to pop out HEY GUYS ITS A GOOD THING!!


Having read the book I like this ending for the LONE fact they show that the "infected" are not the monsters they are made out to be through the whole movie.
It harks back to the ending of the book.
That the infected have evolved into a new, advanced and civilized society.


However I do not like that Neville is left alive!
Can we ever have a movie where humans do not come out the "winner"*warm sappy fuzz*!?

Knee on Mar 16, 2008

536

OMFG. It is clear that whoever wrote this article is not only an idiot sheep but has also never read the book. In the book there are not only vamps and humans but thinking half-breeds. At the end, the woman who Neville thought was a fellow human turns out to be a half-breed spy and she and her people execute him. This "original" is just more hollywood ending bullshit to make the viewer feel better than they do about the real ending. Admittedly, the theatrical ending and the movie in general had nothing to do with the book, but they went well together anyway and changing out the ending for one that frankly makes no sense is just another way of appeasing the overly sensitive douchebag bitches who cannot stand to see a main character die even if it adds to the message and makes the story more powerful.

Face on Mar 16, 2008

537

i think that to see him die after losing so much his family his dog every thing that in the end he pulled thro for what 9 years just to die at the end i think this version is much much better and leaves the person watching with a little hope knowing they found survivors it gives the same feal as the theatrical version just will smith lives

jimmi on Mar 16, 2008

538

Face, you are wrong. in the book they aren't "half-breeds", there are just differences between vampires who are dead humans come back to life, and just humans turned into vampires. the ones that are still alive are actually quite smart and thats how they have the girl infiltrate him.

anyway, i like this ending much more. i loved the movie so much but the ending just wasnt what i was hoping for. this isnt exactly like the book either, but much cooler, i think. its weird that he lives in this one, i figured he would die like in the book (which, by the way, if they would have made the ending… and probably the entire movie more like the book, i think it woulda been cooler) but thatsjust my opinion.

yep, awesome alternate ending, im gettin the special edition probably on tuesday.

this movie owns all faces.

Chadsaw on Mar 16, 2008

539

this ending applied to the theme of the book more, but the ending shown in theaters was also a strong ending. the theatrical ending shows how after spending three years trying to find someone, he gives that idea up in favor of being able to protect the thing he was trying to find.

Swiss on Mar 16, 2008

540

A Much happier ending! One of our members posted this in our forum, and Im glad they did!

Thanks for sharing!

Watch Movies Online on Mar 16, 2008

541

This should've been the ending. Sometimes bigger isn't always better. The ending used in the theatres went for a dramatic, but I think this ending, the more quiet one, actually made more noise. I don't think I took a breath during the entire viewing of this ending, which is much like I felt during the entire movie, up until the end. I was disappointed because it seemed that he died quickly, or hastily, almost as if they were running too long. The writing also made mistakes in that the film went back and forth between the mutants being able to think and not think. This ending made more sense in proving that they were still somewhat human, and not brainless killers. They were able to feel.

I don't have an opinion as far as killing off Neville, but I think that it can work either way, depending on the writing. It seems that most people who have read the book are adamant about Neville dying, but we have to remember that this is an adaptation, not a remake. The two can be judged independantly. This would have been an even more amazing movie with this ending. If the ending used in the book occurred, it would have ruined the movie. We can compare the two all we want, but the fact is, the movie took the basic storyline and made a script around it. If there were never a book, I think people would love this movie even more. This is not in any way to take away from the Matheson book, as it was amazing also. The movie is an entity of its own and more people would enjoy it if they just watched instead of compared.

Catt on Mar 16, 2008

542

I remember when I watched this movie, I actually expected the ending to be something like this, I was actually disappointed when is wasn't.

Anonymous v2.0 on Mar 16, 2008

543

This is the problem: The theatrical release is popular generally because it builds up the action into an explosive climax. Afterwards it allows the audience to stew over Neville's sacrifice and leave the theater feeling good about the human race. It is a superficially "powerful" ending because the big name hero sacrifices himself on the verge of victory. In the process he becomes legend, immortalized.

The alternate (original) ending is unpopular for those same reasons. The reason the alternate ending is so powerful is because Neville (and the audience) realizes that he is a legend to the Infected, he is a monster that stalks the darkness. He traps, experiments, and eventually kills their kind. He looks at the wall with all the pictures and realizes just how he must seem to them.

Audiences don't want to think about things like this. They don't want to think about the consequences of their hero's actions. Good intentions (curing a disease, spreading democracy, etc) are all you need. They don't want to emphasize with the enemy. It's easier to kill someone when you deny them their humanity.

Mark on Mar 16, 2008

544

One must consider how they want to be remembered, the choices you make in life, to bring harm to others you are remembered in a bad way, people eventually will forget about you, and there is no honor in that, but doing something to help people and people know and see you for the good that you do, memories of you will be good ones in which you are honored and respected, you are seen in a good way for good reasons and remembered that way, people won't want to forget you then and those that remain as long as they remember you can see your legend.

The movie was great until the end when the main charactor was killed off which was a huge turn off, I thought to myself "Another movie that kills off the main charactor just when the storyline was getting really good and made more sense what are they thinking?????", the scenary of the end itself was great, I'd like to see this version combined with the theatrical version in a way that shows this ending, and then transitions to the small village scene where the main charactor is still alive with the woman and child and takes the vile of blood which is the cure and enters the village leaving the original theatrical scenary intact with an updated narration and the music.

Main charactor just playing hero and walking with grenade toward the monsters probably wouldn't have been enough to take them all out anyways and the monsters left would have probably seen and quickly followed or ambushed the woman and child before she'd gotten to the car outside, there's alot of inconsistancies to the theatrical version that just plain sucks ass, I mean sure, he dies and is known as a legend, but a charactor doesn't have to die like that to be a Legend, and he held a pretty good fight for a longtime throughout the movie and struck up enough interest in the charactor to just totally kill the charactor off. It's almost like someone else wrote the ending because it just does not feel right, he ending doesn't fit the rest of the movie's direction, because the theatrical ending is like another writer stepped in and finished the movie off at the last minute, that's how it felt, that or ending was rushed. And the monsters saw the woman and child ducking down into that hole, if the explosion was that strong and fire the fire probably would've brought smoke in where the woman and child were with heat with a massive house fire burning house down, they wouldn't have been able to stay in the smoke chemical filled area and probably would've died from smoke enhalation and the monsters outside would've got the woman and child once they got outside in unprotected area out in the open and all attention drawn to the housefire.

Kurt on Mar 16, 2008

545

Another thing is how the female monster was handled is a big issue as well, that part was cut way too short in the theatrical version. I really thought she was gonna turn around and he was gonna work with her more as she was still going on the table, I thought there'd be atleast 1 love scene with the other female as well, and the guy was alone so long losin his mind talkin to manicuns and all and they didn't do anything!!!!!!!

The shrek part could've been left out and just set where the kid was watching it and leave it at that, the repeating shrek words back out too long and it was a bit awkward, by then his actions at the table where he lashed out and the female had the gun it was already apparent he had some psychological distress goin on. It would've been more interesting if he had said something funny like I really miss Cheerio's, or I really love Cheerio's, or said to the female it's good that you're hear cookin up bacon and all but did you happen to bring any Cheerio's, you know it's been awhile since I've had any?

That would've been funny, much funnier than repeating every word on TV.

Kurt on Mar 16, 2008

546

Un,WOW! that's one hell of an ending! O_O I like it more then the book because it is more true that there would be SOME of us who cannot be infected.

So now we have to make room for a whole new breed of human.

Krull on Mar 16, 2008

547

I don’t understand why everyone is complaining about how it deviates from the book. When you went to the theater you knew you were not going to read text on a screen, you were going to see a theatrical interpretation of the written word. When you go see a live play is it always EXACTLY like the original work? No. If you read a book and ten other people read a book do all of them agree on the same interpretation? No, that’s why there are book groups who discuss different points of view.

Now I think the movie was fantastic, except for the original ending, because it showed just how fragile Robert’s mind was during this time. The only thing keeping him sane was his “work”, companion, and routine When he lost his companion you can see that he lost his sanity, which I felt was portrayed very well.

You also see how he strives to hold onto the normality of life before the event when he constantly visits the video store and makes “friends” with the mannequins.

However, I thought the original ending of the movie was complete crap and the writers simply needed to end the movie. What better way to simply end a movie than by killing all the main characters? (Robert and the alpha-male).

This ending shows how Robert’s perception of the infected changed, as though he finally saw the light. He finally understood that HE was the villain and that the zombies were simply trying to live their lives. It was him that was invading their space, and not them invading his space. The alternate ending to this movie shows a much better view of how Robert’s attempts at a cure were to him an attempt to save humanity while in the infected’s point of view they were attempts at murder and destruction of their society.

Podunk on Mar 16, 2008

548

hey, thanks for this. This is amazing.

I did a little write up about this article and link your site in my blog.
http://jefframos.blogspot.com/

thanks again for this. i'll be book marking your site now. great stuff on here!

Jeff Ramos on Mar 17, 2008

549

Really bugs me how they reckon they made the right choice just because the movie made money. this ending is much better.

Brad Stilwell on Mar 17, 2008

550

Thanks a million……….

I loved it, loved it loved it.

I enjoyed the movie a quite a bit and thought the ending was the weakest point and could have been a lot better but after watching this I have a whole different view of the picture. This ending made more sense over what we got. I hope WB is reading………..

Thanks again

Millé-NEXT on Mar 17, 2008

551

I absolutely love the alternate ending. Soooo much better than the one WB used. The original ending was a let down to me. The whole movie you know that the lead vampire wants his woman back.

Adriana Jeffery on Mar 17, 2008

552

Some people are claiming this alternate ending is more "rosy" or a happier ending. Just because Neville survives hardly makes it more happy. Neville comes to realise he's a serial killer, that he has been experimenting on people.

The theatrical ending fails as the whole film up to that point has been about the real hero Neville's nemeses trying to get the love of his life back after Neville kidnaps her for one of his experiments. It's just the story is shown from the perspective of the kidnapper not the victims. The whole film drops hints to this twist on the typical heroes tale all the way along, but then because of the dumb ending they gave it fails to deliver, leaving you wondering what the rest of the film was all about.

Dave on Mar 17, 2008

553

I don't get it. But then I haven't seen it yet. But I don't understand what you mean about the ending. Maybe I should go read the book?

Jenny on Mar 17, 2008

554

Just as human and humane as how all of them got into the situation in the first place. Makes sense. However, in today's culture, we only know how to demonize, dehumanize and embrace that 'other' is bad. Shame WB!

BKW on Mar 17, 2008

555

WOW, I really did not like the original ending, it really gave me what I thought Hollywood tries to do…shock us by killing off the hero. I do believe that this is a better ending, it leaves us more with some faith…the best faith is never proven. I have family in the business and I have seen the process…this can be rough with so many creative fingers in the pie…but thanks so much for showing me this…I was not going to buy the DVD, but probably will now. Oh, and by the way… I think WB knows they made a mistake…they are marketing this DVD based on the new ending…

Number 553 on Mar 17, 2008

556

i liked the film loads, and i thought the ending in the theater was great, yeah it sucke that he died and everything, but it wasnt predictable. i imagined that it would end exactly like this ending. so that fact that it didnt.. made it good. Im still glad i seen this version though, i think both endings were good, but i think that having the 'hero' sacrifice himself to save humanity seemed to work with the film… if that makes sence.

Stan on Mar 17, 2008

557

I never read the book. I'm not really sure if I would have prefered this ending, however. It would have been good if they did touch on the whole legend concept, but I guess I never really missed it that much because I never read the book. But this ending just seems kind of corny and stupid. It makes it seem like the monsters aren't all that bad, and it's actually all his fault (I mean, come on, they killed his dog). I just thought it was cool how he would sacrifice himself in the one in the theaters, because it makes him seem more of a secondary character to the main story of the others who make it to the survivors camp with the cure. However, if I were to have seen the alternate ending first, I might not have minded all that much. It was just too much of a happy ending instead of an ending where it's sad in that he dies, but there is hope for the future anyway, which is more complex in my opinion.

somebody on Mar 17, 2008

558

"I want a DVD copy of the movie with the alternate ending being used as the actual ending so I don't have to go to special features to watch it."

I second this. I loved this movie despite the predictability because of Will Smith's acting up until the point where the female protagonist was brought in. If this had been the alternate ending, it's still "Hollywood" in that Will Smith lives, but it's far more true to the original book source than the theatrical ending which left me feeling like I wasted half my time at the movie.

How do we go about petitioning WB for a two-version DVD?

Kirsin on Mar 17, 2008

559

I suppose (admittedly having never read the book) that if the "vampires" are represented in the book as being a new (superior? better than Neville?) race of humans, then there's a big hole in the story; namely, who's blood do they drink when there are no humans left?! Perhaps I'm misunderstanding and they really aren't vampires at all, just mutants created by the virus???

L on Mar 17, 2008

560

Far, far superior to the theatrical release. Much truer to the spirit of the book.

CAT on Mar 17, 2008

561

I highly prefered this ending, the theatrical ending was just well, was a little empty to me at least. I felt something watching this ending and I didn't as much while watching the theatrical version.

joel on Mar 17, 2008

562

The ending of this movie was so stupid! Thank goodness that they did not show this in the theaters! I am so sorry if i'm being harsh, but I never thought that it would end like this!!!

Shahna on Mar 17, 2008

563

I like the orignal ending better. I read I am legend and to me it sucked compared to the movie. The movie felt so much more real than the book did. Its just an opinon so dont freak out.

David on Mar 17, 2008

564

to be honest you all are losers and need to get a life hahaha!

hollie on Mar 17, 2008

565

Hated this ending. The ending they chose at least had 1 thing in common with the book (which was tremendously better than the movie) which is the fact that Neville actually dies. Why can't the film makers just realize that if a book is as good as it is to begin with…then why do they have to go through and change almost everything about the story?

The movie was good, and the original ending was better, end of story. But for anyone who liked the movie - read the book, you'll like it a lot more.

Mike on Mar 17, 2008

566

i liked the second ending because it flows with the story line more and it reminds me of bobmarly because he spoke of marly as being a legend who broke down anger and hate. they are both simmilar because he hated the creatures for destroying his life but he gave them a chance and then the hate disappeared also it gives more of a closure unlike the first one which is just ment to make the main character look cool which was ok but at the same time made him look like a bum because he had a pretty shitty last 3 years of his life and i dont know anyone that would want to go through what he did also thanks for showing me the original ending it was sweet and i thought was allot better than the first ending

thanks:Joe Joe

joe joe on Mar 17, 2008

567

Ah! I like this ending so much better! Of course, I haven't read the book, but I had heard about it and didn't like the original ending at all. Thanks for sharing! I'm happy now

Anna on Mar 17, 2008

568

I liked this much better. I read the book and watched the other theatrical version with Charlton Heston from the 70's "Omega Man" which I liked better than this movie (ending).

I felt with the original ending that Hollywood 'hollywood'ed' it up and thought they were so much smarter than a brilliant legendary (ha) novelist and though, hey instead of something to think about let's just throw in some yelling and an explosion instead! cha-chng! We're so smart!

I am glad to see that this ending was available, too bad it was not the theatrical ending.

Michael on Mar 17, 2008

569

Oh, and thank you so much for putting this on the site, I was so iritated by the original release I was not going to rent it to watch the new ending, even though now I see it would have been worth it.

Michael on Mar 17, 2008

570

I really liked this alternate ending. I think it definitely played along with the story line of the book a bit better, than the original theatrical ending. The book is pretty much a masterpiece within itself, I think it has a heart and mind to it that not many pieces of literature have anymore. It shows a very different side to these so called "vampires" or "monsters", than what we see in our usual novels.

No matter what, I don't believe that a movie adaptation of I Am Legend really, in full, capture the essence, and the heart of the book. Whether it was "hollywooded" or not, the concept of the book would fly over most peoples heads, especially on just any friday night outing to the movies.

As much as I loved seeing the humanity and the real, sort of love between the two "vampires" in this alternate ending, and seeing Nevelle really finding that he was in the wrong, as opposed to this whole other species of people, I truly find myself loving the theatrical ending better.

I think that other reviewers 100% had a point in saying that the director and screen writer's vision of the ending being about Nevelle sacrificing himself for humanity, DOES get lost in the midst of "hope there are still others out there". It definitely does, but I found myself with chills, and in complete awe, that such a person WOULD die for people he believes have some kind of redeeming qualities left in them.

"Hollywooded", or not, the original theatrical ending moved me a lot more than this alternate ending.

Lexie on Mar 17, 2008

571

The movie turns sour when the woman and the child shows up. By that time, I thought the theatrical ending was appropriate because then there was a need for them. But if they were going to use the alternate ending, there was no need to have the two extra characters in the film at all.

Jason Park on Mar 18, 2008

572

After reading many of these comments, I completely understand both sides!

I read parts of the book (I hardly ever read an ENTIRE book, I skip around . . . I know — awful — but it's all I can find time for!)

I really sought after this alternate ending! Now that I've seen it, both endings incorporate some parts of the book. In the theatrical, Neville dies (though it is a completely different death — but still a death). In the alternate, it shows his regret for pursuing a cure so viciously and how the infected perceive his doings. The main reason I like the theatrical is due to the fact that there were 9% (I think. . . ) that were immune to the infection, HOWEVER, how long would it have taken someone to figure out that the infection cannot survive the cold? The people who are already living there? Wouldn't they then have no clue what was going on in the rest of the world then? And never the less (from a medical perspective) it could be open for interpretation because something could be dormant in a system in the "cold" as we saw when he had the girl who was infected.

And another thing — how the hell did the woman and child get on Manhattan? I live there. . . it really bothered me that the bridges were destroyed yet they seemed to do the impossible and drive on and off without any sort of way for transportation besides their car? They could of taken a ferry but it is nearly impossible to handle. . . I don't know! It boggles my mind!

I feel that this would be one of those movies that should be remade to be in line with the book so that both are available! Either one would be intriguing. The latest theatrical one for hope and those who would rather hold on to concept that the humanity we know can be saved at all times — and the one where those who haven't read the book would be in shock and leave with a twisted understanding.

Ok, I've gone on long enough! I just really have always liked the book and enjoyed the movie! I was pursuing a career as a doctor then as a chemical biologist to create medication for the "good", but I have always written papers and stuff about how realistic this could be just because of the severe fight for a "cure" for everything that it endangers us because of the political aspects about the FDA! haha, it has always just been for fun and to get on my professor's nerves, but is still an interesting perspective!

Meggie on Mar 18, 2008

573

Gave you chills?! Breathtaking?! The alternate ending was interesting at best in that it changed the entire dynamic. Personally, still wasn't the right ending. Both were sub-par, just like the movie!

George on Mar 18, 2008

574

cool movie both were good but alternative is better cuz he had to survive for the cure. i like it as much as i robot most peolple think they were zombies even me until now. i found out they were vampires they never explained that in the movie well at least i didnt hear dat.

waz up on Mar 18, 2008

575

Awesome ending! It sucks that the industry is so concerned about whether their target audiences will understand what's happening. I felt the idea was perfectly coherent and had no trouble understanding. I hope they add a full sound track to this ending in the DVD.

Paul W on Mar 18, 2008

576

Wow. I would have come out of the theater grinning ear to ear had that been what I had seen, rather than what they sold us. Typical of movies of late - great movies ruined by horrible endings. I had been renting getting the DVD just to see this… now I think I will buy it for it.

Skout on Mar 18, 2008

577

I liked it but the ending is kinda ruined with the whole them going across the bring… I know it was probably said already but they destroyed the bridges at the beginning so where the hell did it come from

Tony on Mar 18, 2008

578

I agree that this ending is much better than the theatrical ending; but either way the movie failed to reach my expectations. SO much about the book would have appealed to modern audiences: The brutal killings of the vampires during the daytime (why weren't they paralyzed in the movie?), the part where the vamps blow up his generator, the female vamps making lude gestures at him and his struggle with his unfulfilled lust, his struggle with alcoholism, his wife and daughter dying (not in a random helicopter crash) and him bringing them to the massive funeral pyre, the betrayal of the one person he trusts in the entire book, the REAL story of the dog (he spends weeks trying to make this dog trust him and when he finally gets ahold of it it dies to the virus), the explanations for how the virus interacts with the human body and why vampires are afraid of garlic, his relationship to his old friend who is now a vampire that taunts him all night long, etc.
The only good change from the book was HOW he got his immunity to the virus… in the book he gets bit by a vampire bat that's infected and builds up an immunity. Pretty ridiculous.

Brad W on Mar 18, 2008

579

I liked the theatrical ending for the fact it was more that Neville won, but with the alternate ending it just seems like he gives up and loses. And I notice people talking about the similarity to the novel with the ending, in the novel does it not just end with Neville standing on a balcony in front of the vampires and kind of left it open ending so who’s to say whether he lives or dies.

Derek on Mar 18, 2008

580

The alternate ending was better than the one released in the theaters. I read the book a few years back and I was suprised with how different the movie was from the book, however, the movie was good overall. The only real disappointment I think that I had was that the infected were changed so much. In the book, they could talk and communicate which made the dynamic so much better between Nevill and the infected. Also, I would have liked to see how they would incorporate the woman coming into his life like the book. Where the infected society was able to live as a society and infiltrate his life with an infected being able to be out in the sun and trying to live a normal life. Wouldn't that have been a great line for the story? Also, why do they always have to kill off the pets? Come on, if you are going to change so much of the story, why not let the dog live? The way the dog was introduced in the movie was so much different than the book. Couldn't you have just left it alone? I would have also liked to see more with the intelligence of the infected. Like how the leader used "Frank" to lure Neville to the lair. More of that kind of exchange I think would have shown more of the dynamic like what was in the book. Finally, I can understand the deer running through the streets, they are pretty fast, but you mean to tell me that the lions, with cubs no less, were able to survive the infected at night when there was a scarce food source? Not believable at all. Over all, this is a movie that I will own for myself. The movie was good in its own right.

Shannon on Mar 18, 2008

581

I like this end more than the theatrical one, because you can be a legend for trying to make things diferents and when you see this Dr. Neville with the cure and with the knowledge of how the humanity turn into this creature with some kind of order and feelings, you know for sure that he is going to produce the antidote.

LigiaMZ on Mar 18, 2008

582

"Although I had wished that the alternate ending was more true to the novel in which Anna is an evolved daylight vampire who helps capture Neville and brings him to the vampires. She then explains that the vampires are a new society amongst themselves and view Neville as a killer and ghostly legend. And then they execute him."

Random thought. Scary too…with the popularization of the "alternate ending" through the DVD - they kinda leave an opening for a sequel…one in which the vampires come and take Neville, explain their society, and then execute him. Like perhaps doing it from the vampire's perspective. Or half through Neville's, then switching to the vampire's with some flashback…blah blah…

Either way, I am hoping this doesn't happen.

I did like the original ending (aka alternate that wasn't shown in theatres) - moreso than the theatrical ending. The theatre ending just felt too "American" - the "we always have to win/fix everything". (And I'm American, so I can say that!)

Amber on Mar 18, 2008

583

I think this alternate ending was more courageous of Robert Neville and it elicited more emotions from me as a viewer.

MovieBuff on Mar 18, 2008

584

I think that the alternate ending would have made a better ending. I say this because I am a BIG Will Smith fan and wasn't so happy to see him die on the movie's ending. I've never seen Will Smith die on any of his films. So I love this ending way better!

Ruth Anne on Mar 18, 2008

585

I REALLY did not like the original ending. I found this page totally by accident. This alternate ending has really changed my perspective and I have decided to watch the movie again on DVD just to get the movie experience as I think it should have been. I assume you can watch the movie all the way through with the alternate ending?

meshachw on Mar 18, 2008

586

all of it is the authors responsibility. if you sell your story with no oversight as to what they do to it then you deserve to have your work crapped on by a corporation.

kiitos on Mar 18, 2008

587

You know what book- to movie adaption didn't suck.

Lord of the Rings.

Peter Jackson should direct everything.

Steve on Mar 18, 2008

588

Oh my goodness, this made me weep with empathy.

That aside: it's not quite as well executed as it could be, overall, but, damn, this is exactly the flavour of ending I was hoping to see. Over the course of the movie it became quite clear Neville was a bit damaged by his loneliness and a little crazy - it didn't take a huge leap of faith to think that maybe there's more to these creatures than he, himself thinks.

I didn't read the book, but I found the actual released ending of the movie to have ruined it. There were other decisions made in the movie that upset me a little, like being spoon-fed the history of the city, but the acting and some of the details (the mannequin trap, for example!) were utterly awesome… only to be dunked into a vat of Lame right at the end, where I was wondering who the directors were catering to.

So much of the movie screamed, "This is different than you average zombie/vampire apocalypse!", only to crash right back into the cliché at the end. I still enjoyed it, but it let me with that aftertaste of, "This could have been better."

Now I know precisely in what way it could have been better.

So I'd like to second the general responses here: this ending would have been so much better.

Neike Taika-Tessaro on Mar 18, 2008

589

Finally seeing this explains so much about the movie that seemed crap.

I.e. in the theatrical version there is all this buildup around the lead vampire and implications that they are smart and more than just zombies. The theatrical version just dismisses all that and by the end you have no real reason for them trapping Neville. With this version you see that they too have emotions and intelligence and there was a reason behind the ruthless attacks on Neville.

I still hate the girl and the overall feel good ending of the movie though, the books concept was way better. This new ending brings it close in line though which is good. I like the structure with the pictures of all his experiments in the background on the wall while hes looking ashamed.

Joe on Mar 18, 2008

590

Yes, I really like this alternate ending much better. The one in the movie is kind of illogical, he could have set and thrown the grenade, then hid in the wall along with the others.

Don on Mar 18, 2008

591

I was very disappointed with this movie as soon as the first CGI creature was shown. I love this alternative ending though as it reveals the humanity inside the monsters something I felt was missing. I think I could have forgiven the earlier "falseness" of the creatures if I had seen this ending in the theaters. i think you are correct that they made a huge mistake.

lancifer on Mar 18, 2008

592

It is definitely a more powerful ending in terms of emotion but then it leaves us a sense of where exacltly does the title come into play. Is he legend because he faced the monsters and lived or that he found a cure. Both endings are geared towards pleasin both sides of our society in which some wish that the hero dies while taking out the bad guy or lives to fight another day. No one looks at the fact that he cause this ailment or that he killed hundreds of people yes humans trying to find a cure. Halfway through the movie he finally comes to the conclusiopn that they have no more human traits but his wall of death showed that he tested this theory on victims in the masses before reaching that diagnosis. All in all I prefer the book they obviously formed there own society scouring for food at night and here comes this man dragging them out one by one and dispatching them as if they were deer or some other type of game, not thinking that they were once his neighbors so in any polite society he was tried found wanting and executed accordingly .

v on Mar 18, 2008

593

yeah wow, rally the cause behind an alternate ending.. it's still the worst movie to come out of hollywood in years.. i've seen better computer graphics on a playstation, and the ridiculous pacing was a far bigger problem than the ending.. the original wasn't much, but it was a damn sight better than this piece of trash..

George on Mar 18, 2008

594

this was a much better ending. i hadn't read the book and was enjoying the movie quite a lot until this last scene when i felt the tone completely changed for the worst. I thought it become really cheesy. WB ruined the movie by doing this.

jimbot on Mar 18, 2008

595

Much better ending!!! I was quite disappointed with the original (theatre version). I had looked the story up on wikipedia prior to watching it and was sad to have ruined such a great story for myself. Then to get to the theatre and see the ending I was shocked. I am glad to know that there was a much better ending out there, and that it was created, even if not shown. I agree with what you said about the paradox of him being the legend. Great stuff.

Kelli on Mar 18, 2008

596

I knew it! Well.. sort of. I had the alternate ending played out in my head before I even left the theater! My ending went kind of like this: the head vampire is trying to get in the room (as in the movie) and when Neville sees the burn on the side of his head, he realizes that the female he took is actually the leader's girlfriend - which was clearly evidenced by the leader's change in behavior when she was captured. Neville shows the leader that he has cured her and the leader allows Neville to inject him with the cure as well. The others follow the leader and are all injected.. Happy ending for all
The real alternate ending kind of leaves me wondering what happened to the zombies. I mean.. They just leave and that's it?

Shawnda on Mar 18, 2008

597

that was great i love i am legend so much its all i'v talked about for the last 18 days

reed on Mar 18, 2008

598

Thanks for that loved it so much better than original ending

Jordan on Mar 18, 2008

599

I really liked the movie in general and I think I would have liked it better with the original ending.

Loren on Mar 18, 2008

600

Just watched the alt ending on DVD…. for those who were asking for a version where the alt ending is part of the movie and not just a special feature tack-on, you're in luck. The second disc is the entire movie with the alt ending seamlessly integrated. Bravo!

Jim on Mar 18, 2008

601

You are all geeks. Go polish your enterprise model and watch Trekkies.

Mark on Mar 18, 2008

602

The ending in the theaters ruined the movie for me. I would have much preferred to see this alternate ending in the original movie. But this movie is still one of the best of the decade!!

Cali on Mar 18, 2008

603

Well I tend to like both endings. I never read the book so I'm not able to make a comparison between the two. But what may be missing here is the viewing audience expectations. Those that did not read the book went because of Will Smith. Those that had read the book went to see it come to life on the big screen. Lets face it, Hollywood almost never holds true to the real essence of any book. Primarily, as I see it, most books, regardless of popularity, are only read by 2-3 million people. While a blockbuster movie is seen by 10's of millions. Most of whom have never heard of let alone read the book. Judging by the comments here and those morbid cartoons on the DVD, the fans of this book seem to have no hope for themselves. I guest that's why so many want to see the vampires humanized. I belive the real diappointment was not in Will Smith dying, but in the Vampires being killed. Eveything bad is good kind of mindset.

Regardless, $300 million based on a "bad" ending, they'll never change. Neither would I.

james on Mar 18, 2008

604

Although I haven't read the book, I really think this ending is much better. When I saw it in theaters, I thought what I saw just now was gonna happen, but I was wrong.

Isaac on Mar 18, 2008

605

Sorry. This was a really cool ending and all, and I'm glad that he lived in this one. But the original one made me cry in the movie theatre and this one kinda confused me. All in all they were both good, but I still prefer the original.

EJ on Mar 18, 2008

606

Scott in #11: Thanks for your post; I'll make sure to avoid taking any advice from an insulting nut job like yourself. Now please chuck your PC out the window so you can stop polluting the internet with your crass and self-important nonsense.

Thomas on Mar 18, 2008

607

heh when i first saw this at the first movie i ever went to (yes i know im strange) it shocked me, this movie is completely realistic, with the advances we make in medical sceince everyday, this type of thing is possible.
i love the alternate ending… should have been the main ending in the book… kinda makes you want to know about the other side of it, you know… the infected people.. you know..

IronLone on Mar 18, 2008

608

the alternate ending is okay, i just don't see the point of the vampires (i guess that's what we agreed to call the CGI creatures now) not killing Neville after what he did, being the legendary serial killer for the vamps. and yeah they've destroyed the bridge..

cumi on Mar 18, 2008

609

I LOVED the movie and I hated the theater ending. Seeing the alternate ending was much better, I feel like it is complete now. It just feels right.
greatest movie I've seen all year!!

Jenn on Mar 18, 2008

610

See now as I watched the movie and the creature first showed itself I sorta knew that it was really just evolving and that it probably was just pissed that wil smiths character had taken someone that it possibly cared about or bonded with. Then when it set the trap for him i was sure there was more to it. Now i realize I was right. Thanks, Great Alternate ending. Much better than original..

Scott on Mar 18, 2008

611

how did they drive away!!!!!

jim on Mar 18, 2008

612

The ending was changed because it encourages people to find peaceful, non-violent ways of resolving their conflicts.

We can't have people thinking THAT, can we? Think what it would do to the economy!

Asmodeus on Mar 18, 2008

613

For a person that works in a movie theatre… i heard and saw the dissapointments about the ending of this movie.. THe concept of Legend that they tried to push with the theatrical ending didnt fit that well.. this alternate however fits together the puzzle peices that were given through out the begining.. like the going out into the sun, to chase after his wife/gf.. the butterfly thing with his kid.. and the playing god concept… in the end when it shows him looking at all the victims that he killed.. I undoubtedly would choose this ending over the theatrical one.

Jullian on Mar 18, 2008

614

I haven't read the book but the movie ending was a shock and a disappointment and an insult. This ending is touching, intelligent and ties everything in a meaningful way.
WHAT WERE THEY THINKING!
This was so much the same depressing end like Last Man on Earth and Omega Man at the movies, give it a special place as being the only way an event like this could make sense.

Linda on Mar 19, 2008

615

you're right when you say WB did it for money. but is it realy so much better? I have to watch the complete movie with the alternative end to give the answer, but the end is surly more emotional as the final one. What's sure better is that there's no church and jesus conspiracy like in the theatrical end.

szenen on Mar 19, 2008

616

I rented the movie last night. I couldnt figure out why i hated the movie until i found this website this morning.. Like most of the people i was enjoying the movie up until the woman and kid arrive. (also hated the part about the german sheppard dying, even though you knew from typical movies that is was going to happen. Any after they arrived the movie became boring and i feel both endings sorta sucked. If i had to choose id go with the alt ending.

I do like the idea that he is considered a legend among the vampire as a serial killer. I havent read the book but from what i have read on the post it seemed like a much better ending then the movie.

They never really said how the infection started. I know they kept saying it is man related. But in the very opening the doctor is on tv saying they found a cure for cancer. I thought that the cure they were using started the infection. Im going to assume that since they found the cure for cancer this was a new and more poweful disease that could whipe out man kind. But the question i had was that they never went into detailed how the disease stared or where it came from. I thought they should have related it in with the cure for cancer, as like a side affect a year later that transformed into into this KG disease.

Again the movie wasnt bad until the end.

Mike F on Mar 19, 2008

617

I think they should have used this ending. The theatrical ending leaves you so disappointed that you don't even care about the safe area in Vermont. We already had to watch our hero dog die so why kill the hero legend as well.

mb on Mar 19, 2008

618

Oh wow…this ending gave me chills. I like this SO much better than the original. In the original, I really really wanted the "monsters" to finally show their human side…Robert mentioned that one of them came out into the sun for a brief moment, and it was because they were becoming so savage they didn't even think of their own welfare anymore, when really it was because the monster wanted to save his mate so badly, he almost died for her. Then they set the same exact trap that Robert set for them. Clearly they weren't as savage as he thought, and this ending gets that point across MUCH more clearly.

God, I love this movie.

ACK on Mar 19, 2008

619

You are an idiot, this ending is nothing like the ending of the book and it doesn't even make it a point to say the incredible final lines of the novel. Without this the story is nothing, and means nothing. It is incredibly funny to me to hear you and others talk about how amazing this trite and incredibly poorly written, directed, and acted film was. The movie should have never been given the honor of using the actual name of the story by Richard Matheson since it had absolutely nothing to do with the story. The entire point of Matheson's work is tossed out the window by those who made this movie and I find it incredibly depressing. This little 170 page novella is one of the greatest works of fiction or science-fiction/horror to ever be produced and it sickens me to see it get shit on for a third time on the big screen. Did you happen to notice in the credits where it says that this garbage film was based on a SCREENPLAY that was BASED ON the book? Wow, what a way to write a movie. Don't read the book, read a terrible screenplay that was meant for Arnold Schwarzenegger and write up a script that does no justice to the points made in the original. The support you idiots give to this movie is incredible, and I still have a hard time believing that people actually like this crap. Then I remember how the intelligence of the average person is apparently dropping day by day and I am no longer surprised. Maybe if you read the book you too would agree that they did an awful job of turning it into a film for the third time, and I wouldn't see these retarded reviews claiming that the film was "incredible". It was poorly directed, the CG monsters looked like shit (as always), and Will Smith's idea of a lonely man driven to near insanity is talking to mannequins. Wow, what an amazing actor (sarcasm). This film was shit, your opinion is shit, and this alternate ending does in no way make the point that the book does. I'm glad that writing for a film news website makes you feel that you are a critic worthy of writing insightful commentary on movies, but you have instead proven that you know next to nothing about good writing, direction, and acting. The people in charge of making this movie did everything they could to dumb it down for the morons who pay $10 a pop for tickets, and you fell for it. Congratulations. The American film industry is going down the tubes and idiots like you are wadding up your money in the pipes so it will never be plunged from the depths of the cesspool that it currently resides in. I beg you, be like the classic comedy show from years ago, and GET FUCKING SMART!

Slick Rick on Mar 19, 2008

620

i totally prefer the alternate ending… it makes the movie so much better..

mr. spaulding on Mar 19, 2008

621

I really want to thank you for showing us that ending. I have seen the movie and I loved it but the one thing that I was not crazy about was the ending. My whole family agreed that the ending should have been different and now that I have seen this ending I believe that this is the one that they should have put in the final cut for theaters. That was the kind of ending that we felt was better then what was there. Thank you so much for showing us that.

shanna on Mar 19, 2008

622

Much much better, though the movie still had lots of issues.

Still, I would've been more inclined to overlook those issues had this been the ending…

Thanks for showing us!

And btw, there a new Director's Cut out now (at least online) that fixes this and a few other things…

Chris on Mar 19, 2008

623

I think this version is much better but it still had problems too. I admit the scene with them all driving away was a bit too "sunshine and flowers" for me. They should have replaced that with a small montage of how Neville's cure was being used by the survivors to turn the infected back to normal.
Everything else in this ending really tied it together. The alpha male showing that shred of humanity he has left by his emotion over his female is what makes Neville see that somewhere along the line HE has turned into the vampire/monster/legend or whatever you want to call it.
The movie was really good up until the dark seekers showed themselves. I mean come on…CG PEOPLE??? What is so wrong these days with having real actors in makeup. Think how much more freaky the movie would have been if they were real actors portraying the dark seekers. The animation was about as obvious as bugs bunny in space jam. A message to all movie makers, CG animation belongs in children's films and should stay there (well ok, Beowulf is an exception). Unless you can do a spotless job of making it look perfectly real you shouldn't mess with it at all. Oh yeah…and don't trust focus groups, they messed up your movie.

L. on Mar 19, 2008

624

Hi Mike F,

They infer that the infection is a mutation of the virus they modify to attack cancer. So their amazing, resiliant cure, becomes a death sentence for most of the world.

As for the ending, I prefer the 'alternate' one, up until the driving and voiceover by the girl. Personally I'd still vote for some form of hybrid ending perhaps, or do something (rapid scene flashbacks) to emphasize his realization that he is the monster, at least to the 'vampires'. It might have been fitting to have the girl 'vampire' kill him just as/after he has this epiphany. Then the escape of the girl and the boy to the 'safe town' could have cemented the 'Legend' for both old humanity, and new mutated humanity.

Anyway, just my collection of disjointed thoughts.

Chad O on Mar 19, 2008

625

I thought The Omega Man was a much better film. I also think the alternate ending was much more in-deph and thought provoking than the theatrical.

Charlton Heston on Mar 19, 2008

626

Oh yeah, and I think alot of you out there can get your point across without calling people names please. This whole "If you don't like exactly what I like, you're a retard." attitude has got to go also. The fact is, this isn't the book, it's a movie. And try to keep in mind that 75% of the audience probably hasn't read the book. So please get off your high horses and be nice.

L. on Mar 19, 2008

627

Thanks Chad for clearing that up.. I was sorta thinking that was the reason but wasnt 100% sure.

Mike F on Mar 19, 2008

628

You're welcome Mike.

And I agree with 'L.' that a bit more civility would be great. I haven't read the book, but can understand that it would be awesome to see that ending. But portraying it without making the movie overly long would be the challenge. You could easily get rid of the girl and little boy mind you, if that was the slant they were taking.

Now, I don't think anyone has mentioned it, but would it be trite, or ironic, if Neville died of cancer after reaching the town?

Chad O on Mar 19, 2008

629

Trite. Very trite, and totally not in keeping with the story.

SandwichBoy on Mar 19, 2008

630

I'm so incredibly exited right now its crazy, and at the same time so very upset.

The alternate ending was amazing, I loved it. WB has to know the ending they chose sucked as reviews for the movie are great, except everyone had same same issues. The ending. I honestly dont even know a single person who saw the movie that didnt say something about not liking the way it ended. Theatrical ending was horrid.

I just want to thank you for posting the other ending so myself and others can replace the excruciating ending with an ending much more fit.

Tom T. on Mar 19, 2008

631

Slick Rick, you are stressing too hard about how people feel about this movie. Keep in mind, just because a book was a genius book, does not mean movies based on the book but altered can't also be enjoyable. People are not idiots if they choose to like the creativity of someone who was inspired by another artist to recreate their work. It happens all of the time in the food industry and sometimes leads to much better products. After reading the first Jurassic Park book, I am actually glad that the movie didn't completely follow all of it's story lines. I even thought the book that the first Rambo was based on (in which Rambo was killed), did better by being changed. Now, I can argue that for someone to want to see Rambo live is in poor taste because it is not true to the book, but that is all opinion and not foolishness. I'd venture a guess that most people never heard of the book until this movie came out. Therefore, they are liking this movie based on the creativity that was within it, and not based on the creativity of the original author. They are not dumb, but simply experiencing something from a different view than one who've seen the true source.

Yus John on Mar 19, 2008

632

Loved the movie. I also prefer this ending over the theatrical one, but can someone explain to me the butterfly concept of this movie, especially when the main vampire drew a butterfly on the glass and the female had a butterfly tattoo? I dont get it.

Ric P on Mar 19, 2008

633

WOW. that was so much better that the one that was used in the theaters.

Sean on Mar 19, 2008

634

Thanks a lot for breaking the rule… The orignal left me with an odd feeling that the movie ended in a compromise. With this version the movie finally made sense!

Jesper B on Mar 19, 2008

635

THEY BLEW UP ALL THE BRIDGES… and this ending was weak

Guy on Mar 19, 2008

636

I am very grateful to have found this. I loved the movie, but the ending felt very false given some events leading up to it. I have not read the book, but I had imagined an ending similar to this 'original' one.

I see it like this:
Theatrical ending: mindless, violent, destructive, desperate, loose-loose, yet still managing to put a single (flawed) man on pedestal as a fake 'hero' to try and spin something positive from the disaster.
Original ending: as said: profound and emotional, overcoming fear and prejudice and being willing to listen and negotiate, resulting in a win-win.

Unfortunately I see an attitude in the US, especially regarding foreign policy, to have disturbing similarities to the mindset of the 'theatrical trailer'. Maybe this factored in to the decision to use this ending - on the assumption that viewers would prefer to see a show of power and big explosion with heroes held high, since this has proven to be such a successful technique in convincing the public that US foreign policy is doing the right thing.

Hopefully, this strong show of support for the original ending can also help some people realise that a compassionate mindset can produce better results, and would be warmly accepted by the public.

Eric Woods on Mar 19, 2008

637

Ric P (comment 632). From what I figure, the female vampire had a butterfly tattoo. Simple. The lead vampire wanted her back, and wanted to communicate the fact that he had a personal connection to her (otherwise his actions would be interpreted as "I want to kill everyone in the glass cage"). So he drew a butterfly on the glass. Neville's daughter talking about butterflies was supposed to be prophetic to help Neville 'listen', and not just react to violence with violence.

Eric Woods on Mar 19, 2008

638

I definitely prefer this ending over the theatrical one. For one thing, much of the movie seemed to move towards this conclusion. The alpha male's anger when his wife/girlfriend was taken from him, the trap the infected set for Neville, and the complex, distraught expression on the alpha male's face as he was hitting the glass near the end all hinted at the idea that the infected were more human than Neville seemed willing to believe.

The appearance of the family of lions at the end is also poignant. In the beginning of the movie, Neville decided not to shoot a lioness, despite the fact that it killed the deer he was hunting, because he saw that it had a family. This mirrors the situation with the infected and emphasizes the sanctity of all life, all families, regardless of what kind.

The only small weakness I found with this ending was that there was still a bridge left standing. I can imagine that maybe not all of the bridges had been destroyed (the infected did spread, after all), but the fact that this wasn't explicitly stated makes the presence of a working bridge seem like a mistake (even if it wasn't).

Phillip Seo on Mar 19, 2008

639

The original ending was good, but that alternate ending would've been better. They just started to dig into the fact that those things were social with each other and this would've helped me understand better where that was headed.
Many times when I see a movie and I felt like something could've been better explained I would see it in the deleted scenes.
That ending shouldn't have been deleted, in my opinion.

Danirae on Mar 19, 2008

640

The theater version started off well, it evolved more or less evenly along the way and then it just … nothing, Neville just decided to give up and kill himself … , not very good for a squeal in my opinion, very bad ending.
Know the original (alternate) ending, that's what I call a decent ending, at least it didn't kill the story.

Luis Farinha on Mar 19, 2008

641

I really like the alternate ending. Theatre one was good but I didn't like Rober Neville dies at end.

Just Fan on Mar 19, 2008

642

Liked the alternate left an opening for a sequel.

A. Giasone on Mar 19, 2008

643

I gave I Am Legend a rating of 2/5 on Netflix. I absolutely hated the movie. I enjoyed all of it til the end, and the ending I thought was so poorly forced together that I couldn't even enjoy the good parts I had seen. In the movie, all of the hints and insights they build into the main Vampire just get completely dropped and kicked out of the way in the last 10 minutes, it drove me nuts. The Vampires start showing intelligence, and seem particularly angry about the one female vampire being taken, so the entire movie you expect something to develop with that plot line. For them to drop it so dismissively was a huge insult to me as a viewer. I wrote a few opinions on how bad I felt the movie was…that is, until I saw the alternate ending. It actually finishes the movie, instead of treating us like children with short attention spans. We get to see Will and the main Vampire's relationship come to fruition, and Will finally gain the insight he seems to be searching for the entire movie. With the alternate ending, I would give the movie 4 stars. With the ending as it is currently, it will remain at 2. Currently I Am Legend gets mediocre reviews (only 3/5 general rating on Netflix). With this alt ending, it would have easily been at the top of the lists instead of left behind.

Warner needs to stop considering their first week as a judgment of their success. I Am Legend was going to get an audience no matter what happened (as it did). To /maintain/ a following, to get respect for a movie, you need to actually do something good. You can't rely on cliche and a well cut trailer to get you through everything.

E on Mar 19, 2008

644

If you look at the entire movie then the theatrical ending is more in line with what was shown before. If you've read the book and have an appreciation of it then you'll like the alternate ending more because it touches upon some of the concepts the book uses.

The alternate ending comes out of left field if you watch the entirety of the movie and doesn't work at all. In the book there is a progression to show the blurring of good and evil, in the movie there was absolutely no blurring of those two concepts. Through the entire movie the vampire-esque creatures are 'evil', and Neville is undeniably good, in the book they blur the line between the infected and Neville.

The alternate ending would have made no sense at all when considering the movie only, and even if they had changed earlier scenes it would not have made much of a difference. The alternate ending was an attempt to bring concepts from the book into the movie, so putting it into the movie would have required extensive changes both to the earlier scenes and even the alternate ending as well since they had no backstory to explain the infected's actions.

Sam on Mar 19, 2008

645

First of all anyone who thinks the original ending was better is a moron, and should go apply for a job at Warner Brothers right now!
Second, most (if not all) of you are missing the point of the title. The title is "I" am Legend. It's a pun. Smith's character is calling himself a legend - a true legend would never say that "I am a Legend!" This fully supports this alternate ending. The point of the film is to show that he is more evil than the vampires. Which is also the very reason they don't kill him. If they kill Smith, than the vampires would be no better than he is. The point is to show that they do have humanity, If they killed Smith, they would be just as savage.
The ending is a revelation in Smith's character, that he sees "oh fuck, maybe I'm not a Legend!" The title is a complete pun and play on words. Even to the point that Smith thinks he is the last man on earth, when he isn't! He isn't a legend - and that is the point of the movie!
In many ways this ending and idea are better than the book - in the book, we find out she is one of them, and takes them to their lair and they kill him. Making them savage, him the last man on earth and a "legend!" But the film is the opposite, it shows that they are humane, that he isn't the last man, and that he isn't a legend - BRILLIANT!
The book was a classic, but the film took a different, and perhaps better approach to the story. If anything certainly a more realistic approach - think about it, is it really conceivable that he is the last man on earth!

Bryan on Mar 19, 2008

646

I loved the alternate ending so much better than the original. Most of all because Will Smith still lived at the end. It made perfect sense to me because it shows that all the creatures wanted was the woman back. They never really bothered him until he took one of the infected. I would most definitely vote for the alternate ending.

Michelle Owens on Mar 19, 2008

647

I prefer the alt ending. It shows that love exists in the creatures. THEIR IS SOME HUMANITY LEFT IN THEM!!! We are always afraid of the unknown, albeit here there is GOOD REASON to fear them.

The THEATRICAL ending seemed too hokey - sugar-coated at the VERY END IMO

Roger on Mar 19, 2008

648

I truly enjoyed the alternate ending, and so did my 11-year-old daughter. (My wife wasn't so sure!)

We thought it did a pretty good job of walking the line between the "Hollywood ending" and the darker book ending. There was still definitely a compromise of sorts, but in this version of the ending the compromise worked beautifully. I would've been very happy with it in the theaters. The photographs on the walls and the vampire "hero" walking off with the damsel strongly alluded to the book's point, and that would've gotten a lot of people thinking.

In a lot of ways it reminded me of the DVD of "28 Days Later", where they showed alternate endings which included killing off one of the main characters. But for that one they made the right choice in theaters — the alternates simply didn't work as well. With "I Am Legend" the alternate is (IMHO) the definitive version of the movie.

Drew Thaler on Mar 19, 2008

649

Honestly I think both endings have pros and cons. It was better to see the humanity in the zombies because they had already shown that they were able to replicate and learn the trap Neville set and using "Frank" (obviously marking them as not mindless zombies) the alt ending also stays true to the book by showing the evolution of mankind and making neville into a legend. At the same time I dont know how i feel about keeping him alive. If they wanted a sequel, maybe…

jess on Mar 19, 2008

650

Wow! I prefer the movie 28 Days later as I felt the two movies were pretty much the same but that ending was superior to the original in every way. The original cinema ending absolutely destroyed any credibility that the movie had. I agree that this one should have been used. Too late for me now because I seen the crap ending & therefore I am Legend was just another mediocre movie that dragged at times & was ruined. Thank God there's no sequel. Well all I know is I wouldn't be going if there was anyway! The CGI was below average for me so that was another negative point. I'm getting away from the subject now. Sorry!
WB, you guys got this wrong. This was the better ending that would definitely have gone down better with audiences. Where do you get your test audience from????

Barry Murphy on Mar 19, 2008

651

it's funny… this ending brings lots of closure, and explains a lot in the movie… that scene where the main 'zombie' exposes himself to the light… everything. it was the perfect ending.
I had no knowledge of what would happen at the end, and the entire time I was thinking "it's because of that zombie chick in the basement".

ben on Mar 20, 2008

652

Wow! lmao! I haven't heard a rant like that in sometime, but I agree with ya there! A little bit off topic I suppose but oh well. Thanks for the comic relief though amongst everything else.

Ken on Mar 20, 2008

653

For me, this alternate ending is simply horrible

Whole movie is full of weak spots, but including such a cheap pathetic ending would be even worse. I respect everyone's opinion, but I simply couldn't come up with more cheesy cliched ending. Original ending is pathetic but comparing to this it looks like actual movie.

Jack on Mar 20, 2008

654

I never read the book, though it was obvious for me the original ending did not fit the story. Now I see this, it explains all. Thanks for showing this!

Savage on Mar 20, 2008

655

I really enjoy this alternate ending, not just because Will Smith is alive but because it is more true to the original story. I like movies that are true to the books and games. Thanks for showing!

misstyeye on Mar 20, 2008

656

I think that ending kicks ass over the other one… it opens up more onto the themes and really shows that Neville was wrong when he assumed that the others were not evolved at all.. because how would they set traps or have a hierarchy…

M on Mar 20, 2008

657

THIS ENDING SUCKS I have no idea how anyone could prefer this ending to the original theatrical release. This was a movie, it was loosely based on the book, but not a direct copy. I hate this ending.

Matt on Mar 20, 2008

658

wow what a hell of an ending ive seen the movie four times but i never actually got wut the ending meant but now that i hav seen that ending i have one question…………..IS THERE ANY WAY I CAN DOWLOAD THIS VID SO I CAN PUT IT ON MY PSP?!?!?!?!?!?!?

daniel on Mar 20, 2008

659

i think they put the theatrical ending in so that people would want to see the real ending and to do that they would have to buy the dvd. So i think they did that so they would make more money by selling lots of dvds cause people wanted to see the alternative ending

david on Mar 20, 2008

660

This was a much better ending. Very reminisent of the book. Not in that he lived, but in that he realized that the vampires had a society, and that he was a killer to them.

flash over on Mar 20, 2008

661

In my opinion, only one post seems to have the "I am Legend" angle right - Neville is a relic of what he believes to be an all but extinct race and society, and therefore is a legend regardelss of whether he as alive or dead, and regardless of whether or not he is remembered by the "new society"as some kind of serial killer or moster; it is a foregone conclusion that the human race as he knew it is gone forever, and in that respect he remains a legend in either ending, as would the woman and the kid.
For me, the survining humanity of the infected was already apparent before seeing the alternate ending. It was obvious in the leader's willingness to expose himself to sunlight, in his ingenuity in trapping Neville, and in his determination to recover to the female infected. I can't believe other posters could not see this just because they didn't get to see the embrace between the two infected lovers that was included in the alternate ending, or simply because Neville makes a note to himself that the intellect of the infected must have somehow degraded. It was quite aparent to me that he had missed the point that the infected had indeed retained some humanity and intellect, and this because he was in denial - he had been since the trauma of the original outbreak and losing his wife and child. He demonstrated this by telling the woman survivor almost the exact thing he told his wife on the eve of the evacuation…"I can stil fix this.." It was as if he was stuck in the past.
Neville's solitude was already putting him on the verge if going crazy, so it wasn't some wierd connection wit the manequin that made him fall for the trap. He was actually questioning whether the manequin was perhaps real, so it was a real mind trip for him to see it out there…
Finally, I feel that the only thing that the theatrical ending lacks is some sort of realization and dismay on Neville's part that he was perceived by the infected as being the monster for abducting and killing so many of their own. This could still have been achieved, I think, with the same glance at the wall of photos, and his resignation to the reality that the infected would not stop till he was dead, but that he had to still save them by saving the woman and the boy who had the cure in their possession. The only way he could do this was to blow himself up with as many of the infected that were in te house…

Rex on Mar 20, 2008

662

Having never read the book and having generally enjoyed the movie, I thought that the ending was somehow wrong and missing one important element. My daughter and I discussed it at length after seeing the film and we both felt that there should have been an alternative ending that somehow acknowleged the residual humanity of the infected people. This was actually alluded to earlier in the film where the male was prepared to rsik coming into the light to protect his mate. This was very important to the storyline and was completely lost in the ending that made it to the cinemas, but is clearly present in the original ending.

Someone should tell American filmakers that resolving a storyline with explosions doesn't really resolve anything - it's just a cheap way of giving an audience some kind of cathartic relief from the stress of the story and is used way too much in Hollywood (Explosions to offer cathartic relief are used way too much in American foreign policy as well… Eg: Iraq: Shock and awe response to 9/11, etc. ) - Allan (Australia)

Allan W on Mar 20, 2008

663

Firstly,

I have I am Legend, both BOOK and MOVIE.

Now that I used caps somewhere in this paragraph, lets begin. I didn't like the ending of the book, I'm sorry but it wasn't well written, poorly executed, and is only hailed as "epic" by sentimental retards who can't let go of their first experience with it. (WHAT? WHAT?)

I guess for pseudo literacy critics its a work of masterpiece, how "Nevelle" is his own evil when viewed by the vampires, the next step of evolution. but to be perfectly blunt "two sides of the same coin, there is no good, there is no evil" has been a concept implored in works since…

A little before the dawn of f***ing time and a minute hand after Homer wrote his epic involving Troy, somewhere in there. Hell, it was even in the Matrix, what a brilliant movie, right?

Stop calling the book's view "unique", for the last time, must EVERY DEFENSE for a book to movie remind us how "ITS NOT THE SAME".
Again, if you want a page by page conversion, …read the book, otherwise, don't bring "unique" into the argument. Oh, you wanted a more faithful version?
Yes you say?
Use your imagination, read the f***ing book.

GodDamn Batman on Mar 20, 2008

664

Yes, Warner Bros. made a lot of $$$ with the theatrical ending, but shot themself in the foot with respect to future earnings via a Will Smith franchise and a better story.
The story and Smith's character needed more than one movie to do the book justice.

Those of you who argue that the creatures were devoid of all humanity, and that the alternate ending is too soft, missed one obvious detail….They still wore clothes !
They were not completely animals, as their intelligence in replicating Neville's snare-trap also revealed.

I thought the movie was too short, and ended just as it finally got going. The book was great in it's time, but did need a bit of updating. I would have liked to have seen his wife survive the helicopter crash and later be discovered among the infected. Perhaps he could have even not recognized her and mistakenly killed her in his rampage after the loss of his dog, ( use the tattoo reference as a means to identify HER,) and show that in seeing these "things" as just guinea pigs in his quest to save humanity, that he had lost his own, and that he had become the monster.

Hindsight is always 20/20, and it is far easier to criticize than to create, but Hollywwod could have used a bit more foresight, and insight, on this one.

- Sam

Cinema Sam on Mar 20, 2008

665

I like this better than what was in the movie, and yet, I think this could have been improved, too.

Michael Lambert on Mar 20, 2008

666

Yeah, I prefer this ending to the theatrical one. However, I can see why they would go with the theatrical one, as it gives closure (although quickly and not that convincingly), more so then this one does. Oh, and I don't think they intended to follow the book beyond the basic concept. I mean, isn't that Hollywood's way?

Kaitin on Mar 20, 2008

667

Why hasn't anybody mentioned the fact that they drove across a BRIDGE to leave, when earlier a big point of the story was that all the bridges were destroyed. This lapse in storyline continuity probably had EVERYTHING to do with them dropping this ending, than anything else.

(Although lets face it, they already botched that the moment she waltzed into town from Maryland). THE ISLAND WAS CUT OFF!!!!!!

Just me on Mar 20, 2008

668

This movie failed on so many levels. Will Smith was brilliant, the deserted city was well realised, and the first half really left you sharing his isolation. Then the "vampires" came. The special effects, up until this point, had ranged form brilliant - New York, empty and overgrown - to computer game - the entry of the mustang - to somewhere in between - the animals. However the entrance of the "vampires" managed to hit a new low in major motion picture effects. When I first saw these I though I was watching an animatic. They are truly terribly realised and unconvincing in every way. The we get the obligatory woman and child, and the inevitable hopeful ending. I was gutted, because I had high hopes for this, and with the exception of some dodgy effects work early on, it had been going well. There were also some glaring continuity problems, where plot directions had been obviously set up, then simply ignored for the rest of the film.

The ending didn't surprise me though. I knew an alternate, stronger ending had been show to test audiences (read : Americans) who had hated it, forcing a new ending to be shot. It does not surprise me in the least that this ending was rejected by an American audience. If there is one thing the majority of American film goers hate, it is to be challenged. Good must triumph. There must be hope. Who cares if the real world isn't like that.

This ending does tie up some of the plot lines that were left to dangle, and is, on the most part, and much better choice for the movie itself (audience testing be damned), however it does not rescue the movie from director, who is a second rate hack, and the "vampire" effects, which are simple shoddy, substandard and 'safe'

Maybe the next person to film it will get it right.

Outsider on Mar 20, 2008

669

First off, I was dissappointed by the fact of its deviation from the actual story. It's my opinion that it shouldn't have been called I Am Legend. It should have been some other title like Last Man on Earth and The Omega Man were. I understand why they didn't just make the movie exactly like the book and that is because all of us who have read the book have already seen the best movie adaption and that is the movie we see in our minds while reading the book. That's the reason why the book will almost always be better than the movie. I say almost simply because it is possible for a filmmaker to come up with a better story than the original. Taking that into account lets proceed.

I think the original ending fit better with the feel of how the movie was progressing. When Neville kidnapped the female to find a cure and the male came to the doorway you could clearly see that he was her mate. It annoyed me that when Neville was doing his video diary that he stated they had lost their humanity when clearly they hadn't. It was also annoying that he didn't acknowledge this when he was trapped using the exact snare that he used to capture the female. Last I knew animals don't go around trapping humans in snares, but it could simply be that they cover up their tracks to well. Think about it, how many of us going missing never to be heard of again. I liked the original because it finally dawned on him instead of him still being ignorant and sacrificing himself for no reason.

Third, the woman. When I first saw her I was excited because I thought that they were following the book and that she was the spy, but of course no, though I held out hope for quite awhile. All it did was end up making me dislike her.

Fourth, taking into the account of the original and the theatrical endings I think that they could have done a better job with the change to the theatrical seeing how they left elements that lead up to the original ending still in. What they need to do is make two actual versions of the film.

Overall, taking into account my first point and considering it lightly based on the book I give the movie a 7.

Note: I did not read all the 660 odd comments already posted so my whole comment could be just rehash but hey that's how I feel so for any of those out there who ended up just rereading the same points, I'm sorry I wasted your time, but then again, I must not have wasted any precious time of yours seeing how you went and read over 660 comments.

Mixed Feelings on Mar 20, 2008

670

Wow, I really appreciate you helping us see the real ending of the movie. I did not like the theatrical ending at all. I felt like the movie was hurried at the end, up to the time when he met the girl everything was on pace and the rythm of the movie was perfect, after that I felt like the rythm changed for the worse and they hurried the ending without closure. The alternate ending however is much better and gives a reasonable motive to the "vampires" agressive quest to get Neville…it is not about him it is about the girl…wow, carnivorous monsters who preserved the ethics of love, that's pretty amazing concept…
Thank you

Bannous on Mar 20, 2008

671

OK LET ME SAY THIS AGAIN: !!!! They drove across a bridge to leave, when the bridges had already been destroyed!!!! There was no way on or off the Island!

Which makes the woman showing up in the first place, CRAP, but makes the 2nd ending even MORE inconstant—which I am sure is why they left this off. You can't have them driving across A BRIDGE when there were NONE!

Just Me AGAIN on Mar 20, 2008

672

That's really true.
This ending is so much better than the original one.
The original ending was the worst of the movie.
The original ending made the whole movie suck.

PL on Mar 20, 2008

673

@#671 Is that even the George Washington bridge we see get destroyed in the movie? I don't think it is. There are several bridges off the island, and nowhere did they say every brdige was destroyed. In fact it would make sense to leave at least one bridge intact, and concentrate your forces at that one choke point to make sure no one gets off the island, but preserve a rout in if you need it. And the first ending has the same issue… in the first one she mysteriously drove her car out of the city (and in), giving absolutly no explination. At least in this ending they do show them crossing a still intact bridge which I really do think to be a diffrent bridge they we see get destroyed.

Stakex on Mar 20, 2008

674

I still prefer the theatrical ending, for once studio executives got it right. Will Smith's character's sacrifice and handing the cure to the lady is more fitting. His legacy is rightly served. It also leaves everyone with a much more greater sadness seeing Will Smith's death but that also adds that extra sense of closeness with the character. So no i would say the studio version is more suitable.

iftekhar hossain on Mar 21, 2008

675

i think the theater ending leaves to much of an empty feeling like he just wasent ment to die, i really like the alt

blake on Mar 21, 2008

676

id just like to say they should of merged the endings but after reading a comment by that guy scott i noticed he gets enjoyment out of cutting down people on message boards and has no real life

matt on Mar 21, 2008

677

A far superior ending, the original ending always left me wanting more. It's not the fact that this was a happier ending that makes it more appealing, it's that it feels like a true end to the movie. Not so short and abrupt.

I hope 'WB' listens and takes note; This ending is a great way to finish off a great movie (instead of using the alternate.)

Aidan K on Mar 21, 2008

678

this ending is way better seriosuly. i liked the show but the ending was really bad, i would say the intended version would have made me much more satisfied. to think they believed otherwise, seriously.

me on Mar 21, 2008

679

Elvis D, I knew I was getting into spoilers for I am Legend but didn't realize I'd have SEVEN spoiled for me. Thanks buddy.

Greg on Mar 21, 2008

680

Theres a reason the book is a classic and in my opinion the film should have been as close to the book as possible but in a modern setting but hey the studios are always dumbing down movies thinking audiences can't take a darker more thought provoking film. I mean people are still talking about se7en, do you think we'll be talking about i am legend in 13 years time????

Doubt it!

Craigf14 on Mar 21, 2008

681

I personally liked the alternate ending much better. I went to see the movie in theaters with my boyfriend (who, of course, found it awesome that he sacrificed himself at the end) and my best friend. None of us have read the book (but I probably will have to now). I thought it was extremely annoying at the end of the theatrical version. How is one vial of antidote going to help? Good luck remaking it using only that! Anyway… I was completely taken by the alternate ending (which I did not find "controversial" at all… whatev…). I felt my heart start to beat so hard, and I couldn't help thinking "Is this guy completely lost it?" The look on the male vampire's face and how he got all of them to just back down just pulled the whole movie together for me. I had been trying to tell my boyfriend that the only reason the male came into the sunlight the first time (when Robert first takes the female) was because the female was his mate (because they were digressing to animal instinct), but he wouldn't believe me. It made me really mad when none of that was concluded in the end. I can understand why they would make the awesome gripping ending for the theaters. It's always fun to see people throw themselves into the line of fire with a grenade and kill as many of the enemy as they can. I found the alternate one much more gripping, though.

Just my opinion,
Ayu

Ayu on Mar 21, 2008

682

On the original ending that they showed in the movie, he could have easily tied a long string to the grenade and tied it to the pin and then went into the tunnel opening that both the child and woman went into and then he could have given the string enough lead and then when they were all at a safer distance he could have just pulled the pin and blew those bad boys up !!!

Carl on Mar 21, 2008

683

Also, the movie company that had put the "so-called" depressing ending in there KNEW that people out there would BUY the DVD in order to watch the alternate ending because so many people DID NOT LIKE the original ending. The great thing is that you provided that for us so we wouldn't have to BUY IT !!! SO YOU DA MAN for doing that for us. Thanks for putting them in their place. Now I don't need to buy the DVD. I wouldn't have anyway…

Carl on Mar 21, 2008

684

I liked the one in theaters a whole lot better. The one in theaters says why he is the legend. Not the one you people used!

Alexa Lingg on Mar 21, 2008

685

Actually, this movie i thought is the continuation of the 28 weeks later. Im looking for the ending of that same story, i thought this one, just my comment is how Smith end them up, is just like that, he let the state on that situation. Anyway, theatrical ending and this one is both great but i think the best on this is on the part 2 which need to be see on how this end up.

Arnel on Mar 21, 2008

686

While the death of Robert Neville was one thing they got right in the original, there were too many loose ends to the original ending. It never specified a relationship between the lead "vampire" and the young girl "vampire" in Neville's basement, and it left me wanting for more when I left the theater.

I majored in English in college and still love to come away with something of my own and piece together the puzzle myself after I read a good book, but I've never enjoyed it in movies. For your average viewer, and this includes me, the alternate ending would've made the movie great instead of somewhat forgettable. The movie drug too much not to tie everything together in the end, and though tying everything together may not be the direction that Hollywood is headed (see some of the Academy Award Winners this year), it's still the preferred style among mainstream America… which I group myself into.

Kudos to you for pointing out this ending and then explaining it in a way that makes it more true to the original book. I, for one, would've actually bought the DVD if this would've been the ending they showed in theaters.

Russell on Mar 21, 2008

687

I agree with Carl. That's a really good point because I payed twice the amount to get the special edition and I have a friend who bought the normal version and got mad because it didn't have the alternate ending. Now, he's going to buy the special edition, too because he can't return it!

Very good point, Carl,
Ayu

Ayu on Mar 21, 2008

688

I liked the theatrical ending better too. The religious overtones, and the 'butterfly' analogy, actually brought tears to my eyes — even though I am very agnostic. This alternate ending is cool too, and I understand the points being made here, but in all actuality the movie totally doesnt follow the original book anyways. In the book there are *two* kinds of sick humans: the monsters - which are actual 'undead', and people who are still alive but who live with the affliction, and who are very much like vampires. In the book (in which he also dies at the end) the reason he is a 'legend' is because the human population has been replaced by the new mutant one - and as such he goes down in history as 'the legend of the horrible monster who dragged mutants out into the sunlight to kill them'. In the original movie ending, he is a legend because he found the cure and sacrificed himself. They are just completely different stories - to the point that the movie probably should of used a different title. I can see why you say that this alternative ending brings up the point of the book, by its vague because so much of the story is so different. Another blemish on this alternative ending, is that the monsters dont hurt Neville. This completely goes against what you've seen from them for the entire rest of the movie, and takes away from it. By combining the 'undead' and 'vampire' types of afflicted humans into this one 'monster' type, you lost the ability to give them the capacity for higher emotion, and trying to give them this character in the final 15 minutes of the movie, undermines the effort to make them terrifying throughout the rest of the film. If you wanted to convey this type of message, you should of been truer to the book. IMO, the theatrical ending is perfect for this version of the story, and makes much more sense.

Netmonger on Mar 21, 2008

689

I was very impressed with this ending. To tell the truth, I was very impressed with the movie as a whole. It was the introduction of the other human characters to the story that threw me and made me want a longer time period in the film, where Neville and his dog act as a team and explore/hunt together. To me, that particular dynamic was far more inspired and entertaining than anything else in the movie.

This new ending, in my opinion, is far better than the one given to theatre-goers and Warner Brothers definitely over-estimated the audience acceptance of violence over intellect.


To address some of the nay-sayers, the fact that there is one "monster" that acts as the leader to the horde of infected humans and his interaction with Robert Neville seems to reflect the respect that Neville showed earlier in the scene with the lions and the deer. It's possible that I am reading too much into symbolism, or taking something completely different to mean what I interpreted, but it should be considered. The lion could have killed Neville as easily as the infected could have, but chose not to, because Neville showed them respect.

Thank you for presenting this new ending for us and I intend to purchase the DVD and, more than likely, never watch the original ending again.

Eric on Mar 21, 2008

690

Scott,
I looked up "mindless fucktard" in the dictionary and it said "someone who insults others because they have different opinions". Sleep well fucktard.

Drew on Mar 21, 2008

691

THE MANS DOG DIED!! I would have killed myself to kill those bastards too… poor dog, i liked both endings though

kyle on Mar 21, 2008

692

i like both endings, but i like the alternate better since Robert has to go out in a stupid way in the theater version. I would of liked the theater version better if, instead of kamakazi, Robert pulled out 2 M249 SAW Light Machine Guns and blown all the vampire things away, that would have been an awesome ending.

bob on Mar 21, 2008

693

I dunno… this ending didnt make any sense. Here we have these beings that have taken over the whole world, killing people left and right and that are supposedly vampires who feed on blood(?) and for some reason they just left nevill alone here, why wouldnt they have torn him to shreads and eaten him when they got the chance like they did with all the others? Why just leave him be?

I dont think this ending got any closer to the real ending… with this ending we got the feeling that the creatures are pretty nice folks that didnt really wanna quarrel with anyone.

Niclas on Mar 21, 2008

694

wow, that WAS breathtaking… so much better !

Thank you for showing it to me (us).

Willem on Mar 21, 2008

695

I think we can all just decide as a group that the movie wasn't as far from the book as Eragon's was. The end. (I did like the cut ending more, though. The survivor camp was lame)

Kyle on Mar 21, 2008

696

I never read the book and I was hugely disappointed in the original ending of the movie. It just seemed like it was leading up to something the whole time and then it never got there. this ending make so much more sense and fits in with the rest of the movie. Plus Hollywood never gives its audience enough credit - this ending makes me think and I like that more than the mind numbing explosions and trite answers they so typically force feed us.

Kar on Mar 21, 2008

697

I think if they went with this ending the movie would've been a big failure
the real ending is great but this one is not realistic at all , I loved the real ending much more

HYDRO on Mar 21, 2008

698

I just finished watching the alternate ending and it is now going to be the only one I watch. Granted, I loved the original, until the ending. The original ending was so un-like the rest of the movie and out-of-place with Will's character. It was unbelievable that he would have a grenade and safe in his lab, and the way they got to the colony on the year of 2012 (special to the
Mayan Calander) was so corny, I almost lost appreciation for the movie. But the alternate version was beautiful, leaving you thinking and made the movie beautiful and a must-see. I must point out though that they added a few scenes (where he is describing how the dark seekers could not have rigged up the snare and where Ethan is swimming in the pond and he gets his idea to use ice), I thought these scenes pulled away from the flow of the movie. They were great in character development and plot development, but were not very necessary. Anyway, that's beside the point. It was a poor choice to release the original ending in theatres and they should have gone with the alternate version hands down.

Mike on Mar 21, 2008

699

I just seen the alternate ending today, and will watch I am Legend for the second time around because this movie is excellent from the very beginning to the now alternate end.

phil on Mar 21, 2008

700

After watching this ending, I really don't understand why it wasn't kept as the original. Sure the one they ended up using was sad because, oh look, poor Will Smith, he died, not like we didn't see that coming, oh well great movie. But this ending really gave the entire thing a point.
I was so confused at the end of the movie because the way the lead vampire risked light to try and save the girl was a dead give away to some connection, and the fact that there was a "lead" vampire just set the ending up to be something big. Something epic. But then it really let me down.

I am in complete support of the original ending, and i know had a few of my friends seen this ending rather than the other, they would have liked the movie, instead of hated it. I guess that's why WB is releasing it. To try and get people to buy it.

Oh, and I agree that the arrival of the women and child really ruined the movie. I was so amazing, acting wise how Smith was caring the entire show with only the aid of flash backs and a dog to provide any form of verbal interactions. It's hard to make such a successful movie when only 15% of the composition consists of actual dialogue. But this movie really pulled it off on the emotional scale.

So yah, ditch the theatrical end and take out the women and her son and you've got an all out AMAZING movie.

Emma on Mar 21, 2008

701

i have never read the book, but I did feel myself a little disappointed in the ending. After seeing this, I believe it adds so much deeper meaning to the story. What a great twist that the protagonist is actually the antagonist whom everyone else sees as a killer. I would have much preferred this ending than the theatrical one. I also agree whole-heartedly with the opinion that I would have put this movie on my top ten list… until the woman showed up. The flow of the movie changed and it wasn't nearly as intense.

becky on Mar 21, 2008

702

I really like the movie in theaters. I love and hate scary/suspense movies at the same time, and this was the perfect fit for me. After watching this theatrical ending, i realized that the lack of closure i felt with the original ending was evaporated with this new one, as well as that last little 2 minutes of an even higher climax to the end of the movie. WB please atleast recognize that the people like both, but prefer the alternate!

Jeff Westphal on Mar 21, 2008

703

This ending was much better, I was most definitely disappointed at the ending the chose for the theatrical release. It was unfortunate because the whole movie was great, and the ending just ruined it. They definitely should have used this ending.

Kady on Mar 21, 2008

704

I do agree much better ending I was kind of irritated by the ending on the final cut but seeing this one made the movie better for me. GJ WB >.>

Will Brown on Mar 21, 2008

705

I have read the book. I think that the plot of the movie deviated far too much to even really compare them anymore except for the few plot points they left in (one man, alone, vampire-type creatures… etc.).

Honestly, I much prefer the original ending. This ending seems way to cobbled together to me, for a variety of reasons. The main one being how, in one scene, he looks up at the wall of photographs and realizes something along the lines of:

"Oh my Lord, I have killed hundreds(?) of semi-sentient beings. They weren't senseless brutes after all, I am something very near a murderer!!!!"

next scene:

"Man, I sure did forget all those moral implications really quick. Now I'm driving down the suspiciously clear road (on a bridge that was blown up… because they all, supposedly, were) with my new love interest! Awesome how this all ties together, isn't it!?"

^ Just didn't do it for me, I vastly preferred him dieing and taking the alpha male with him in the theatrical version to whatever that was supposed to be.

But, if they had put this ending together (the unused one, I mean) it could have been a much better ending for me. Everyone I talked to at the end of the movie was in varying states of misunderstanding about most of it and a large amount of movie-goers were confused (there was a multi-page argument about its implication on my site's forums). If they had striven more for this ending with a less nonsensical, more cohesive scene order I would probably prefer it to the theatrical one.

John on Mar 21, 2008

706

I was so excited to see this movie. I loved the concept, and when I got into the theater I could grinning as I waited for the movie to start…. And the ending… Well, I wouldn't say that the ending killed the movie for me, but it sure came close! When I watched this alternate ending all I can think is, "who in their right mind would pick the theatrical version over this???" It actually let him see the humanity in his enemy that he was trying to save, and a chance to attone for the "ends justify the means" existance that he had been living. The driving away scene was kind of dumb, but overall, the alternate was much preferable!

Michael on Mar 21, 2008

707

I'm sorry to defer…but the alternative ending is quite gay. Which is different from the theatrical version only in that that one was trite. So we have trite on the one hand…and gay on the other. 28 Days Later…and then 28 Weeks Later….far better films…..FAR better.

Lunthulbort on Mar 21, 2008

708

I've never read the book, but I was extremely disappointed by the ending shown in Theaters. They kept hinting that there was something more "human" about the infected than the protagonist knew; that there was hope for humanity, but in a different way - the plague had set humans back and onto a different evolutionary track, but it was still there and would survive. That the ending suddenly veered away from that theme and I felt a bit cheated.

This ending addressed those issues and gave me a feeling of resolution of the film's themes. If they were to release a DVD version with this ending-or at least the option to switch endings when watching the entire film, I would buy it, but I won't buy it as an extra.

Geoff on Mar 21, 2008

709

I did not like this film and felt it should have been renamed…..this was not I am Legend. 3rd try and the furthest from the sorce in my opinion. I'll take Last Man on Earth or The Omega Man any day.

Clint on Mar 21, 2008

710

The alternate ending was not better. I went to a showing about 2 months before it went to theaters. THey showed us both endings and had a poll where people voted on the better ending. Obviously more people liked the theater ending.

joey on Mar 21, 2008

711

Bravo! This alternate ending was fascienating to watch. Will smith has certainly crafted and evolved into a brilliant artist. This alternate ending in my opinion should have been chosen.

Randy Savage on Mar 22, 2008

712

This ending makes the reality of the situation click. My friend and I kept saying "if they are so wild then why isn't the city destroyed?" It just didn't make sense.
To see that Will's character was actually the monster in the scope of things was brilliant.
They were simply trying to survive the hand that was delt to them. And he kept killing them off. Plucking them one by one.
The final moment in the lab with the lead dark seeker is so well crafted. He was pissed. And was not going to take it any longer. I loved that they let Neville remain on his own.
I really don't think there should have been other characters. He should have remained the last man on earth at the finish.
I would change only one thing… Sam should not have died. I loved Sam.

Great stuff here. Thanks for having this online. I missed it on the rental. All is right with the world and I can sleep soundly now.

Cheers!

Toni on Mar 22, 2008

713

Not bad but still not as good as the book.

I'll take the book over both endings any day, honestly the book kicked the movies ass.

Too bad too, it could have been a great movie and not just an okay movie.

…i

Ira on Mar 22, 2008

714

Am I the only one who thinks that the theater version sounds like a scientology liberation plan for the world? With all the discussion around Will Smith being sucked into the sect, that's the impression I got when I saw this - apart from the ending - good movie.

thomas on Mar 22, 2008

715

This ending could have seal the deal for the movie watchers and WB. The ending in the movie they released was like "thats it?" they made me so curious from the start and then in the final minute of the movie it made me feel like they could have ended the film way better. For me its like the war of the worlds.

Jay Yu on Mar 22, 2008

716

I liked the alternate ending MUCH better. The original ending was a real let-down and very abrupt in nature. The alternate ending actually opened it up for a sequel that has the opportunity to have Will Smith as a lead - I absolutely love his work!

Lisa on Mar 22, 2008

717

I saw the movie soon after its release. When the credits rolled I heard two things from the theater. First "That's bullshit" and second "You must be fucking kidding me". This was the sentiment reflected by almost everyone as they filed out into the lobby.

Had this alternate been shown instead, I feel that the crowd would have left the theater pleased, rather than disappointed. Thanks for showing this to me, as it's confirmed my original belief that this was going to be a movie worth watching.

Wyatt on Mar 22, 2008

718

I saw the movie at the theater. I hadn't read the book at that time, but the ending still felt tacked on, inappropriate and it left me rather disappointed in the film. The ending that you've shown us here should have been the actual ending. I'll probably get the DVD now so I can watch the movie as it was meant to be, this "alternate" end was very much better then what they used.

Margaret on Mar 22, 2008

719

WOW! I saw the movie, didn't read the book. I thought the movie was great, but the only bit of it that didn't make any sense to me was exactly this - the ending. I mean, Will Smith never dies, right? Just, kidding. This version really wrapps it up into a great story. I really don't understand those guys from WB… THANK YOU FOR SHARING THIS! (please excuse my bad english )

Davor on Mar 22, 2008

720

I would have loved it if this was the theatrical ending. I'm tired or companies thinking American audiences are too stupid to enjoy anything but a "happy" ending like the one shown in theaters. This alternate ending should have been used because it really drives the point home that the vampires weren't mindless beasts. They had a society, and deep relationships with one another.

Jazz on Mar 22, 2008

721

This was the ending I anticipated throughout the movie. When Will Smith speaks into his camera after capturing the woman vampire thing, he says that desocialization is complete… that these monsters have no human instinct left. It's foreshadowing that he's wrong– the man exposed himself to sunlight because Will Smith took his woman. And moving the manequinn was a set up, designed by the monster-vampire-man, to capture Will Smith to repay him for kidnapping his woman. The original ending never touches on what was foreshadowed but this ending speaks to all of that. If this isn't the "right" ending, why are the other pieces in the movie?!

Sassy on Mar 22, 2008

722

Wow…

That ending really felt right. As the audience, I felt more connected with the movie. It's better when everyone doesn't die in the end; that's so cliche'. But then when you have Neville and crew make it out to all go to the retreat together….it just makes more sense. Just a thought though…now what? Those "vampire/cannibal" things are left all alone, to finish corrupting the world…what about them? It definetely needs to be continued; with the exception of the original ending.

Cam on Mar 22, 2008

723

With the exception of alternate ending…

Cam on Mar 22, 2008

724

I think the original ending was best because it left that emotional and powerful feeling. The alternate ending was too cliche. Also, it seemed confusing since these are suppose to be creatures that show no signs of human behavior yet they seem to have sympathy and seem to understand Neville in the final moments.

Tom on Mar 22, 2008

725

the stupid movie sucked. what a waste of time. no alternate ending can fix it.

Marius on Mar 22, 2008

726

I agree, this ending should have been the one in the movie…wow that was awesome.

Matt on Mar 22, 2008

727

I preferred this ending to the theatrical ending. This ending makes more sense in terms of the film leading up to that point. It still feels like 20 minutes or so was cut from the moments preceding, but it's a better ending.

Jo on Mar 22, 2008

728

Flawed, but a better. Much better.

Paul Harrison-Davies on Mar 22, 2008

729

That was way better! The final moments of the theater version left me wanting more from it. This version actually much more thought provoking by showing the vampires to still have some remnents of human characteristcs.

As for the WB execs… this ending provides an opening for a sequel…. HELLO?!?!

Chris on Mar 22, 2008

730

They did this because they wanted to sell more DVDs. They sold plenty of tickets in theatres and now because of the new ending, even more money will be made on the DVD. It is actually a very good idea !

Jamie Crawford on Mar 22, 2008

731

Wow this ending makes the movie so much better. I mean come on the theatrical version left so many unanswered questions that it ruined a great film. In the theatrical version you don't ever really understand why the main zombie thing is doing so much to try and kill will smith. So this clears that up and just makes for a better ending.

DawgsFan117 on Mar 22, 2008

732

This ending was much, much better. Although WB will come around to liking this ending as it will make them more money to. But this one was more emotional. There is more of a human element to these creatures than what we saw in the first ending. You see the head vampire truly loves his wife or girlfriend.

Michael Hickmott on Mar 22, 2008

733

this ending was ten times better. i though it was a lot more emotional and made you think more than the actual ending from the movie. this endings better hands down!

andy on Mar 22, 2008

734

Like most, I loved the first half of the movie. So much that after seeing the movie I read the book, which tells a much more honest story than the film does. The movie pusses out the moment the other human characters are introduced. A world without survivors, a world with intelligent vampire esque monsters, is much more frightening than the hollywood apocalypse.

This ending is better, but still not good enough. Why is it so hard to give Robert Neville a William Wallace death? If the world has stopped appreciating irony, than intelligent art is dead, and all thats left are brain tickling films like epic movie and meet the spartans.

adeadcrow on Mar 22, 2008

735

This ending is not great, but it's better. The original ending disgusted me. The whole film plays into the idea that this is a pyschological sci-fi movie, and at the end all it has to say is that god will show you the way? Where the hell did that come from? Out of no where we're told god will give us a sign? This idea fits in no where with the rest of the film. It's as if a hollywood executive walked onto set that day and told the director the film didn't appeal to the Christian demographic, so science fiction was dropped, and christian fiction was used to replace it.

It's kind of like someone gave you a pop sickle that tastes really great, but then at the end they tell you it's made of frozen shit. Why? Why'd you freeze shit and then sign will smith to give the best performance of his life only to lie to us at the end? It's as if we're staring at a beautiful model, who opens her mouth and and theres no teeth. That is this movie. We're watching something done so well to a very specific point, then they just let go, and let the idiocy of cliche american pop culture take control. This is the ending my mother would have written. She's 61 years old and the most insane person know.

It just doens't make sense. It contradicts the nature of the character, and makes the movie completely unbelievable. This could have been a good movie. Instead it's mediocre. Half assed to the point that it's unforgivable.

adeadcrow on Mar 22, 2008

736

This ending fit the movie better. For instance, it would have better explained why the alpha male exposed himself to the sun when his wife was being caught in the trap. Not because human behavior no longer exists, like Neville states, but because they actually DO still have souls. The alternate ending also shows that Neville finally learns somewhat of a lesson in screwing around with nature. The background of all the pictures shows all the people he experimented on and killed to try and find a cure for the virus. In the theatrical version, by not even acknowledging that he was remorseful for screwing around with nature is disappointing. Basically what you got was "oh I made a boo-boo, but i fixed it..now make me a legend"

Nina on Mar 22, 2008

737

I liked the origional non-theatrical ending so much better!
Thanks for bringing this to light. I thought I loved the movie before, but this made it even better.

Sarah on Mar 23, 2008

738

This ending is infinately better than the theatrical release. It gives the story so much more heart than the original. It is a better point of closure for the film because it is a more definitive ending, showing that not only do the creatures still have a piece of humanity left in them that CAN be saved, but also closure in the knowledge we now have that they WILL be saved. I would've paid to see the film again if it ended like this.

Chris on Mar 23, 2008

739

Does the CGI really matter that much? who cares? But seriously, I enjoyed the alternate ending and all; however, I feel the theatrical one is stronger and works better for the film. I understand why people get pissy it wasn't like the book, but get in the complaint line honestly, there are so many stories hollywood does that to when making them into movies. I thought Will Smith did a good job, the story could have been better, alternate ending doesn't work, how the fuck cares if CGI isn't great, if you don't like it, don't watch it!

Eric on Mar 23, 2008

740

i think that the dramatic final was better than this because…. this one ends like all the others movies… it's taken for granted, the dramatic final comes as a surprise

Ovidiu on Mar 23, 2008

741

I personally thought it was a great film, and both endings worked for me, although I prefer the alternate slightly.
Although I havn't read the book, i don't think people should judge the film as a comparison to the book. Books have the freedom to discuss ideas freely in the third person, film don't have this option, unless some kind of narration is used (not suitable for this movie). Therefore the book will be able to cover more issues (for example the percetion of neville being a legend amongst the monsters), and there will be consequently discrepancies between the book and the film. That is why the credits say "based on the novel by" as a opposed to "this is a novel by".
I fail to see how a slight difference between a film and the story it is loosely based on automatically makes the movie a disgrace- it was a great movie

Steve on Mar 23, 2008

742

Wow. THIS is the ending that should have been released. I was extremely disappointed with the way it ended "originally"… abrupt. Filmmakers nowadays tend to kill off characters way too easily as if it were a niche (the self sacrifice thing is getting old). Now that I see the alternate, I can take solace knowing that in "my" mind, the other ending doesn't exist. :o)

Carlos on Mar 23, 2008

743

This proves that the theatrical ending was clearly just tacked on at the end, because the alternative ending connects all the links. Now we understand how the dark dwellers set up traps, moved mannequins, etc etc, not to mention the whole "I am Legend" concept. Although I still believed Smith should have died and that the woman and child were unnecessary, this ending, as so many have said, justifies the whole movie. I think we'll find a whole tonne of deleted scenes on the dvd of other scenes that would have complimented the alternative ending, but were scrapped in order to play to Hollywood.

This has definitely made me want to read the book and I don't even mind knowing the twist which comes at the end. Thanks for sharing, definitely, one hundred percent worth it.

DiJoBla on Mar 23, 2008

744

The alternate ending worked far better for me. It actually changed the way I felt about the entire film, specifically the dark seekers.

When I saw the film the first time during it's theatrical release, I viewed the dark seekers as villans, but with the alt ending, you see they still have souls. Then you have Neville, whos been systimatically kidnapping and killing them - of course they are pissed off and want to wreak havoc.

martin on Mar 23, 2008

745

I was very disapointed in the way the DVD ended I much preferred the ending shown above

wheel on Mar 23, 2008

746

i think this movie was disapointing all together!! i understand how it could have been seen as awesome to other people but there just wasn't much to it at all. yeah that alternate ending was better but i still expected more from the whole movie. maybe the whole dog part killed it for me. but you seen one zombie movie you seen them all. im sure the book was way better but it doesn't seem like they got in touch with what it was suppose to be about. the alternate ending was the best part of the m