I Am Legend Is A Really Good Post-Apocalyptic Thriller Until It Isn't

The world itself has come to an end. A supposed cure for cancer has instead mutated into an airborne virus that is killing the vast majority of humanity off instantly while turning a small portion of the populace into feral monstrous creatures that hate the sunlight and feed on living flesh. An even tinier slice of the human race has proven to be resistant to the virus and Dr. Robert Neville (Will Smith) belongs to that part of his species as he's managed to be immune to the sickness that has ravaged the planet. Now, three years after the apocalyptic pandemic began, he roams the streets of an abandoned New York City with only his loyal dog by his side.

Whether You Know Its Twist Ending Or Not, The Sixth Sense Is Top-Caliber Shyamalan Filmmaking

When I wrote up on Beetlejuice earlier this year, I noted what an experience it must have been for audiences encountering that feature in its initial theatrical release to discover the extremely idiosyncratic tendencies of Mr. Tim Burton. I'd imagine there was a similar revelatory feelings for moviegoers who saw The Sixth Sense in August 1999. Though M. Night Shyamalan apparently did two movies before this one, neither of which I'd ever heard of before penning this review (the poster for 1998 Rosie O'Donnell movie Wide Awake looks so much like the quintessential 90's family movie poster, it hurts), The Sixth Sense is very much the kind of movie Shyamalan would be associated with for his entire career, a creepy thriller heavily reliant on grounded human relationships and a big twist that knocks audiences off their feet.