Will Smith's Adaptation Of A Twilight Zone Writer's Classic Sci-Fi Novel Is Streaming For Free

Do you enjoy post-apocalyptic stories with A-list movie stars? If so, you will be pleased to learn that "I Am Legend" is currently streaming for free on Tubi. Based on "Twilight Zone" writer Richard Matheson's novel of the same name, the film sees Will Smith take on quasi-vampires. That description might be enough to sell action and horror fans.

Directed by Francis Lawrence, "I Am Legend" treats viewers to one of the darkest sci-fi universes out there. The world has been wiped out by a plague that's turned the population into flesh-hungry mutants, and Smith's scientist, Dr. Robert Neville, might be the last man on Earth. He spends his time with his loyal dog working on a cure, hoping to restore the human race. But can he cope with the loneliness?

"I Am Legend" is the third adaptation of Matheson's story. The first, "The Last Man on Earth," was released in 1964 and stars Vincent Price as the eponymous survivor. Matheson wasn't the biggest fan of this one, though, as he felt Price was miscast. However, the second adaptation, "The Omega Man," is one of the best dystopian sci-fi films of the '70s, despite taking creative liberties with the source material. With that in mind, how does "I Am Legend" fare compared to its predecessors?

"I Am Legend" isn't a perfect adaptation of Richard Matheson's source material, as the filmmakers weren't shy about making their own changes. However, viewers seeking an emotionally stirring action movie owe it to themselves to check it out on Tubi. "I Am Legend" boasts plenty of spectacle, but critics praised it as a blockbuster with a heart.

"[Lawrence] gives us an apocalyptic vision in which enforced loneliness and isolation almost become a state of grace. This is big-budget filmmaking that shows a human touch," Stephanie Zacharek wrote in a review for Salon. Dan Jolin of Empire Magazine also praised the film for these reasons, adding that Smith's performance holds it together. "I Am Legend goes a surprisingly long way to explore psychology, and Smith fearlessly dives headfirst into the mind of an individual who's had no human contact for almost 40 months."

"I Am Legend" received mostly positive reviews, despite being somewhat removed from Richard Matheson's original novel. Still, even with the changes, it works as an effective horror-thriller with some exhilarating set pieces.