Box Office Outlook: It's Going to be Legendary

By Katey Rich

When your box office numbers are in a slump, the marketplace is filled with downer dramas and expensive fantasy bombs, and you need a pick-me-up, who do you call? Why, Will Smith of course. The Fresh Prince will be working his box office magic this weekend with I Am Legend, opening wide and drawing in the teenage boys by the boatload. For the first time since Thanksgiving we've got a party of wide releases this weekend, each of them targeting different audiences and each of them looking likely to boost the flagging box office of late. Of course, there's also another downer drama-- set in Afghanistan, no less-- but those uninterested will be able to turn to Will and his German Shepherd. Everyone goes home happy!

I AM LEGEND. Opening in 3,606 theatres. "The Last Man on Earth is Not Alone." The tagline pretty much says it all, don't you think? Will Smith plays the only survivor of a virus that has wiped out all of humanity, turning them into feral, vampire-like creatures who roam at night and feed on human flesh. He's taken refuge in a New York City townhouse and is searching for a cure in his basement lab, but his isolation and his safety can only last so long... I Am Legend is based on the Richard Matheson novel of the same name, and was also the inspiration for the Vincent Price movie The Last Man on Earth as well as a version with Charlton Heston, Omega Man.

Critics are split on the psychological zombie thriller. Our Lewis Beale appreciates the blending of genres but concludes, "For some reason, the parts don't quite mesh." Owen Glieberman at Entertainment Weekly doesn't see the cultural relevance of the "killer virus" that killed off humanity, but gives credit where it's due: "For what it is, though, the film is well-done, a case of suspenseful competence trumping questionable relevance." And A.O. Scott at The New York Times backs me up on the idea that Will Smith's performance is the big thing to cheer for: "There is something graceful and effortless about this performance, which not only shows what it might feel like to be the last man on earth, but also demonstrates what it is to be a movie star." The Detroit News, on the other hand, dismisses it as "less than worthy of its hefty title." The Hollywood Reporter gives what is probably the most indisputable assessment: "Legend will be one of the most commercial holiday releases."

ALVIN AND THE CHIPMUNKS. Opening in 3,476 theatres. Oh boy. The 60s novelty act is back in glorious CGI, with Alvin, Theodore and Simon teaming up with Jason Lee as the beleaguered songwriter Dave. The plot finds the chipmunks ousted from their home in the woods and taking up residence with Dave, who is inspired by their cheer and singing talent. Hey, it's a kids' movie, how much plot can you really want?

You probably don't need me to tell you the reviews aren't so shiny for this one. "None of this will remotely appeal to kids, who will probably spend most of the movie wishing they had gone to see Enchanted again," writes our Ethan Alter. "The manic Chipmunks wear out their welcome pretty quickly and a sleepy-looking Lee doesn't have  much more to offer than a familiar face," writes the Onion A.V. Club. The Orlando Sentinel is a little more forgiving: "No, it isn't a holiday classic. There isn't that much ambition there. But Alvin and the Chipmunks nicely blends up-to-date one-liners with the nostalgically sentimental." The Associated Press suggests that families watch the "Dramatic Chipmunk" on YouTube instead (I also suggest this, since the clip is 5 seconds long), but concedes, "families looking for distraction could do worse than the benign and kid-friendly humor of Alvin and the Chipmunks."

THE PERFECT HOLIDAY. Opening in 1,306 theatres. This Christmas, all single mom Nancy (Gabrielle Union) wants is a compliment from a man. When her daughter Emily gets wind of that wish, she tells a department store Santa (Morris Chestnut) and he delivers on the wish. Sensing true love, Nancy tracks him down, but with her ex-husband (Charlie Murphy) and meddling angels (Queen Latifah, Terrence Howard) getting in the way, it won't be easy.

It hasn't been a good year for holiday-themed movies, and The Perfect Holiday isn't a good exception. Stephen Holden at The New York Times manages a funny pan, writing, "Watching the movie is like reaching into a Christmas stocking and pulling out handfuls of cheap plastic toys that are broken." Our Frank Lovece doesn't hold back either, succinctly commenting, "Bah-Humbug." Roger Ebert, as usual, has a big heart: "There's not much original about the film, but it's played with high spirits and good cheer." Still, he's outnumbered by Grinches like Michael Rechtshaffen at the Hollywood Reporter, who manages to insult the movie and New Jersey simultaneously: "This shot-in-New Jersey production feels about as inviting as warm eggnog."

THE KITE RUNNER. Opening in 35 theatres. An adaptation of Khaled Hosseini's best-selling novel, The Kite Runner is a story that spans decades and sees the rise of the Taliban in Afghanistan through the eyes of two young boys. The two are inseparable until tragedy and the country's political instability rend them apart. Years later Amir, now living in the United States, returns to Afghanistan to make amends for a childhood mistake, and rediscovers the country he left behind. The film is directed by Marc Forster, who also made Finding Neverland and Stranger than Fiction.

This made-to-order Oscar bait has been getting mixed but largely positive, if not exactly enthusiastic, reviews. Our Ethan Alter admits it's not groundbreaking but concludes, "Much like the book, the film version of The Kite Runner is bound to connect with moviegoers from all walks of life." David Ansen of Newsweek finds it effective as well: "The Kite Runner isn't subtle, but it allows us to see a country and a culture from the inside." "Forster's direction is understated and all the more effective for it. He also has elicited wonderfully naturalistic performances from his trio of child actors," writes The Hollywood Reporter. Manohla Dargis of The New York Times, on the other hand, doesn't hold back with her disapproval. "Mr. Forster has been soundly defeated by The Kite Runner. Despite the film's far-flung locations (it was shot primarily in China), there is remarkably little of visual interest here; the setups are banal, and the scenes lack tension, which no amount of editing can provide."