About the Soundtrack: Though technically released in 2008, "I Am Legend" is a 2007 score from Composer James Newton Howard, concluding a flurry of year-end activity from the composer. While each of the 2007 scores from Howard are enjoyable in their own right, he seems to have gotten stronger as the year progressed. While each of the scores might have been written in a non-sequential order as compared to their release dates, the progression has been a memorable one with each new release. This specific album was released by Varese Sarabande and offers over 40 minutes of music from the composer, all of which is presented with excellent performances by the orchestra and a subtle use of chorus and electronics.
What You Need to Know: It's odd, after seeing "I Am Legend" I could only remember fragments of Howards' score; it really didn't distinguish itself to me during the viewing. However, when I had a chance to listen to the album, I was left with a totally different impression of the score. I found it to be a terrific, interesting body of work.
Since the film itself is more a character study than a science fiction film, Howard is given the opportunity to write emotional, reflective pieces of music within the score, as evident from the opening title which offers a combination of both solitude and hope within its notes. It was after this first track that I realized the listening experience was going to totally contrast the film screening as it related to the music of this project. While often subtle, the opening minutes of the soundtrack offers quite a bit of emotional impact and that's exactly what this story was requiring, even if it wasn't thoroughly channeled through the movie itself.
When dealing with the concept of the last man on earth, there are some serious sci-fi elements to consider with the music to accompany it. On this front, Howard successfully delivers as well, though within the scope of the scoring style he established for this picture. You won't find any radical, inventive ideas of electronic/orchestral fusion, but you will be able to enjoy the occasional choral accompaniments and stylish underscore when it comes to this story theme.
Also represented on this score are the more primal cues associated with the Dark Seekers, usually tilting the score in another direction with pounding chase motifs and raw, frightening textures when featured. These too are interesting tracks to dive into and brings a distinct contrast to the mood of the score. There are also times in which the music for these characters produces an eerie effect which makes it easy to envision the darkness of the lost planet. Some of these cues come at a price, however, since the underscore becomes a bit too dark in the latter portion of the album, producing a few moments of idle, pensive moments.
The score eventually concludes with a variation of the opening title, capping the album with a fine segment of beauty and melody. The performance of the orchestra is really pronounced in this epilogue, giving the soundtrack a fitting, memorable send off and helps it overcome a substandard track that precedes it.
Final Grade: I quite enjoyed this soundtrack. As stated earlier, it delivers an impact that is not quite captured by its use in the film, making this one an enjoyable surprise to engage in. In the score, you'll find some excellent moments of orchestral material to listen to and overall, I think you'll be pleased with the flow of the entire presentation. James Newton Howard fans especially will be impressed with the emotion he is able to convey in his music, a style that makes him the renowned, dependable talent that he is. A few spotty moments aside, this one made for a nice play!
