I Am Legend: Ultimate Collector's Edition is just that - the consummate version of this film for fans. It contains a treasure trove of goodies, but first - the story. I Am Legend begins with a miracle cure for cancer in the form of an aggressive virus being introduced by Dr. Alice Krippen (Emma Thompson). What was once hailed as a saving grace quickly turns the world into a place devoid of humanity. The movie vacillates between the present time (2012) and 3 years prior, when the virus had just begun killing people and turning those that survive into something between a rabies-infested vampire and a zombie. Since the time of the outbreak, Dr. Robert Neville (Will Smith) has been furiously working towards a cure, with little to no success. He is a lone survivor living in New York in the fortress he has turned his home into, the home he once shared with his beloved wife and daughter, Marley (Willow Smith). His only companionship is his daughter's German Shepherd, Sam and together, they roam the streets during the day, hunting for meat and trying to trap "the Infected" so that he can continue to do his research.

One day, he gets more than he bargains for, as the Infected trap him instead. He is rescued in the nick of time by Anna (Alice Braga), who has another survivor with her, Ethan (Charlie Tahan), a little boy. Alice, who has strong faith, believes that there is a survivors' colony in Vermont and wants Neville to join she and Ethan as they make the journey. But Neville doesn't believe in God, much less a survivors' colony, and refuses to leave before finding a cure.

The Infected, or Darkseekers as Alice calls them, mount an attack against the trio, just as Neville discovers that he may have made a breakthough in his research. How the movie ends must be seen, and on I Am Legend: Ultimate Collector's Edition, you'll get the opportunity to see both the theatrical release and also a controversial new ending. Honestly, I am not sure which I prefer. While the theatrical release is more fatalistic and not the typical Hollywood sunshine ending, the alternate ending was a little too perfect. However, I also really enjoyed it and liked the different take on things.

So what about all of those special features I mentioned earlier? Well, it comes in a slick box that is about as wide as two DVD boxes side-by-side, so it won't fit nicely with the rest of your movies, but it is nice to display. There is also a collectible lenticular, plus a sizable concept art sketch book and 6 art cards depicting different cites around the world in ruins. On the discs, you've got a bonus digital copy of the theatical release, plus commentary, and a pile of featurettes and documentaries. It's amazing how much time, effort and research went into crafting the perfect virus and villains for the film. Will Smith actually spent a hefty amount of time in labs doing his own research and gettig a real feel for the labs. When you are watching the featurette galleires, do be aware that some are recaps of others, so if you watch the full one, there's a lot of repeat info when you watch each individual one. So either watch the invdividuals or the big one, but not both. For those interested in mo-cap and the CG industry, I highly recommend watching the featurette on the making-of the alternate ending. It's pretty cool to see how they did what they did. Also, keep an eye out for the teapot in shadow inside the Infected's brain. Too funny!

All-in-all, this is a great movie to watch with the lights off and a big bowl of popcorn. It's smart, scary and really well done. Highly recommended.