I AM LEGEND
US, 2007, 97 minutes, Colour.
Will Smith.
Directed by Francis Lawrence.
I Am Legend has an interesting history. It was written as a novel by Richard Matheson who also wrote prolifically for the big screen and for television, including a number of the Roger Corman adaptations of Edgar Allan Poe stories in the 1960s and other horror films. The novel was brought to the screen in a small-budget production filmed in Italy with Vincent Price as The Last Man on Earth in 1964.
In the early 1970s, it became an intriguing film, The Omega Man, with Charlton Heston, a film with interesting religious overtones.
There are religious overtones in this version which reverts to Matheson’s original title. There is God-talk, talk about evil and destruction and the absence of God, talk about prayer and providence.
This time Will Smith is Robert Neville, a scientist as well as a military man who has witnessed the destruction of the human race because of a virus run rampant, an alleged cure for cancer (explained in the prologue of the film by an uncredited Emma Thompson) that proved the arrogance of scientists and the destructive consequences for human beings (a constant theme of science fiction films and an issue going back, at least, to Frankenstein). Neville drives around New York City – and the effects to show the empty city, the damage, the abandoned cars, the weeds now growing are excellent. It looks really real.
Psychologically, the film is interesting in its dramatizing of a man, immune from the virus, whose only companion is the family dog, who lives in grief-filled memories of his wife and daughter and the evacuation of the city, and replays of TV news bulletins (and watching and mouthing to Shrek). He broadcasts out of New York just in case there are any survivors.
He patrols during the day, works in his laboratory at night to try to find a remedy. During the night he is in danger from hoards of mutants (straight out of special effects for ghoul movies) whose minds have gone and are innately vicious. The only hope for humanity is if there is a small community of people who are not infected and if there is a remedy to prevent the spread of the infection and heal victims.
Will Smith has a presence and charm that means there is no difficulty in his keeping our interest and attention throughout the film. There are moments of eerie tension, moments of shock, moments of life-and-death combat and the will to survive.
One of the advantages of The Omega Man over the present film is that the mutants were victims of radiation but that they had not lost their intelligence. Rather, they were like a brotherhood of darkness, puritanical, bent on the destruction of civilization which they blamed for what had happened. They were led by a sinisterly charismatic leader (Anthony Zerbe) who was humanly plausible in his appeal, but deadly. Another interesting feature of The Omega Man was Charlton Heston’s self-sacrifice, a lance piercing his side against the background of a cross with blood flowing into the water.
I Am Legend has opted for the horror film scenario in its creation of its mutants and a more ‘secular’ imagery for its sacrifice. Nevertheless, this is a smooth and effective thriller which raises all kinds of issues about life, survival – and a reminder as we look at all the ‘things’, all the possession left behind, that they are ultimately nothing compared with the basic human values and with life.
1.A popular story? The various film versions?
2.The credibility of the plot: the end of the world, the end of humanity? The reasons for human destruction? Reactions? Possibilities, hope?
3.New York and the future? The detail of the familiarity to audiences, the streets, the buildings, yet the derelict cars, the buildings collapsing, the weeds, the bridges and their collapse (and seeing them blasted)? The dates?
4.The various titles of the story? I Am Legend being the original title? Robert Neville as hero, a legend in memory as well as in his life? In his death?
5.The prologue, the interview on television, the doctor, Emma Thompson as the doctor, the discussions about cancer, the cure, her arrogant claims? The explanations about viruses? The consequences?
6.The flashbacks, Robert Neville and his memories, his dreams? His situation, military, responsible, medical research? His wife and daughter? Having to leave hurriedly, at the wharf, their being tested, the error about his wife, their going, his grief? The fact that they were killed?
7.The human race and devastation, his broadcasting in case there were survivors, the two arriving, sharing experiences with him, the threats, surviving, their hope for the colony?
8.Will Smith as Robert Neville, his strength of presence, carrying the film? Seeing him drive, the companionship of the dog, talking, some kind of communication? His surveying the city? His broadcasts? At home, the laboratory and the tests, their failing? The various procedures and tapes? At nights, closing the blinds? Eating, television, alone?
9.Day and night, his touring the city, the dog running into the building, his pursuit, the attack, the woman wraith, (**?) taking her to the laboratory, his attempts to revive her? The laboratory rats, his notes? The initial failure – yet her surviving? The serum?
10.The dog, the memories of the family dog, communication, the focus on Robert Neville’s face as he had to kill the dog?
11.His being taken, the struggle, his being saved? At home, the woman and the young boy, preparing the meal, his grief, his reactions about the eggs? Alone? Bonding with them?
12.The two, their story, hopes, belief in the colony, the final confrontation?
13.The vicious ghouls, their intrusion, the two hiding upstairs, the confrontation with Robert Neville, the serum, his giving it to them?
14.The visuals of the ghouls, not human, their vengeance, destructive? The special effects for their swooping and attack? Robert Neville and his decision to give himself in death, to help the escape? Becoming legend?
15.The driving, finding the gate, the colony, the serum, hope?
16.The impact of this kind of futuristic parable, the focus on contemporary life, style, possessions – and their all being destroyed?
