I am Legend, directed by Francis Lawrence
Released in 2007, I am Legend is based off of a book by the same title written by Richard Matheson and has been made into 3 separate movies over the past 57 years of the books publication. It's movie predecessors are The Last Man on Earth, released in 1964 staring Vincent Price and Omega Man, released in 1971 staring Charlton Heston. Keep reading, because before the week is over I will make a 2nd post comparing the 3.
I am Legend is easily one of my favorite movies of all time; here's why.
Will Smith. This was by far his best performance, and he was perfect for the role. Being that he was the only living person on the planet and that he was constantly being hunted by zombies during the hours of the night, the character was a little unstable to begin with. This I thought the movie could have hinted on more, but I thought that the use of manikins to replace real people was an excellent decision to illustrate his level of insanity.
Like in every good movie, there is a companion. In this case it's a dog. Now everybody knows that if there's a dog in a movie then it's probably going to die. In this case, that assumption would be true. But even though you're expecting it, the manner in which it happens is so traumatic that grown men cry at this point in the movie. Many people can die (in this case billions) and the normal movie-goer won't blink an eye; but the moment a dog dies every person is touched with a sadness like none other. In this case, watching a man kill is only friend (who is also a dog) after said dog saved his life is torture. And also the fact that it happens so slowly, it is truly impossible not to be affected by this tear jerking scene. This was really important to the film because not only does it add to the loneliness of the character (Robert Neville), but it also emphasizes what dire circumstance Neville is forced to live under.
This movie also has some of the most suspenseful scenes I've ever seen in a blockbuster movie. Though I'm glad this wasn't a horror movie I think it was necessary to have these points of heightened suspense. It helped reiterate the kind of place the world has become, and what Neville is forced to live with, which bonds you closer with the character.
Yet another thing that this movie did right was to slowly reveal more about the character as the movie went on. As the film progresses, you get a closer and closer look into this man's life, and his personality and reasoning unfold in front of you. The series of flashbacks to the peak of the epidemic add an extra layer to the doctor's story. His families tragic passing exposes his real motive for trying to cure this disease, and again bonds us closer to the character, which is one of the most important things that a good movie should do.
One of my favorite things about I am Legend was also the soundtrack. Robert Neville is, as it turns out, a huge Bob Marley fan (he even named his daughter Marley). This excites me to no end. Bob Marley is probably my single favorite musician, and his music also serves as an ironic but comforting motif throughout the movie. You begin to see the things that help him get through his day, such as Marley Bob and his dog Sam, and you see how he progresses as those things are taken away one by one.
It's also important to notice when Marley's music is played. In the beginning it's to get you familiar with it, but after that it begins to mean something more. His music quickly becomes a metaphor for peace of mind, played only when Neville and Sam carry out their daily routine. After Neville falls into a trap, Sam sacrifices herself to protect Neville, badly injuring herself in the process. Bob Marley is played when Neville sees that Sam is starting to mutate from the bites of the zombie dogs. He begins to sing "Three little birds" until Sam tries to attack him and he is forced to strangle her. After this major turning point in the movie, Neville suffers an emotional breakdown, and reacts harshly and irrationally in attempt to avenge the death of his dog. Bob Marley ceases to be played. That is until he discovers 2 survivors, a young adult girl and a child boy. He plays "Stir it Up" for the girl after she admits that she doesn't know who Bob Marley is. This is the last time we hear his music in the movie, and is a subtle message that Neville is coming to terms with Sam's death thanks to these 2 new companions.
Finally: the ending. I really admire the courage of the director Francis Lawrence has for killing off his main character. Normally this doesn't happen, or they're some how brought back to life, but I think Lawrence realized that Neville needed to die in order for the film to have any sense of closure. Needless to say, I strongly agree. I think this was the only way that Neville could ever have truly completed his task and to be reunited with his family. I am well aware that this upset many people, but I think that those who were upset by this ending are missing the point and aren't really thinking about what this movie would have been if he had lived. If you were upset by this ending then I think you're thinking with your emotions more than your brain.
The Blu-Ray version of this movie also contains an alternate ending, where Neville lives. While I believe that Neville should have died, this ending did one thing better than the theatrical version. In the original movies as well as the book, the main point of the story was that the zombies were afraid of him. They saw him as the monster; walking around in the daytime, capturing and killing their own kind for no apparent reason (they had no idea of what he was trying to do). I was disappointed that the theatrical version omitted this, but also think that him dying was more important.
After all of this I would give this movie a 9.4 on the Severin scale; showing that this really is an amazing movie. This has been a review of I am Legend, directed by Francis Lawrence, by Severin, the informed movie critic. Stay safe America, and keep watching movies.
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