I AM LEGEND

What makes a legend? Only when the person dies? Bingo! I should have known at the onset of the movie that the only way to glorify the movie is to let the man die! How does a director make a movie about one man and not bore us in our seats? Well, watch this movie and you will have a pretty good idea.

Have you ever wondered what happens if you are the last man on earth? Oh no way, it’s way too lonely you may say and hurrah, I’m with you all the way! Not even when you can help yourself to all the DVDs in the video shop!

With a trusty dog as his companion, Will Smith roams the deserted and barren streets of New York in search of fellow living beings who are immuned to a virus that has apparently wiped out the entire nation. Which begs the question, “Where did all the survivors go? Did they not come back to rescue the survivors of the virus? What about the other nations? Whatever happened to neighbourliness among neighbouring countries or other states in America?”

Holding on to the hope that he will be able to find a cure for the ‘dark seekers’, vampire-like living dead (NOT AGAIN!), to return them to their human forms again, Smith takes up the lonely task of fighting it out with the living dead. Day after day, he scours the abandoned streets of New York for food, hopes to meet fellow normal living beings and at night, wait it out for the dark seekers to retreat in the face of sunlight.

How convenient for him to find two fellow human beings who are actually normal just as he was about to go crazy, after three years of fruitless research and experiments. Appearing none the wiser, it begs the question of how the two managed to survive the dark seekers for so long and where did they come from?

The motif of the butterfly where Smith’s daughter excitedly shows her father the butterfly pattern she is able to make with her two hands and the girl who appeared out of nowhere with a butterfly tattoo, seems too contrived. How she managed to live out the fierce and human eating vampires with her young, defenceless brother is a wonder. Ah-huh, not when she looked so scared and helpless when the dark seekers were around. How on earth did she save Smith in her first appearance is she is so terrified of the vampires?

Having Smith sacrifice himself in the name of humankind is a feeble attempt in gaining the sympathy of the movie-goer. He simply had to die in order for the movie to enjoy a poetic resonance. Audience had to feel for him, understand the necessity for him to sacrifice himself and see for themselves that there is hope yet, for mankind, despite our selfishness and ‘each man for himself’ mentality.

Discard the more impactful version by the author of the book this movie was based upon and focus on the merits of the movie. The desolateness of New York is seen in its barrenness and glimpses of its past glorious days. Smith’s performance as a lone ranger who believes in humanity and saviour is likely to tug at your heart.

The director has deliberately chosen not to embark on the serious ambience in the original book where the character of Smith becomes the much feared hunter without realizing it himself until he was killed by the people he had tried to protect himself from. More gripping stuff which Hollywood cleverly refuses to face head-on and good choice indeed.

I Am Legend is an overall enjoyable movie that allows your mind to wander the ‘what-ifs’ in life. What would you do if you are the last man standing? Would you end it all or hold out for the possibility of other life forms? Would you lead a hedonistic lifestyle and do all the things that you wanted to do? Or do you think that living it up alone is too much to bear? You decide.