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I Am Legend is one of my favorite books. One of the things that draws me to it is that the vampires out in the night aren't just random creatures looking for something to eat. They are Neville's old neighbors and friends. "Come on out, Neville," they taunt. They know him. They're people like him—but just twisted. That's terrifying. But the film's Darkseekers are impersonal threats. And maybe most detrimental to the movie, they don't feel like real people—because they're not. They are badly computer-generated creatures, like the monsters in Van Helsing or The Mummy. They're menacing or believable in only a handful of scenes. After all, some characters in Beowulf feel more lifelike. For a movie relying on human emotions for its effect, it loses its humanity.

In the film's final moments, I Am Legend evokes yet another film: M. Night Shyamalan's Signs. For Christians, it gets very interesting. With only glimpses of faith previously (a family prayer in times of trouble, a cross on a rear-view mirror), God suddenly and jarringly comes to the forefront.

The bloodthirsty Darkseekers are on the prowl

For three years, Neville has put the fate of mankind on his own back. But then, a mysterious woman appears who says the real hope is in God. "He has a plan," Anna says. "He sent me here for a reason." In the final 10 minutes, the movie takes on the themes of God's providence and the need to listen for his voice. Anna says, "The world is quieter now. It's easier to hear God."

It's an interesting direction for a movie about the impact of scientific advancement. So what is it saying about science and God? That scientific advances foolishly allow man to play God? Or that science is comparable to that fast car capable of good or evil, depending on the driver?

Had I Am Legend kept its personal, human and contemplative atmosphere over the loud, crowd-pleasing whiz-bang action, these messages of faith may have carried more weight and heart. As it is, they blend in with the noise—no matter how quiet Robert Neville's New York is.

Talk About It

1. In one of the final scenes, Neville shouts, "You are sick and I can save you! Let me save you!" What comparisons do you see in this scene—and the whole movie—between Neville and Christ? Do you think it is intentional? Why or why not?
2. Think about the scientist's analogy of the measles virus to a fast car whose destruction or value depends on who is driving. What does that mean to you? What other things are that way?
3. What do you think the movie is saying about the debate between science and faith?

The Family Corner

I Am Legend is rated PG-13 for sequences of intense sci-fi action and violence. Take the 13-year-old age limit seriously. There is little language and no sexuality, but the film is very tense, frightening and, at times, bloody. There are many scares and horror movie moments. There are scenes with dogs that will disturb young pet lovers.

Photos © Copyright Warner Bros. Pictures

© Todd Hertz subject to licensing agreement with Christianity Today International. All rights reserved. Click for reprint information.

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