Introducing Me and Discussing ‘I Am Legend’

Hello to Everyone out there in Blog world!  I am happy to join you in this WordPress world of Cyberspace Discussion.  I am totally new to blogging.  With this being my first post I have no idea what to begin discussing.  I want to use this as a means to connect with others.  So, for this first post I am going to try connecting with people through one of my greatest loves: movies.  But I would also like to introduce myself.
My name is Will.  I am 26 years old and I live in the lovely state of Pennsylvania.  I’m single and a full-time student of web design/ programming, etc.  I already have an English B.A., which has not gotten me a sufficient job thus far.  I’m sure there are other people out there who can relate to this situation. 

So, on to I Am Legend.  Who else has seen this movie?  I recently rented it through Netflix.  I admit I have yet to see its predecessors; ‘The Last Man on Earth’ and ‘The Omega Man’.  So, I cannot compare the film to either of those, but to throw my two cents into the mix.  I really enjoyed this film.  I will attempt to break this discussion into the main things that affected me about the film.  How does that sound?

The Concept of being all Alone.
Maybe it’s just me, but I could really relate to Robert Neville (our hero)’s situation in this film.  I know what you are thinking.  No, I have never been the sole survivor in New York City left with the burden of finding a cure to a measles derived virus that has transformed thousands of people into bloodthirsty, pigment impared freaks.  The beauty is, we don’t have to have been in order to understand the feeling of standing alone in a video store, renting a film to watch alone, and wishing that someone, anyone, would care enough to talk to us.  What a fantastic scene.  So, what if everyone else disappeared tommorrow?  The film made me really think about this.  Lord knows I want everyone else to go away when I am late for work and people are driving as slow as hell in front of me.  But to be totally alone.  Add to that the realization that Robert isn’t actually totally alone.  There are people out there, but he can’t connect with them becaue of what they have become.  It feels like that for all of us sometimes, doesn’t it?  Good writing.

Sam the Dog.
I admit I love dogs.  But sometimes, if handled poorly, they can be an annoying add-on to a film.  Sam, the german shepherd in this film, was in NO WAY a pain to watch.  The trainers and writers utilized her to the highest degree, and her presence was MORE than necessary for the plot.  I don’t want to provide any plot spoilers, but I really went through a wide range of emotions for Sam’s character.  Plus, I appreciate the filmmakers’ nod to humanity’s love affair with pets.  So what if Sam couldn’t talk in words to Robert, look into those big brown eyes.  They say everything they need to say.  Any pet owner knows of what I speak. 

Will Smith as Robert Neville.
I like Will Smith.  There I said it.  I’ve liked him since ‘The Fresh Prince of Bel Air’  But he has really stretched his wings as an actor.  For me, this film was all about his facial expressions.  We already knew he could do comedy, but now we know he can tug at our emotions with a single look.  When he steps away from the helicopter and gives that long stare at his wife and daughter.  No words are exchanged, but you can see how torn and tortured he is with tears in his eyes and a shrug of his shoulders that says, ‘I don’t know why I am crying’ to his wife.  Two thumbs up.  This movie made me want to jump through the screen and give him a hug and let he know it could all be ok.  Hell, it made me long for someone to hug me and let me know it was all gonna be ok.

Questions the film raises for me.
Did we bring this on ourselves?  In ‘I Am Legend’, did humanity get what it deserved?  A cure for cancer sounds like a very noble pursuit.  But should we be leaving such things, as well as the decision for who lives and who dies, up to whatever higher power we believe in?  Did the film raise these types of questions for anyone else?
 
Has anyone out there read the book?  Should I check it out?  I really enjoy comparing film versions to the books they were based on.  I’m not sure how closely this Will Smith version follows the original concept.  I welcome any opinions. 

So, how was my first post?  Please, let me know how you felt about this film.  I welcome any thoughts.  Your thoughts will make what I take away from the film that much more satisfactory.  I’m glad to be on WordPress.  Let’s become friends.

                                                   Will