I am Legend - Movie Review

I am Legend – A Martyr’s journey

Once a grandmother narrated a fable to his grandson. It was all about a woodcutter who grafted in the forest from sun to sun. One day accidentally his axe fell into the brook which ran near by. Down in the dumps with loss, he cried his life out. Awakened by his tears, the nymph of the brook came and assured to get his axe back. The nymph disappeared into the brook and after a short while it came out with a silver axe,but the farmer nodded that it wasn’t his. Taking up the quest for the second time she came out with a glittering golden axe, but the farmer shook his head in negative. Atlast she found him his axe and the farmer gave up all his desolateness. For his honesty,the nymph gave him all the axes. Yes, I am Legend is the third axe but the real one, which takes home thrice the applauses of the previous movies of its kind{Such as Resident evil and 28 weeks later}. The story is remade for the third time from the original Richard Matheson’s novel ‘I am Legend’{1954} churned out by the trio Akiva Goldsman,David Heyman and Erwin Stoff as directed by Francis Lawrence. The screenplay is knitted out by Akiva Goldsman and Mark Protosevich. This one holds more solicitude to tremor, creates emotion to horror, and this makes it more artistic. Choosing a science fiction story to implant a theme like this one may sound like fitting a 7.1 to a record player but the difference is what delivers the makers success. Will Smith manages to light up the show single handedly since he is the character who occupies more screen space and time than any other. So in simple terms, we could name this one as an artistic science fiction movie.

When the plot starts to develop we see Dr.Robert Neville{Will Smith} existing all alone in New york city after the outbreak of a deadly virus which was actually discovered to treat cancer but soon turned out to be a man-eater since 2009. After spending more than 1000 days, we see Robert living on one’s tod except for his pet dog Samantha{Abbey}. Through the Doctor’s character, we are posted that, 9 percentage of the infected are still alive and kicking but having lost their intellect and survival instincts ,preying on the ones who are immune. Robert makes it a point to research everyday to find a cure for the virus from his blood which is immune to the virus. Through the technique of stream of consciousness we see the past happenings now and then. The most important part of his memory is the death of his wife and daughter in a Helicopter accident, while they are about to leave the infected city. In the hope of finding someone, Robert broadcasts a message in the radio stating that he can provide food, shelter and security for any survivor,but in vain. Unexhausted like Sisyphus, Robert makes this his routine along with a few words for boosting up his will and confidence. Very soon Sam too crosses the great divide,which adds up to the lonelines of Robert. One bloody day, like a bolt from the blue, Anna{Alice Braha} and his son Ethan{Charlie Tahan} meet him. Following this, things go grave but only for the better. Like to help them? Then watch Mr.Legend.

Emotions are said to enfeeble a man but they strengthen up this movie. The director had been very clear on where the focus should be and shouldn’t be. His forte lies in enlivening the trivial elements and actions which otherwise a horror film director would turn a blind eye to. Will Smith being the Maitre d’ of this restaurant takes full charge and prevents the movie from falling into dark abysses, since its difficult to take up a role which is almost ‘the’ role in a movie. Will Smith makes no fuss and mess but he really scores to become a legend. Above all the movie should be appreciated for not portraying an Epic hero kind of a character, which most of the action movies of hollywood contain. Instead, this movie discloses what heroism means in reality.

Being an ‘final-effect’ based movie, we expect every scene to be tweaked towards the ‘final-effect’. But only the later part of the movie is in such a manner. The first half of the screenplay,lumbers but without a direction. It creates illusions but not the emotions. To add verisimilitude to the story, the director had employed very few soundtracks in the movie but it works the other way, making it difficult for the audience to withstand the intenseness of the script. The narrative technique is so bland and ineffective, so that the incidents projected from Robert’s mind which are extremely emotional, fail to contribute to the mainstream of the story. Since 90 percentage of the screenplay is the portrayal of Robert’s psyche, there is very little movement in the pupil of the plot structure.

Among the technical aspects the cinematographer{Andrew Lesnie} holds responsibility for the inconsistent camera angles and movements, while the editor{Wayne Wahrman} does a good job maintaining the continuity of the scenes which go unperturbed. Though used a little, James Newton Howard‘s music announces that he is a legend in music. Above all the special effects of this movie are smashing. So Dr. Robert says, I’m not a hero,I’m not a warrior, I’m the last man on earth but still ‘I am Legend’.