CHARACTER ANALYSIS

I Am Legend Characters Robert Neville—the last living human Ben Cortman—Robert’s neighbor, now a vampire Virginia Neville—Robert’s wife, now dead Kathy Neville—Robert’s daughter, now dead Ruth—a representative of the new vampire race The dog—a wounded dog Robert tries to befriend

ROBERT NEVILLE- CHARACTER ANALYSIS only survivor of an apocalypse caused by a pandemic of bacteria, the

symptoms of which are similar to vampirism. The protagonist is Robert Neville, a 36-year-old blond-haired, blue-

eyed man who is the sole survivor of a plague that has killed or transformed the rest of humanity to vampires. He has lost his wife and only child to the disease. It is not clear what profession Robert was in.

He must also dispose of the bodies after being killed by him or by one of their own.

Robert is rescued and brought home by two survivors, a woman named Anna and a young boy named Ethan who hear Robert's broadcast. Anna explains to Robert that she and Ethan are planning to go to a rumoured survivors colony and on their journey they lost many to what Anna calls the Dark Seekers. 

REVIEW OF THE I AM LEGEND. Telegraph (11-4-15)- What started out so promisingly, a companion piece of

sorts to Children of Men, disappears in a frenzy of screaming, head-banging, bloodiness - followed by totally unconvincing redemption. Watch it with your fingers on fast-forward for the last 30 minutes.

Empire (6-4-12)-While the sun shines, it’s a four-star thriller with a superb turn from Smith. When the moon rises, it’s a two-star horror cartoon with some of the worst FX we’ve seen all year. So, really, it has to average out at…

NY times (14-12-7)- But really the movie is best when its hero is on his own, and Mr. Smith, walking in the footsteps of Vincent Price and Charlton Heston, who played earlier versions of the Robert Neville character, outdoes both of them. There is something graceful and effortless about this performance, which not only shows what it might feel like to be the last man on earth, but also demonstrates what it is to be a movie star.

Critical critics (21-12-7)-All of this doesn’t make a terribly bad movie though. The thought of existing without any interaction combined with thinking that I was literally the last human on earth is something I would hate to try and comprehend. It is very scary concept, and one we’re closer to experiencing everyday.

MISE-EN-SCENE ANALYSIS There is military tanks in the opening scene which indicates

something dangerous must happen Abandoned police cars driven through a red light represents

a lack of law in the city. Abandoned city is reacted by the conventional dark

atmosphere. Throughout the film there is a combination of low key lighting and traditional three point lighting used.

There is also high key lighting used through out the movie to stress the emptiness of the world.

In the first mise en scene starting with a very wide shot of the empty, decaying city the audience immediately understand that this is a dystopian narrative where something has gone wrong. 

PLOT SUMMARY Robert Neville who is played by will smith is shown as the only survivor of earth

of pandemic that causes its victims to have vampire like symptoms. Neville recounts his life through flashbacks. The present shows Neville's daily

routine of his journey of being alone. The infected humans have human like characteristics and portray vampire like

qualities. They come out during the night and repel from garlic. Neville discovers a creature who is out in the daylight who has human like

qualities. The human is named Ruth and soon begin to embrace the company of each other. Ruth is highly opposed to killing the infected people even if they are attacking. They eventually form a sexual relationship.

Neville soon discovers a cure to pandemic and samples Ruth's blood. He discovers Ruth’s infected. Ruth explains how many of the infected people have adapted a plan to rebuild society. However Neville stands in their way and he killed many of their kind. Due to this new colony Ruth was send to investigate Neville and possibly convert him. However she realises that he must be executed.

Neville final thought before his execution in the colony's prison “I am legend”.

INFLUENCES OF I AM LEGEND.  It was influential in the development of the zombie grenre and in

popularizing the concept of a worldwide apocalypse due to disease. The novel was a success.

Cited by Stephan Kings as the biggest influence on his own work, Matheson sent shivers down the spines of readers and viewers for decades, with such unusual novels and stories as The Incredible Shrinking Man and the much-filmed I Am Legend.

I Am Legend has been cited as an influence on many films, including "Night of the Living Dead" and "28 Days Later". This is partly due to the horror being derived from Neville's isolation, not the vampires themselves. The notion of vampirism as a virus is also one which has inspired many writers, including Stephen King and Dan Simmons. Reception has been mostly positive. 

THEMES Alienation One of the primary themes of I Am Legendis alienation,

and it is hard to imagine someone who is more literally alienated than Robert Neville. Robert Neville is experiencing an alienation that is both evolutionary (on the species level) and metaphysical. This is indicated by the title itself.

Conservatism and Change The relationship between conservatism—a conscious attempt to stay the same—and change is complex in I Am Legend. It is only addressed briefly, but there is a recognition in I Am Legend that the human race has brought about its own destruction. Humanity caused the mutation that is replacing it.

Legends A central theme, as the title suggests, is the nature of legends. Legends are often based on real persons or events, but enlarged through retelling to achieve mythic proportions.

Prejudice One theme throughout the book is the fear and loathing

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