I Am Legend: Isolated But Not Alone (by Becky Garrison)
When I got an invite to the premiere of the IMAX screening for I am Legend, I went to the theater expecting an evening of frothy fun and engaging eye candy - pure escapism at its best. While the sight of zombies up close and personal almost caused me to jump out of my seat a few times, I was more shocked to discover that this action-packed thriller struck an unexpected spiritual nerve.
In a nutshell, I am Legend presents the story of Robert Neville (Will Smith), a brilliant military virologist who was unable to contain a terrible man-made virus. For reasons we don't quite understand, as Neville has become immune to this deadly disease, he remains the last human survivor in New York City, and perhaps the rest of the world.
His days are spent driving around a desolate and deserted Manhattan as he tries in vain for a cure, as well as any sign that he is not alone. This search for meaning in a world destroyed my man's own hand somehow elevated this film from the other flicks that employ the latest in special effects to demonstrate in graphic detail the myriad of ways our planet could meet its final demise.
Even though Neville insists he does not believe in God, the film takes on a Judeo-Christian twist around the third act when Neville becomes faced with a decision that requires an act of sacrificial love. For me to say anymore will destroy the movie-going experience for anyone who intends to catch this flick. While die hard sci-fi fans may decry how the final act unfolds, I left the theater with hope in my heart, a sensation I seldom experience while watching zombies in action.
Even though Neville keeps his body in top physical shape, his soul starts to deteriorate under the pressures of living a solitary life where he is all alone. This demise of the self brought to mind the documentary Soul Searching: The Journey of Thomas Merton that I had seen the previous day. What struck me about Merton's journey was that even though he spent much of his time living in solitude, the Trappist monks living in the Abbey of Gethesmani provided the support that enabled him to live in community while being isolated.
Also, this week, I got the opportunity to observe Justin Fatica conduct a retreat for 7th and 8th graders at St. Gabriel's School in East Elmhurst, Queens. Yes, this self-proclaimed minister's style of full frontal evangelism in a Catholic setting does stir up some understandable controversy. The newly released HBO documentary, Hard as Nails, touches on some of the joys and pitfalls of this type of hard core street ministry to troubled teens. But what struck me by watching Fatica in action was that the core of his message comforts these abandoned adolescents by letting them know that they are not alone. They are guided by God.
MY LORD GOD, I have no idea where I am going. I do not see the road ahead of me. I cannot know for certain where it will end. Nor do I really know myself, and the fact that I think I am following your will does not mean that I am actually doing so. But I believe that the desire to please you does in fact please you. And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing. I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire. And I know that if I do this you will lead me by the right road, though I may know nothing about it. Therefore I will trust you always though I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death. I will not fear, for you are ever with me, and you will never leave me to face my perils alone. - Thomas Merton, Thoughts in Solitude.
Becky Garrison explores ministries that reach those for whom church is not in their vocabulary in her new book, Rising from the Ashes: Rethinking Church (Seabury Books, 2007).
Add to Del.icio.us
Add to Technorati
Add to Digg
Add to Newsvine
Comments
Even though it was a little cheesy at parts and I am still trying to understand how that kid survived I thought the movie was good. I enjoyed the message of the film and felt it did well to show the complexity of human existence.
p
Posted by: payshun | December 21, 2007 12:03 PM
A View of I Am Legend
Notwithstanding the zombies, the human survivor, the absolutely perfect German Shepherd, and the heart-rending emptiness of a New York at a step removed from us, I believe the most chilling scene in this picture is when Will Smith says that it was not God who did this (unleash a deadly virus) but mankind.
So, as the cautionary tale tells, can we just plod on with genetically modified whatevers--let the bees die--stem cell sure fire happenstances, all manner of Big Pharma assurances of absolute bliss, and Big Government guarantees of guarantees that assures us that the "what me worry Alfred Newmanshiphoodness?" of this world is just another vision of delusional kooks.
Well, now that I know that this fate is upon us, I fell much better.
Posted by: Brent | December 22, 2007 1:19 AM
Criticisms of the movie aside, it was a good popcorn flick. And it raised bigger questions without getting overly preachy.
The thing I kept thinking after I left: a lot of Christians act like zombies. We say that we have eternal life, but we go about it so mindlessly that we might as well be walking dead.
Posted by: Mark Goodyear | December 26, 2007 12:51 PM
I thought the message was a bit iffy. It was mankind not God that spread the virus and it was God guiding mankind that saved Will Smith from the pier confrontation. So when humans do bad it's humans fault but when they do good it's thanks to God. So can humans ever be praised??
Posted by: Hywel Griffith | December 26, 2007 7:31 PM
Good fun movie. The depth was a surprising attempt, and I thought it came off well because it didn't try *too* hard. If they'd pushed it any more, it would have fallen flat, though.
Posted by: Mark P (the Yank) | December 27, 2007 2:57 AM
"We say that we have eternal life, but we go about it so mindlessly that we might as well be walking dead."
My wife gave me Johnny Cash's "Personal File" for Christmas. It's two discs of solo recordings that were found in a vault after he died - highly recommended!
Anyway, the best song on the discs, IMHO, is called "(So Heavenly Minded You're) No Earthy Good."
Peace!
Posted by: neuro_nurse | December 27, 2007 11:31 AM
I agree! The aren't zombies, their vampires. I thought it was interesting that mutated humans turn into incredibly violent beings, and not something else. Why is this? Is violence an essential part of being human that when we are "well" or "immune" we can keep under control?
Posted by: Stacy | January 3, 2008 5:21 PM
I stand corrected - they looked like zombies to the untrained eye. BTW-the film is being marketed as an updated zombie flick.
Posted by: Becky | January 3, 2008 7:14 PM
I think one of the amazing aspects of the scifi genre is the ability to explore the human condition. Exploration of Mankind's good or evil.
It can take a small aspect and expand that technology or that human tendency to the extreme. When we are taking those first baby steps down a new road in science or social change....scifi will take that step and transport us to a possible end of the road journey. Sometimes not a pleasant one. In short, it has the ability to entertain and sometimes make us think long and hard about ourselves and our future. With every new technology or change we are blessed with to quote Jurassic Park, "your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didn't stop to think if they should." The beauty and purpose of this genre is both to warn and to inspire hope.
Posted by: Marnie | January 5, 2008 11:17 AM
Entertaining but not believable. I recommend reading All of Yesterdays Tomorrows. Better story, poses many moral questions to the reader.
Posted by: RoninC | February 1, 2008 9:22 PM
If you watch carefully, towards the beginning, there is a Time Magazine on his
refrigerator that said Savior? with a picture of him. This is no coincidence, since he
turns out to be a very Christ-like character. Later in the movie, his best friend, (like
Judas Iscariot) his dog, became "dark" and infected with the virus (sin). He felt so
alone. That night, the infected humans almost killed him, but Anna showed up at the exact
time that he needed it and shone light on him, saving him from the darkness. This
reminded me of all the stories I've heard of Christians showing up at the exact right
time that they needed someone to shine light on them and save them from sin and death.
Anna tells him to "shine light in the darkness," reminding me of the verse, "Those who
walk in the darkness have seen a great light (Jesus)." Lastly, like Jesus (Savior), he
gives up his own life, taking the pain and saves all those other people with his cure,
starting small with those people in the survivor colony and then going large. Jesus
started small with his disciples and those disciples told others and now there are
thousands of Christians. At first, Smith's character doesn't believe that there are any
other people alive when Anna tells him to go and to believe. She was right, by the way.
The whole darkness thing can be seen as sin and sin is like a virus, taking over our
culture and then Jesus is the cure. They all looked the same, showing how when you sin
and go with the crowd, it's all about becoming the same: having the same values, looking
the same, etc. I also noticed that there hair came off and it was like they were falling
apart. Many people who sin feel like their lives are falling apart. Once the humans and
animals became infected with the virus (sin), they began to become aggressive and kill
other people.
Throughout the movie, Neville protects himself so that he will stay alive. In a way, many
Christians protect themselves from people who sin. We don't hang out with those "type" of
people. If you noticed, however, the only way he could find a cure and save the infected
humans was to risk his life and deal with them face to face.
Lastly, Neville (Smith's character), felt like he was all alone. Sometimes, Christians
feel all alone because so many people their age are sinning. He got angry at Anna when he
found out he was not alone. This kind of reminded me of Christians with pride. We feel
like we may be alone at times, but that we're better than everyone else (we're not
infected). He had to realize that at the end, he couldn't save humanity by himself; he
needed Anna. We have to realize that we can't save others through Christianity by
ourselves. We also need help. I thought one of the most powerful moments in the movies
was at the end, when Neville, yells "I can save you! I will save you!" and the people
just keep pounding on the glass, ready to kill him. He then hands the tube with the cure
to Anna and says, "This is why you're here." She came to him at the right time at the
right place so that she could help him save humanity and carry on his legend.
Posted by: Chelsea | March 22, 2008 10:40 PM
Post a Comment
Are you aware of our Rules of Conduct?