this post was submitted on 05 Sep 2023
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"I Am Legend" has been made into 3 or more movies, none of which have anything like the book's ending.
The Last Man on Earth (1964) is dull and misses the point almost entirely, but almost manages the title line. Not quite.
The Omega Man (1971) is exciting and misses the point even further.
I Am Legend (2007) almost gets it. The vampires are competent. Will Smith's smarter than Neville of the book, but crazier. But then both endings fail to treat the vampires as a society.
It's funny the irony of I Am Legend, it is an allegory to an older society having to make way to a newer one, and somehow every time that's the story they can't do.
I read the book on a whim in high school. I think it was one of those random Barnes and Nobles finds. The ending was an amazing horror twist, with Neville realizing he's the monster and the audience realizing that they've been rooting for the villain The whole time, and the acceptance of the transition to the new society.
The only adaptation I've seen was the Will Smith movie which was generic zombie movie nonsense.
Days Gone (the game) did a better job than the "I am legend" movie, imo. Approached a similar plot from a different angle.
I’m so upset they killed any sequel. Now we’ll never know what happens with O’Brien!
I agree! >:(
Omega Man is a fun movie though.
The DVD released with an alternate ending to the movie that acknowledges that the vampires have a society and that Smith's character is their boogeyman. I have not read the book, but my understanding is this is much closer to the book than the theatrical ending.
That's at least the spirit of it. The original ending was just so laughable considering they chose to keep the book's title. "I am Legend" literally refers to him realizing he is the legend, the evil monster. Not having the book's ending makes the title nonsensical.
The DVD ending was clearly the intended original, given foreshadowing of the creatures’ intelligence throughout the movie which never paid off in the theatrical cut.
I only know of Will Smith version of "I am Legend". There are more?
Appropriate, as the star of that movie usually did too.