2 Book Lovers Reviews
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I usually like to read the book before I see the movie. In the case of I Am Legend, it just didn’t work out that way. I Am Legend has reinforced the fact that Hollywood will fuck up anything and everything it touches.
Don’t get me wrong, I like the Will Smith movie, but give it the same name and say that it’s based on the book…No Way! A mild influence perhaps, but it is in no way the same thing. The producers, directors, and screenplay writers absolutely missed the point; for whatever reason, they took a fabulous story and Hollywoodized it.
Rant over. Now about the book!
Richard Matheson wrote I Am Legend in 1954. To this day it is a breath of fresh air in the vampire/horror world. These are not Stoker’s vampires, nor are they Meyer’s or Ward’s vampires. There is something more tangible and real to these monsters. Matheson has created a vampire apocalypse that feels like it could actually happen.
I was able to put myself in Robert Neville’s life. What would I do? How would I react? Neville was no hero, he was flesh and blood, he was flawed and made mistakes. There is no magic or supernatural force behind him, he survives through hard work and perseverance. I want my heroes flawed and real, people that I can relate to.
I Am Legend is a near-perfect story. Read it, because you should. You’ll be glad you did.
*4.5 Stars
