Will Smith, Alice Braga and Charlie Tahan in the Francis Lawrence movie ‘I Am Legend’

Loosely based on the 1954 Richard Matheson novel I Am Legend, the science fiction horror movie I Am Legend (2007) as directed by Francis Lawrence captures our look today. Writing credits for the 2007 movie rest with Mark Protosevich and Akiva Goldsman. The movie, set in New York City, New York, sees a measles-based virus built to cure cancer go post-apocalyptically wrong. A single man finds himself isolated in Manhattan to develop a cure while fighting virus-infected mutants bent on infecting anyone still healthy.

(From left, Will Smith as Robert Neville, Willow Smith as Marley Neville and Salli Richardson-Whitfield as Zoe Neville in the Francis Lawrence movie I Am Legend).

Set in 2012, three-years after an intended cancer cure has turned lethal, Will Smith portrayed United States Army virologist Robert Neville in I Am Legend. Neville follows a daily routine of seeking food and supplies, experimenting on rats to counteract the lethal disease, and waiting for infected survivors at the South Street Seaport, where a recurring recorded message directs people. We learn of a sad backstory for Neville’s wife and daughter, Zoe and Marley as portrayed by Salli Richardson-Whitfield and Willow Smith, through flashbacks of the evacuation of Manhattan before the current day of the film. That backstory adds depth to Neville’s attempts in the current day, along with his dog Samantha (Sam) as portrayed by Abbey and Kona, to cope with loneliness.

(From left, Will Smith as Robert Neville and Abbey as Samantha (Sam) in the Francis Lawrence movie I Am Legend).

The substance of the action for the movie begins when Robert and Sam pursue a deer into a darkened building, encountering infected people harmed by daylight called Darkseekers. Using a snare trap, Neville captures an infected female bonded to an infected male to take to Neville’s Washington Square Park home for experimentation, seemingly without success.

(From top, Will Smith as Robert Neville and Kona as Samantha (Sam) in the Francis Lawrence movie I Am Legend).

The next day, Robert is snared outside Grand Central Station and, waking near sunset to have an excruciating turn occur when he and Sam defend themselves against a pack of dogs. Neville acts out in grief, with Anna and a young boy named Ethan from Maryland, having come to South Street Seaport owing to Robert’s broadcast. The veracity of Anna and Ethan’s stories of travel through Maryland, Bethel, Vermont, and São Paulo, Brazil worries Robert Neville. At least two separate movie endings exist, with the alternate ending rather than the ending shown in movie theatres reportedly considered canonical for the sake of a movie slated to serve as a sequel to I Am Legend reportedly in production. Alice Braga and Charlie Tahan portrayed Anna and Ethan, respectively.

(From left, Alice Braga as Anna, Charlie Tahan as Ethan and Will Smith as Robert Neville in the Francis Lawrence move I Am Legend).

Other movies made based on the 1954 book I Am Legend have included The Last Man on Earth (1964) and The Omega Man (1971). I grant I Am Legend as directed by Francis Lawrence 3.5-stars on a scale of 1-to-5.

Matt – Saturday, May 11, 2024

Tom Hanks, Audrey Tautou and Jean Reno in the Ron Howard movie ‘The Da Vinci Code’

Released as a movie in May 2006, the adaptation of the 2003 Dan Brown book The Da Vinci Code became the Ron Howard directed movie The Da Vinci Code (2006). With screenplay writing credit for Akiva Goldsman, the movie focuses on “art history, Christianity’s origins, and arcane theories,” as mentioned here.

(Jean-Pierre Marielle as Jacques Saunière in the Ron Howard movie The Da Vinci Code).

The movie begins with the pursuit if Louvre Museum curator Jacques Saunière, as portrayed by Jean-Pierre Marielle, in the world famous Paris, France art museum by Roman Catholic, albino monk named Silas; Silas was portrayed by Paul Bettany. Saunière, while coming out of the exchange dead, leaves clues amongst the artwork of Leonardo da Vinci, the namesake for the movie, the book, and the clues embedded in the art around the museum that lead the police to summon renowned Harvard University symbologist Robert Langdon to the case.

(From left, Paul Bettany as Silas and Alfred Molina as Bishop Aringarosa in the Ron Howard movie The Da Vinci Code).

Robert Langdon, as portrayed by Tom Hanks, initially is suspected of the murder of Jacques Saunière, by police captain Bezu Fache, as portrayed by Jean Reno. Police cryptologist Sophie Neveu, as portrayed by Audrey Tautou, disagrees that that Langdon should be suspected of her grandfather’s, that is Saunière’s, murder; Neveu and Langdon shake Fache’s pursuit and deduce that Saunière was a grand master of the French founded Priory of Sion.

(From left, Audrey Tautou as Sophie Neveu and Tom Hanks as Robert Langdon near the Louvre Museum in the Ron Howard movie The Da Vinci Code).

Silas, meanwhile, works for an anonymous to him person he calls The Teacher, which has links to the Bishop Aringarosa led Opus Dei. Aringarosa, as portrayed by Alfred Molina. Circumstances send Langdon and Neveu to Sir Leigh Teabing, as portrayed by Ian McKellan.

(Jean Reno as Police Captain Bezu Fache in the Ron Howard movie The Da Vinci Code).

It was Teabing, a purported expert on the Holy Grail, who introduces a theory contrary to accepted religious canon about a relationship between Mary Magdalene and Jesus, which motivated much of the subtextual mystery functioning in the movie. Charlotte Graham portrayed Mary Magdalene in The Da Vinci Code.

(Ian McKellen as Sir Leigh Teabing in the Ron Howard movie The Da Vinci Code).

The thriller aspects of the movie, along with the intrigue underpinning the mysteries animating the story for the movie, largely worked. That the resolution went in the direction it did was a bit provocative for my taste, though that does not mean the fiction did not work. I give The Da Vinci Code as directed by Ron Howard 3.75-stars on a scale of one-to-five.

Matt – Saturday, March 23, 2024

Russell Crowe, Renée Zellweger and Paul Giamatti in the Ron Howard movie ‘Cinderella Man’

The Ron Howard produced and directed movie Cinderella Man (2005) tells the story of boxer James J. Braddock. Penny Marshall and Brian Grazer also produced the movie, set largely in New Jersey and New York City, New York.

(Russell Crowe as James J. Braddock in the Ron Howard movie Cinderella Man).

The movie focuses largely on the difficult road to an opportunity to compete for a boxing championship of Braddock, as portrayed by Russell Crowe. The difficult road is one that takes us through the story of Braddock‘s family and his manager, Joe Gould. Paul Giamatti portrayed Gould, who became rich along with Braddock for a fight with Joe Louis briefly mentioned by the movie before the closing credits.

(Paul Giamatti as Joe Gould in the Ron Howard movie Cinderella Man).

The adversity of the movie presented itself when James Braddock suffered a setback in the ring that he couldn’t adequately box through. The film set raised the difficulty of the Great Depression, which really hurt Gould, Braddock and each of their families. Renée Zellweger portrayed Mae Braddock, the wife to the boxer and mother to James Braddock‘s three kids. Connor Price, Patrick Louis and Ariel Waller portrayed the three children.

(From left, Ariel Waller as Rosemarie Braddock, Patrick Louis as Howard Braddock, Connor Price as Jay Braddock and Renée Zellweger as Mae Braddock in the Ron Howard movie Cinderella Man).

The difficulty raised by the injury raised some difficulties in managing families juxtaposed against the notion of so-called Hoovervilles that developed in the 1930s. The family and James Braddock, the man, struggled with this and an action that the boxing commission had taken following the setback experienced by Braddock in the boxing ring.

(From left, Bruce McGill as James J. Johnston and Craig Bierko as Max Baer in the Ron Howard movie Cinderella Man).

The compelling stories of interpersonal turmoil and the strains the circumstance had for many were artfully dramatized in the movie. The comeback that followed, especially in spelling out the reputation of rival boxer Max Baer, seem to have been exaggerated a bit. Craig Bierko portrayed Max Baer.

(From left, actor Russell Crowe and director Ron Howard onsite for the Ron Howard movie Cinderella Man).

Certain themes from Cinderella Man echo the story told by Rocky (1976), though many points separate the larger story as well. Cinderella Man takes you to an emotionally more difficult place than Rocky, which speaks to the credit of this movie. I give Cinderella Man as directed by Ron Howard 4.25-stars on a scale of 1-to-5.

Matt – Saturday, June 18, 2022