The Differences In The Various Versions Of I Am

The Differences In The Various Versions Of I Am Legend

With the recent relative success of the third attempt at making a big screen adaptation of the novel, some might find now to be an appropriate time to discuss the merits of Richard Matheson’s apocalyptic science fiction classic, I Am Legend. The main vehicle of the story, which has remained virtually consistent throughout all the adaptations, is a strain of bacteria that combines two dangerous traits. The first is an antibiotic resistance so potent that no antimicrobial drug or bacteriophage could be used to effectively counter it. The second would be the notable effects it has on those who have become infected, as well as how the ones who died of the infection continue to live. Humans killed by the infection begin exhibiting traits associated with mythical vampires, such as an aversion to sunlight and garlic.

The bacterial agent is not fully explained in the novel itself, which prefers to delve into the lead character, Robert Neville, and his research into the effects of the plague. Like most book-to-movie adaptations, I Am Legend suffers in the translation from literary form to on-screen action. The...