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Religious Symbolism In The Film 'I Am Legend'

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Religious Symbolism In The Film 'I Am Legend'
On the surface, the 2007 film I Am Legend comes across as a mainstream Hollywood action blockbuster and it certainly contains all the essential elements of that genre. It has Will Smith, an established Hollywood star, who plays the lone and masculine hero, who must save everyone at all costs, by defeating the monsters in a series of choreographed action scenes. The film also has a very high production value up to 150 million dollars. However, I Am Legend has a serious message about how we as a society have forgotten God, and in doing so we have failed to value the things that are really important. A close examination of this text shows that it is not just an action/horror film. This film contains religious symbolism and if the viewer is not aware of this, it changes …show more content…
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I am Legend displays a primary symbolism that is constantly shown everywhere throughout the movie: the butterfly. The butterfly symbolises a lot of things. It can be interpreted as a sign of what is important. In this case, the butterfly reminds Robert of his daughter Marley, as it is one of her last words to Robert before she died in a helicopter crash (“Daddy look, it’s a butterfly!”). For the alpha male darkseeker it reminds him of his lover, as shown at the butterfly tattoo on the alpha female’s neck. It can also be described as a transformation. Throughout the film, Robert have changed from an angry, isolated and lonely man into a gentle and understanding man, just like how a butterfly bursts out of its cocoon. But particularly, the symbol represents God Himself. The constant showing of the butterfly

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