One thing that I didn’t expect from I Am Legend was its Christian underpinnings. Not to go on a spoiler-bender, but I had to write about this since it seems to have escaped the reviewers (though it does appear here, here, and here)
Like other in-disguise Christian apocalyptic movies (The Matrix, Constantine, etc.), we have a character who seems burdened with seeing the earth through its possible last days being consumed by (soul eating?) demons, determined to finish us all off, and then being confronted with redemption choices of how to cope with his failings.
Though not as apparent as “The One” of The Matrix, Will Smith’s Robert Neville sees himself as sole savior, yet is scientifically devoid of faith. Confronted with a post-apocalyptic earth, he uses his military-induced training in combination with his scientific mind and principals to solve a problem he was part in causing. Here’s the spoiler, so be careful if you read on…
At around 2/3 through, his meeting with Anna brings him into confrontation with his apparent lack of faith–she finds explanation for her hope for the future through “hearing God directly.” Neville seemingly cannot cope with this explanation, rejecting Anna’s hope for finding the rest of human survivors by using odds and calculations to prove her visions wrong and, thus, leaving him to his solitary fate outside of his worldview of a desolate island of Manhattan. As Anna finds her colony, we see a church in the background beyond the gates…lo is the fate of the believer (and the non-believer) spelled out. Yuk.
I can appreciate the shadows-on-the-wall view I have of this; this Christian symbolism is cloaked and soaked (“you’re soaking in it!”) to the point that I might be hallucinating, but coincidences are considerable and the message is clear–faith can take you beyond demons and your own scientific trappings. Faith brings the ability to move forward beyond science’s cold restrictions. But it’s the heavy-handedness that kills me–Smith’s abandonment of hope at the end? the glorious opening of the gates of heaven imagery? the (post-coital?) breakup over a discussion of faith? It drips with subtle Judeo-Christian punishment/reward for the non-faithful. Even a little look into the Bob Marley references (what was that about? I asked and, lo and behold, Marley was a late-comer to being born again). Am I seeing things? I think not…
27 Wishes 
Yeah what was up with the Marley references? haha
The only judeo-christian theme I found in the movie was faith; faith in God and faith in His will. I didn’t really see Neville as a Christ figure but he certainly fills the sacrificial scapegoat archetype that Christ could be labeled with as well. After all, he effectively died saving the whole world.
All in all this movie was intense. I was disappointed in the look of the dark-seekers. Too CGI-fakey for me. Some simple death-makeup would’ve sufficed. I also didn’t enjoy the rednecks who sat behind me and howled and commented at every serious moment.
Just because there are references to God doesn’t necessarily make it Christian undertones. It could be any religion.
Also, the movie is a remake. Perhaps the ‘Christian’ undertones and look on faith was taken direct from the previous film and/or story and was left in the revised.
Constantine is a movie based off a dark and violant comic book … not a Christian book, but one of good vs evil with the hero having an achilles heel.
Matrix – it can be flipped both ways especially with the second and third movies. ‘God’ is the old guy that Neo is fighting against .. not exactly a ‘Christian’ message. Neo, I’ve read, is more akin to an anti-christ than a Christ-like figure.
Just my thoughts. No arguments.
Response to lordthaddius.
“It could be any religion”
How many other religions have a son of God who sacrifices himself for the sins of mankind? Buddah? Nope. Mohammed? Nope. New age? Nope.
Sorry, bud. Jesus is the only one who died for mankind.
Pick up a Bible, Bro It’ll do you a lot of good.
And ‘He Is Legend’ says all this? Hmm?
Mohammed was called a favored prophet, often referred to as son.
Same with Buddah.
Many religions claim to have favored prophets who often refer to them as ‘sons of God’. While they don’t literally mean SON of God, such as Christ, they do call them that.
The author of this article does not indicate anything about Jesus or the Son of God dying for our sins … nor does he state that it said this in the movie. My comment was purely based on his article, which stated why he claimed this movie was ‘Christian’ in disguise. Since he only mentioned the name God and nothing else it can assume any god, wither God the Father, Allah, Dagon, Ra …
And I pick up the Bible several times a day. Even open it. Read it. Study it. Read commentaries, devotionals … so I’m not a Bible-noob. I know it fairly well. My comments, again, where taken from what the AUTHOR states.
I, personally, have yet to see this movie – though I want to.
It seems to me that the Christian references go far beyond just the “fates” of the two, believer and non…. I wouldn’t even go so far as to say what the author of this article did… Neville’s sacrificial death only came when he finally began to believe what Anna was saying. Science and faith are NOT mutually exclusive… the idea that they are is one that has left the church intellectually crippled over time, and has given us the stereotype of ignorant and blind. Sure, the Apostle Paul may say “we walk by faith, not by sight,” but then if our faith is blind, we’re screwed! We are intended to understand what we believe and why we believe it… like in Isaiah “come and let us reason together, o Israel” (or something to that extent). Anyway, not my point, I don’t intend to rant.
The entire movie strikes me as being totally Christian, to the core. You’ve got different spins on things, I mean, it’s not Christianity 101 definitely, but the themes are wholly Christian. The world, originally “perfect” (or at least functional) destroyed by an evil concocted by man, which consumed man. Lethal to most, mutating, twisting to others, and harmless to very, very few. It is only those who are immune who can attempt to save the others, to find a cure. The cure is in the blood, and by the sacrificial shedding of a pure man’s blood, the cure could be spread. The cure found its way into a small enclave of clean people, who could then begin to study and expand it, to use it.
It’s a very Christian equation, although it doesn’t line up perfectly with the Bible, else the secular critics would utterly destroy it (you know it’s true). Man lives in a “good” world (relatively speaking), man devises evil, evil consumes man and destroys the world, one man who is clean of the evil sacrifices himself to get a cure to the world, the cure is handed to a small group of clean people who can then spread it.
I had one other idea, in regards to the “poor CGI,” especially knowing what CGI is capable of… I wonder if the darkseekers were intentionally made to look fake, from the Christian perspective, to show man how he becomes in sin, consumed by evil, twisted from how he was originally designed, made into something almost less-than-real, like death walking (spiritually of course). It strikes me as a definite possibility… or perhaps they really did just do a crappy job of CGI animations, I’m not defending either point, just raising the idea.
Anyway, I particularly liked it, I’ve always been a fan of sad movies, and this was one of the first in a long time to sincerely scare me… I was FREAKED when I walked out of there, and it was midnight too…. *shudder*
I agree with this but I saw even MORE. The zombies were the perfect picture of the Reformed doctrine of depravity.
The popular but unbiblical Arminian view suggests that the lost are capable of “making a decision for Christ” (John 6:44). This movie demonstrates the biblical teaching that the lost are spiritually DEAD– totally incapable of desiring salvation. In the end of the movie, Dr. Neville pleads with the walking dead to be saved but they are incapable of responding positively. They are destroyed by fire.
And to tell the truth, I think the certain, unashamed religious standpoint in the movie is a good thing for it and the people who watch, not just because it’s Christian and I’m Christian, but because we’ve become far too sensitive as a culture. You can hardly say or do anything anymore without offending someone. It’s sad. We’ve been pushed into a terrified apathy, either you don’t do anything, or you get shouted down by doing something, all along ingesting the dogma that tolerance lies in universal acceptance, and universal acceptance means, ultimately, claiming nothing to be true. It’s a roundabout way of conniving everyone to a postmodern ideology, really, and it was contrived by some really smart people… but it’s still a rather ugly thing, the repression of free thought like that. People need to see other viewpoints, to be able to weigh evidences and come to conclusions for themselves, to follow an ideology because they choose to after examining different viewpoints, not just because it’s the only one available to follow. We need more personal ideals in public life, for in trying to rid ourselves of the public acknowledgement of personal faiths, we’ve done nothing but force ourselves into a dogma of postmodern relativism in public and apathy in private. We’ve become a society that collectively believes in nothing because personally we don’t care to share what we think anymore, and thus become offended when that bubble may be breached, raising hostilities and creating tensions. This is why we can ultimately stand for nothing, not patriotism, not faith, not even love. It is all shot down in the face of relativistic social apathy – the destructor of free thought. How can anyone claim to think for themselves when any thought that deviates from the relativism we now call “neutrality” is inherently wrong and thus not worth expressing? When any personal morality is subjugated to the absolute moral idea that there are no absolute morals and thus is repressed by the moral statement that moral statements are repressive? It’s all one big loophole that we’ve caught ourselves in, and it’s only through REAL reason that we can get ourselves out.
This is such BS. Too sensitive as a culture? What if you are not a christian and you have to hear from government and people that you are going to burn in hell, that you are unpatriotic and undeserving? So many people who are not christian have discovered amazing things, sometimes believing in themselves only, no religion involved. Christianity has become politics. Spirituality is not politics. How can you really think that there is not too much of interference of the church in our day to day affairs? In fact, there is very little of any alternative worldview. Where are the multiple heroes? A world without “good” and “bad” so clearly cut? Our movies reflect the church pressure in this country. I hope in the future we can live in a place where each thing has its place. Religion has its place in your home, with your personal feelings and family. It is not science and your belief that others not like you will burn in hell is dumb, anti-patriotic and backwards.
Thank you for your defense of such wonderful,foundational truths. Both myself and my recently completed jew friend were moved when we obseved Wills wife rely on prayer and noted the timely rescue by the lady from south america.Will captured the core paradox of Gods perfect holiness and man’s tragic “free will”Will understood that the answer was not about God but his need to look beyond his greif and accept the choice that was given to him.When he brought the hand geanade out with the picture of his wife and daughrer ,he knew that God waa real and life does not end here. We were also impressed will the concern that the writer gave to redeeming the diseased. My jewish Christian friend noted that this was much like Gods love for the gentiles,not just the elect.
I am a Christian and a psychotherapist of 25 yrs.I am often amazed at how many people take offense at Christ but have never really stopped long enough to look beyond the social retoric to see the simple message of just how far God was and is willing to go to get through to us. I am pleased to know that God can speak so well through the art of media when there is sooo much junk that has no ultimate moral redemption.
May God continue to speak and people listen before it is too late for them,or for mankind
Well, I just have to clear things up here and say that I *didn’t* appreciate the Christian message of the pic, and I am a Christian myself. Maybe I’m a bit old-fashioned, but I like it when movies address an issue straight-on rather than cloaking it (lightly) in a modern skin.
I’m not opposed to retellings (see last year’s “The Nativity Story” or even Disney’s “Prince of Egypt”) but I’m not a fan of poorly written, indirect allusion to the “faith and redemption” message.
Of course, this is also where I contradict myself and say I enjoyed “The Golden Compass” as well as “The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe” (though I thought the CGI definitely didn’t work in its favor) ;-), but those were tales made to embed symbolism than the thinly guised “Legend.” What I’m asking for is, at least in an adult allegory, is a more complex vision of Christianity than the simple “x=y” allegory and mainstream visions of Christ as savior of sin. I’m thinking along the lines of “The Fountain.”
Response to lordthaddius.
“Just because there are references to God doesn’t necessarily make it Christian undertones. It could be any religion.”
Not so lordthaddius! In the Book of Exodus of the Bible, Moses asks God His name and He tells him “I Am”. Until Robert Neville meets the young mother and her son, God is just a Legend or the “I Am Legend”. When he sees all the divine intervention beginning with his rescue by the young woman, then the narrow escape from certain death in the apartment building, then the discovery of the cure in the basement, and then the coincidence (divine confirmation) of the young mother’s butterfly tatoo reminding him of his daughter’s childlike hope when she pointed out the butterfly to him. When the movie ends the “I Am Legend” becomes the “I Am Truth” to Robert Neville.
The symbolism is very heavy in the film. The Apostle Peter was a fisherman…..Neville fishing for the zombie. The bright light when he was saved by Anna….The light if God. Anna and the boy = Mary and Jesus’ daughter. The Holy Grale isn’t a cup but a container for the blood line of Jesus. Anna holds the blood of the “savior” . The time magazine cover on the fridge…SAVIOR. Just some simle observations… Loved the film.
The imminent need that we all seek,even the neilist,suggests that we need to connect w/ the “Greatest than” It seems that we all know that we have screwed up,personally and globally .
The gospwl provides hope,forgivness and safett.The only hinderence is not the validity of the gospel,its based on,shame,fear or pride,all of which can be rested by an acknowment that we aee blind,deaf and dumb. This is a difficult admission for fragile man. It is written,”All we like sheep have gone astray but the Lord has laid on Him the suffering of us all”
sorry bout the typos,Im useing a palm,very small letters.
reply to Eurobro69
Only if the movie is based off of extrabiblical texts, like the Gnostic Gospels and the daVinci Code… the idea of the Holy Grail originated as a medieval myth, and likewise the idea of Jesus’ bloodline continued through Mary originated slightly before medieval times in cultist circles not officially recognized by the church.
When such ideas came up, the church was quick to decry them as heresy, and the same has happened every single time the same myths have popped up, claiming to be “new,” over the years. They still have no factual evidence, only theory, and no eyewitness record, only fabricated commentary (such as, again, the Gnostic Gospels or the daVinci Code, neither of which was written at the time by actual eyewitnesses of any events addressed). Basically, it’s historical reinterpretation and literary deconstruction used in such a way to suggest events that directly contradict scriptural record and aren’t even likely to have happened of their own merit.
Also, it wasn’t actually Neville’s blood that was carried away, so “the savior’s blood” is a bit of a stretch… as is the correlation between the Apostle Peter and Neville’s fishing for the zombie… a few of the apostles were fishermen, and it also seems quite a bit of a logical stretch to say that they were trying to depict this with his zombie trap, especially if he’s supposed to be a pseudo-Christ character.
There IS definitely a lot of symbolism, but as with anything else, you reach a point where you stop finding symbolism and start forcing things to be symbolic, and those just keep wearing thinner and thinner… it’s at that point that the interpretation becomes “cheesy” and “off-putting” to people who might run across descriptions of it. Anyway, don’t mean to rant, just something to consider… you can sound more valid and be more convincing sometimes if you DON’T simply throw down everything you’ve got in your hand and point out every little detail.
Well spoken!
As to corelation of the the gospel to Christianity,,I am more impressed w/ the hunger that people gave for meaning and Redemptionn.We need only a mere fragment of The Trutth to begin a dialog.Pulled said he became all things to all mwn.At MarsHill he got caught up an diverting into dogma.We need to draw a line but at the same time gaurd against the leavan of the phasies,pardon my typos and mispelling,Im between trains and rushing to an engagment.
Blessings on thee
I believe that Jesus is alive and walks with us today. I also believe that God speaks to us. In the film, Anna states that God spoke to her and told her about the group of people in Vermont. She says that with less noise in the world, it’s easier to hear God. After Neville sends Anna out of the lab (through the tunnel) he says “I’m listening”. He obviously heard God spean .
Also, when he sends his wife and daughter off in the helicopter, his wife prays for him. It was touching and felt like the real thing.
I very much need to see the movie now … since I was only addressing what I read and not what was scene.
@27Wishes: The formulaic X=Y version of Christianity may not satisfy your theological hunger, but it does for many others. Some perhaps not Christian at all – but searching for the Divine. So being offended because it didn’t get deem into the Christian ‘ways’ is … well, silly. Babies can’t eat meat when they’re born, and neither can new Christian or not yet Christians. They thrive on milks. It’s easier to digest and helps them grow until they can get to the heavier foods.
Basically, you can’t throw an unsaved person into a Seminary and expect them to really know what’s going on. Sure, on the mental level they may get some of it – but the Spirit is the translator for the Word of God. You’ll never really GET the Bible unless you have the translator in place.
I can’t wait for the movie to hit DVD …
didn’t bob marley die from cancer? why would the character steal that particular painting (starry night)and none other?
http://www.thatvideosite.com/video/6460
If there wasnt a big christian lobby somewhere in hollywood we would have seen this.
@Jay: You rock! That was amazing…I would have voted for that. Sympathy, kindness, retribution, trust, and forgiveness. Now that’s a message.
@Jay: Wow, what an alternate ending. I wonder why they didn’t chose it for the final release. The final line “Keep listening, you are not alone” is a powerful message!!
There is a book written on the movie I Am Legend and its Christianity, entitled “Light Up the Darkness”:
@deALPHAmale: I think you have a good point. I’m not christian myself and I think it’s fantastic that they have a religious message in the film, as they quite clearly do. The whole idea of stamping out prejudice and open our minds to a global level is to be more inclusive NOT restrictive, and this means that writers and directors should be allowed to include it in their films without fear of attack.
I would like to take this opportunity to point out that The Matrix is not filled with christian undertones to that extent that everyone keeps rambling on about, it just contains a few bits that are shared with most religions. It is primarily based on the beliefs of mysticism, and although christianity (as do all religions) has it’s own faction of mysticism I find more platonic mysticism evident. Also there are many hints of eastern religions. (Sorry – it just bugged me that everywhere refers to it as a film with deep christian undertones when it’s actually one of the least referenced religions in the film. And before anyone hits me with the ‘the one’ argument; perhaps you should check out how many religions have a god/prophet/saviour that was born 25th Dec, died and was resurrected three days later, was of immaculate conception, was visited by three kings, was a priest at 12, reborn/baptised at 30 and was known as ‘lamb of god’, ‘the light’, ‘son of god’, ‘the one’, etc – http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=EQLD59fK_Iw )
Thanks for following this lengthy comment thread, kevinjackson, and adding your thoughts.
I have to say the youtube video you posted was pretty far-out–I couldn’t confirm most of the connections that is proposes around how intertwined the story of Horus is with the history of Jesus that were mentioned among most common reference sites (Britannica, Wikipedia, Merriam-Webster), but I’m no Egyptologist.
I also have to admit, though my wife is Buddhist, she didn’t pick up on the religious undertones as much as I did for my faith background. Maybe it’s just me, but it was more religious than sci-fi. However, a great Buddhist/Christian sci-fi film I’d suggest is the undersung “The Fountain.” Beautiful, sad, intensely layered. From the director of the lesser-film, “Pi.”
Darren Aronofsky’s film ‘The Fountain’ is very beautiful, I agree. Again, there is a third religion involved quite heavily which is Mayan paganism.
Also, I would say ‘Pi’ was a lesser-known film, but not lesser.
I agree the youtube video is very ‘far-out’ (perfect choice of words in fact) and some of it is definitely to be taken with a pinch of salt. But, on the whole the links between the many lambs of god are fairly accurate, just a little simplified.
I understand wholly why people notice the christian aspect quite considerably as it is a very prominent religion; I just wanted to point out that most religions are the same thing told differently and that some of the references people pick up on are from a different origin.
And in regards to the similarity between Egyptian paganism and christianity – Ra was known as the one, the creator of all, etc. Horus (who has all of the previously mentioned similarities to Jesus) was the Son of Ra, and the rest of the ‘gods’ as such were actually regarded as angels. So in a way it was a kind of pre-monotheistic monotheism!
And if you ever want a real ‘religious undertone’ experience – read about mysticism (of all denominations, ie, kaballah, christian, hindu,etc) and then watch Guillermo Del Toro’s ‘Pan’s Labyrinth’. A bit of ‘physical life is just the souls banishment from reality and we are only truly free once we die, though those still alive do not realise it and mourn our loss’ anyone?
Christians always seem to think that all “good” stories are somehow representative of Christianity. Perhaps christian texts (or any religious text for that matter) simply used elements and structures that make good storytelling to convey ideas and teachings in an entertaining manner for their target masses.
Just as it is possible that books or movies have “christian” elements, it is also possible that they don’t have christian messages and that the structure of the story is similar to the storytelling structure used in the christian story.
Unless the director or writer states that there is a christian influence, it is probably just similarity in structure. Otherwise “christian connections” are more than likely symbolic of one’s own values/opinions–making it too easy to see connections that aren’t really there. Before you try to argue with it, take a look at the the structures detailed in Joseph Campbell’s “Hero with a thousand faces”
It was certainly a Christian-esque plot. The scene in which the family is praying on the chopper shows them saying “Dear Father”; clearly Christian and perhaps Jewish if you want to get technical but its not likely for Jews to use that terminology….BTW, muhhamad was definatley NOT ever reffered to as a son; there exists not such concept in Islam; any muslim will tell you that is utter blasphemy to suggest that god has any children in any way or context…trust me. Other than that, love this movie and it’s subtle or not-so-subtle implications.
There are two different senses of “Legend” addressed in the film. The alternate ending corresponds more to the sense contained in the original book, that he is a legend among the new society of creatures that is forming, not for something great, but because they fear him.
The chosen ending corresponds to a more typical sense of legend in a positive light; someone who does something great that will never be forgotten.
This ending also goes a long better with the Christian theme present in the movie, that has some very direct connections to Christ.
Early in the movie when he opens the fridge you see a Time magazine that has Neville’s picture and says “SAVIOR?” Also, when the movie takes place he’s been alone in New York for “1001 days” according to his video journal, or nearly three years, approximately the same amount of time as Christ’s ministry. You could say that he had been bearing the burden alone for three years of trying to find the cure for humanity’s sickness.
I loved this movie. Every time I watch it I notice something different that makes me think. The Christian theme is just one of many that makes the viewer introspective on the ideas presented and how they apply to his or her own life and beliefs. This is one of the few movies where I actually feel like the movie was much better than the book that it was very loosely based on.
I’m not here to debate, but since I found a WordPress blog that touched on the subtle-Christianity in one of my favorite movies, I must comment on what I picked up on in the movie (I didn’t click on the articles, so if I repeat anything that they touched on, I apologize).
This movie is probably ranked on my top 5. Not only is it an exciting thriller, but also it is rich with symbolism and meaning. Movies that over-do this, or try to hard to find the meaning behind life, usually end up shallow messes… enters “The Soloist.”
Anyways, if you’re going to talk about the Christian themes in this movie, I would love to add to the general collection of details that I picked up on.
I really liked this: “a character who seems burdened with seeing the earth through its possible last days… ” but it needs to be carried out to fruition. I view this entire movie like a Christology (themes directly mirroring the person of Jesus Christ). This is the reason I like it so much. If you watch it again and again, it’s brilliant how subtle these things are. In the middle when Nevelle has one of his flashbacks, his daughter says, “Look! A butterfly!” We know the butterfly to be the symbolic epitome of new birth, or being born again. So here is a man (Jesus Christ), impervious to the disease (sin), burdened to save and redeem the diseased humans (fallen humanity). It’s perfect. The woman and her daughter (disciples) come to Nevelle not really understanding where he is coming from. In the final scene when they are trapped in the bullet proof room, the movie goes into slow-motion and you hear his daughter say the butterfly line over again as we see this image: http://tinyurl.com/y9ash98.
If you failed to notice the butterfly, look again. In the glass you can see a butterfly with the zombie at the center. The obvious message? Human kind can be redeemed. In the final moments of Nevelle’s life (compare to Jesus’), he realizes and accepts what he must do. The formula from his blood (… uh, the blood of Jesus anyone?) worked on the woman zombie specimen (which by the way has a butterfly tattoo on its neck). He takes a vial of it, hands it to the woman and her son and tells them to take it to the colony (the great commission “go into all the world… “). And the culmination of this movie? He sacrifices himself to save humankind.
It is a blatant Christology. And I love it. The last quote in the movie is great too. Right as the movie blacks out, we hear the woman whisper, “Light up the darkness.” =]
There was definitely no need to include all the fictional-theological references. I wouldn’t have spent my money on this movie if I have known about it.
sorry? =\
i think you can’t escape it. if you want to get away from theological references, you might as well curl up and go hide in cave, because they are all around you.
sorry? =\
I can escape it simply by NOT watching this movie.
I am talking about having to pay to watch a movie that does not reveal its proselytizing intentions. Titles like Constantine and 10 Commandments are clear that the subject evolves around religion-centric matters, therefore I wouldn’t bother paying to watch it.
idk, i think the redemption story adds quite a bit of depth to movies like this. have you watched the matrix? try to escape it there.
I watched the film in 2010.. i didn’t notice any Christian themes. I was saved in 2002 btw.
since mid 2011 however, after asking Jesus to baptise me in the Holy Spirit, my life changed quite a bit.
after watching this film again last night, the Christian theme was so obvious it was enough to make me cry.
Maybe other commenters called you on this, but I believe you thoroughly missed the clearest Christian message in this story: the gospel.
Here is a quick retelling: mankind, in its ambitious and foolish attempt to overcome mortality, became less than human. The effect of one woman’s fault spread to the rest of humanity, and its victims fell into worsening depravity. These less than human creatures fled the light, which in their fallen state overwhelmed them. So far, that sounds like humanity in its current state.
Then one man, immune to the infection, descends into the heart of darkness, ground zero where the sickness is most concentrated. His purpose: redeem these fallen creature’s humanity. The creatures he came to save come to take his life. And at the last moments, he screams, “stop! I can help you! I can save you!” THE CURE IS IN THE BLOOD!” So the man whose blood is the cure for all mankind gives up his life to so that these subhuman creatures may truly live, so that they can live the lives they were created to live.
That’s just the main plot, and I haven’t even hit all the minor details in the movie that allude to this message. The butterflies, the dog, the Times magazine on the refrigerator, the juxtaposition of the New York setting vs the beautiful country setting, and so many more. Then you add in the Gospel opposed to all the modern ideals and the message becomes more prominent.
Here is the message: man has fallen, become less than human, and cannot fix himself. An immune, perfect One must come and buy back all humanity by sacrificing his humanity. In His blood we are healed, in His blood we have life and redemption.
But Neville did come to believe. Hence why when he decided to sacrifice himself after seeing the butterfly in the class and Anna asks “what are you doing?” He says “I’m listening”
I don’t think Will’s character was giving up hope in the end, I think his willingness to sacrifice himself was a turning point of him actually embracing hope that “God has a plan.” He believed so much so that he didn’t have to hold on to his earthly life anymore. That’s what Christian faith is about: letting go of literally everything and holding on to God, Jesus, alone.