I Am Legend happens to be another epic entry in the filmography of Will Smith. While it speaks of how strong the character of Smith, Robert Neville is, who survives in the cursed world and an abandoned New York, it also speaks of the braveness and a never-before-seen species of zombies.
Not many know about a deleted sequence that didn’t make it to the theatrical release but was included in the DVD’s special cut. The movie that is adapted from Richard Matheson’s 1954 novel did not portray the exact emotions in the book, in its original cut.
However, the alternate ending takes you closer to the aspect. In the novel, zombies, who are referred to as Darkseekers are shown to be an intelligent species. While the book states that Robert Neville dies by his own hands, the Darkseekers also fear him as he has killed many of their species.
I Am Legend deleted scene explained
The alternate ending, which also happens to be the deleted scene starts right when Will Smith locks himself behind the glass door along with Anna and Ethan, the human survivors and the 18-20-year-old Darkseeker girl, on whom he had used his recent serum.
Soon, he asks Anna to open the door, and when she does, he takes the stretcher with the zombie girl out towards her own species. While he is scared and sweating, the alpha Darkseeker, who seems like the father of the zombie girl roars right in the face of Robert Neville.
However, the alpha darkseeker’s angered emotions change when he looks at his – seeming–daughter. While the young zombie is heavily breathing, Neville tells the alpha, “I need to get a syringe.”
As he walks toward the drawer, a pile of zombies scream with hunger, looking right at Smith’s character also standing close to him. As soon as Neville injects the serum into the young zombie’s body, she comes back to life.
The alpha shockingly looks at her, as she is cured and has a better vocal tone than from the time she was a zombie. This is the first and may be the only scene that shows the emotions of a zombie.
Here, the alpha has a big smile on his face as he realizes his daughter is alive, and not just alive but also cured. He screams again, not in anger but may be thanking the god, who for him is Robert Neville.
Neville and Anna watch the ones who have always hunted humans, expressing love for the first time. Tired and scared, Neville tells the alpha that he is sorry to which the zombie gives a big scream, before looking at Neville with a subtle look on his face, trying to understand the species he once was.
He then gives Neville a short roar, which seems as if he is thanking him for curing the female, and then leaves with her and the horde.
About I Am Legend
I Am Legend was released in 2007, and brings forth a unique blend of zombie genre and survival action. The lead who is the only human left in the big New York city is trying to keep himself sane.
While he is out on his hunt and a daily session of waiting for other human survivors, he is accompanied by a dog named Sam. The two portray a really interesting relationship while figuring out a cure.
