Did anyone else notice possible racial undertones in "I Am Legend"?

Question

In my biology class, we just finished watching the movie "I Am Legend" to begin a unit on immunity. I noticed that it appears that all the infected people seem to be white, while the hero, Robert (Will Smith) is black, and the other two survivors he meets, Anna and Ethan, are Hispanic. The inventor of the cancer-curing virus that mutated and caused the disease was also white. I'm just wondering if anyone else noticed this, and what you think about the possibility of racial undertones being present in "I Am Legend." I personally don't think it was purposeful, but I just want to know if anyone else noticed.

Answer 1

I don't think that they were actual racial undertones.



I think they hired Will Smith because he's a good actor, not because of his color. And a lot of people like him too. I thought it was interesting to see him from a more serious perspective - the rest of the time I saw him in Fresh Prince where he played the perfect slacker. So it was interesting to see a new view.



As for the rest of the issue - I've noticed that a lot of movies in America especially have white people in it. There's rarely a movie without at least one or two, if you've ever noticed.



Whites are the majority in America, and I am sure that there happen to be more white actors and actresses available, and that they don't choose by race - they just go by what they have.



I'm sure statistically you'll find that there are more white actors and actresses than there are in comparison to other ones - like Asians for example, who mostly go into Science industries. Simply put, it all comes down to numbers and what is available.

Answer 2

It seems that there really are some racial undertones. Its as if some sort of racially based madness (lol) was going on in the writer's head. Perhaps the logic was as follows: First, White ppl are the majority. Others (black/hispanic) are minority. Second, since the majority of ppl in the world of i-am-legend were infected it follows that all majority (white) ppl shown in the movie will be infected. Similarly, Only a minority of ppl in the world of i-am-legend were not infected therefore only the minority (black, Hispanic, ect) characters in the movie will not be infected.



Thats a little crazy and very speculative though. In reality its prolly just coincidence. The only reason i don't think its plain racism is because Richard Matheson (the author of novel the movie was made from) was actually white. Good luck!

Answer 3

When someone is infected with a normal virus, they turn pale from lack of pigmentation. Now with a super virus like the one in "I Am Legend" You would turn super pale, to the point where all th mutants are one color and all are sensitive to sunlight because of having all or most of their pigmentation lost.



Also its just so much easier to animate all those mutants if they have one color. Imagine creating 30 different skins for each mutant, 30x the work on something insignificant and is more expensive to do.

Answer 4

no i didnt notice that at all lol. Well he was black, but the whole of nyc was affectd so that was blacks too. I didnt notice that lol at all, i mean the hispanics were just to show how far they had come, like all the way from brazil, not because of race. And at the end you see an asian and a white solider and black soldier walking to her in the end. I dont think the film meant to make social commens about races yes he was white, but really i dont think it meant anything at all lol. Seriously people look way too in depth. i can understand looking in depth and making sense, but your just screaming racism with bad facts.

Answer 5

The film is based on a book, and i seem to remeber that in the book the lead character was white, it just so happened that they managed to cast Will Smith in the film. I think your reading into it something that isnt there.

Answer 6

It was intentional. Director Francis Lawrence states on his dvd commentary and on his website that "it is to show that black people are so much immune to pain and suffering, given their long history of slavery, that they will be the only one left on earth if a catasthrope strikes", but then it was removed on his site due to racial connotations..so yeah, it was intentional.

Answer 7

wow why does everyone constantly look into stuff and try and pull race cards. It gets pretty annoying to say the least. Its a fictional movie... end... of story.

Answer 8

a symptom of the disease is that the infected lose pigmentation, and thats why they are so sensitive to sunlight...we had to do the same thing a few months ago in one of my classes

Answer 9

I noticed it too but I don't think it was meant to be racist or anything like that.

Answer 10

Your biology class shouldn't let kids like you be watching "I am Legend." Seriously, if your class watched that, then the biology class your taking is no biology class at all.



Your arguement is crazy.

There is no racist underdones. Period.

Answer 11

I noticed, but I don't think it was put there as a racist thing.

Answer 12

they had dieseases. they were infected. They werent white. they were albino. they had no color tint to them. Dont blow things out of proprtiosn. if anythign watch the egyptian movies. egypt is in africa blacks negroes yet white people are always portraying the egytians in movies. thats RACIALLY BIASED!

Answer 13

Yeah I noticed but I didn't really make anything of it.

Answer 14

I never noticed that but i highly doubt it if he actually did this on purpose

Answer 15

I don't think so, but I will watch it again with this in mind. Maybe it is supposed to be something genetic?

Answer 16

I never noticed, but I don't think it would be something he meant to do.

Answer 17

Geez, it's just a movie, even if it is politically correct. I just went to be entertained.

Answer 18

Yo that movie sucked balls. That was the worst.

Answer 19

it is because of the disease that they are white

Answer 20

i think ur just thinkin to much into it.

Answer 21

NO ITS JUST THE BEST FKNN MOVIE EVER!!!

i watched it 4 tmes at the movies!

Answer 22

u just mad u aint black