Horror and Humanity

Many of today’s horror movies have very little depth. They often exist purely to display as much gory violence as possible and to find new ways to shock their viewers. Most recent scary movies are more interested in provoking squeamishness more than thought. However a couple (relatively) recent examples have much more to offer than pure thrills. The movies “28 Days Later” (2002) and “I Am Legend” (2007) are both about a virus that destroys civilization by turning anyone infected into zombie-like monsters. While the movies share very similar content, they also point towards similar views about the nature of humanity. An analysis of these views reveals that they in many ways coincide with a Christian perspective on human nature.

28 Days Later

“28 Days Later”, directed by Danny Boyle (Oscar winning director of “Slumdog Millionaire”), takes place in London and surrounding areas. Most of the movie takes place 28 days after a deadly virus has been released. This virus, called “Rage”, causes people to become mindless zombie-like creatures focused only on their murderous rage. The movie traces the story of one man’s survival. Jim (played by Cillian Murphy) was in a coma when the virus took over and awakes to find the streets of London completely deserted. He eventually meets up with a few others, and they make their way towards a military encampment near Manchester in the hopes that they have found the “answer to infection”. Once they meet up with the military encampment, they realized that not only is there no cure, but the soldiers there are motive purely by selfish interests.

The movie seems to be making a statement about the nature of humanity. It opens with newsreel footage of various riots, beatings, and general chaos. The army major remarks:

This is what I've seen in the four weeks since infection: people killing people. Which is pretty much what I saw in the four weeks before infection, and the four weeks before that, and before that, and as far back as I care to remember. People killing people. Which to my mind, puts us in a state of normality right now.

Towards the end of the film, the distinction between the infected and those who are not infected is blurred. The soldiers become more terrifying than the murderous zombies, and Jim, as he fights off the soldiers, moves and acts in a way nearly indistinguishable from the infected. The movie shows that, humanity in general is “infected”.

“28 Days Later” gives us a picture of the fallen nature of humanity. Rather than transforming people, the virus released in the movie seems to reveal humanities true nature. The movie offers very little in the way of solution. There is no cure for the infection. However, several times in the movie religious hymns play in the background. Perhaps these songs (which include “Abide with Me” and “Ave Maria”) are hints at a possible solution.

I Am Legend

“I Am Legend” is similar in many ways to “28 Days Later”. Both deal with a virus that has nearly destroyed humanity. In both movies this virus turns people into zombie-like creatures. In “I Am Legend”, however, the religious symbolism is more obvious. First, the infected in “I Am Legend” are referred to as “dark-seekers” because they are not able to go into the light. This is in line with the Biblical understanding of light and dark (see passages such as John 3:19–20, Eph 5:8, or 1 John 1:5ff). Second, “I Am Legend” offers a more obvious religious ending with a Christ-figure sacrificing himself to save humanity.

Throughout the movie, the main character Dr. Robert Neville (played by Will Smith) works on a cure for infection. Since he is one of the less than one percent immune, he uses his own blood to make the cure. In one of the movie’s final scene Robert is trapped in his lab with the “dark-seekers” trying to break through a Plexiglas wall. Having created a cure, he shouts to the creatures, “I can save you. I can save everybody.” Unwilling to listen and driven by their nature, the creatures continue to break through the glass. Eventually, Robert has to detonate a grenade, killing himself and the creatures, but enabling a woman and her son (who he met earlier in the movie) to escape with his cure.

The movie ends with this woman narrating as she enters a sanctuary delivering the cure to a scientist:

Dr. Robert Neville dedicated his life to the discovery of a cure and the restoration of humanity. On September 9th, 2012, at approximately 8:49 P.M., he discovered that cure. And at 8:52, he gave his life to defend it. We are his legacy. This is his legend. Light up the darkness.

These two movies share the view that humanity is lost. It is diseased, living in darkness and unwilling or unable to save itself. Humanity’s only hope for salvation comes through one man’s blood and sacrifice. These movies should remind us to “let our light shine” (Matt. 5:16; Luke 11:33–36).

Note: While “I Am Legend” has intense and suspenseful parts, “28 Days Later” fully earns its R rating. It is very gory at times and is not for the squeamish.