Want to know why, despite the fact I adore WILL SMITH, I will not EVER watch I AM LEGEND? EVER. The likeable German Shepard co-star of the #1 box office movie this week dies. Let me repeat – The dog dies. Actually, the dog is euthanized by W ill himself, playing the dog’s owner in the film. Yeah, exactly the kind of happy holiday fare I want to pay to see.
Come on, people. I am not going to repeat the soul-scarring experience of watching Tommy Corcoran shoot his own pet. That entertaining moment was the finale of Walt Disney’s OLD YELLER. Can you believe Walt slipped an entire generation of his fans the big green weenie by killing the dog we spent an hour and a half falling in love with? No wonder my contemporaries have problems with depression and relationships.
Sure, the striking screenwriter for I AM LEGEND can explain that the dog has to die to show how horrible the zombie disease is. Better to kill my own dog than let the zombie disease take him over. I know all about story structure and raising the emotional stakes. But I don’t care.
Yes, everyone is free to do whatever they want in this country, and that means choosing what movie to see or not see. I’m just saying that I won’t shell out my $12 if they kill the dog. And for those of you who DO check it out – do NOT whine later about depression and relationships.
