Butterflies and Bob Marley

Rating: 3/10 (22 February 2008)

I've not read the book, shamefully, but I did read an excellent review by that Guru of all left-field movies, Kim Newman. As he and some of the comments have pointed out, the original 'Legend' was the main character himself  an almost mythical exterminator as seen by the 'vampire victims' of the plague. What the title didn't refer to was a reggae album by the late Bob Marley. In fact, the more I think about it, this reasoning is pretty racist. You can see the suits thinking "Well, Will Smith is black and this Bob Marley Guy, he was black, and his favourite film would be like Shrek, because Eddie Murphy is in it and he's black too!" So all-in-all, the film leaves a nasty taste in the mouth for all the wrong reasons. Which is a shame. Will Smith gives a very believable and human performance, far better than the script deserves. The opening sequences of an abandoned New York have an eerie power, while the CGI Monsters are suitable feral, even if being 'beastly' is all that they do. I just wish the same amount of care had been put into what is a pretty moronic script. And, as for the butterflies, I'm still trying to work that one out.