I Am Legend

Over the holidays, I and my family went to see the movie, I Am Legend. Loosely adapted from the novel of the same name by Richard Matheson, the movie owes more to influences by H.G. Wells The Time Machine and modern Hollywood sensibilities than to the novel.

In any case, it was an intense movie and will certainly keep you awake and on the edge of your seat. But what really struck me was the climactic scene at near the end of the movie. The hero, muscularly acted by Will Smith, has discovered a cure for the plague which has turned humanity into combination vampires/ghouls. He is holding the vial which can cure the plague, allowing things to be set right and a new day of hope dawning. But the leader of the night people, full of anger, rage and hate, continues to hurl himself against the transparent plexiglass wall which holds Will Smith safe from the attack.

It is extremely painful to the leader of the night people, but he continues to hurl himself against the plastic wall while a horde of his followers gather behind him. Soon the wall is cracking and visibly breaking down. Will Smith pleads with him to stop, to allow him to save the world from the plague. But there is no stopping. The wall continues to break down while outside the night people gather, intent on the pleasure of tearing Will Smith to pieces. Resigned to his fate, Will pulls the pin on a grenade and waits for the inevitable inrush of hate, knowing that he will exact his revenge.

What struck me as I watch it was the sense that this is so much like project work. I have been there so many times at the end of projects. We have run out of money and out of time, rational thought and considered judgement have long departed. There is nothing left but emotion and sheer will. If you get in my way, I will just go right over you, whether you are right or wrong, good or bad.

We have all disappointed each other and failed each other so often that we just don't care any more. The Owner, the Contractor and the Engineer just throw themselves at each other no matter how much it hurts and how little it helps. And we all pull the pins on our grenades so that we don't go down alone.

And then it is over. The sun comes out. We can all imagine the lawyers, accountants, and auditors moving onto the scene. They have not yet begun to bayonet the wounded and strip the dead, but it will come.

And then we go do it again. Another project comes along and we eagerly wait for it. It is almost as if we can't wait to feel our shoulders hitting that hard wall and the rush of that emotional charge. If you have done projects like I have, I recommend the movie to you. See if you don't feel it too.