As Colonel Robert Neville (Charlton Heston) drives through the streets of downtown Los Angeles during the day, he appears to be enjoying himself. The road is deserted. His 8-track player is blasting some light jazz. The wind’s in his hair. Suddenly, something catches his eye. He slams on the brakes and grabs the machine gun from the passenger seat. A silhouette moves in front of a window. Neville opens fire and then drives off. Yes, it’s another day in the life of The Omega Man.
Three years prior, an airborne virus — the result of a biological attack during a war between Russia and China — killed off most of the world’s population. Those that remain alive suffer from albinism and are extremely sensitive to light. Neville, however, has not been affected by the virus. In fact, he was working on a vaccine as the virus began spreading throughout the world. He was successful in inoculating only one person before his supply was destroyed. That person was himself.
In Los Angeles, the survivors have assembled into an anti-technology cult known as “The Family,” led by Matthias (Anthony Zerbe). Matthias believes that Neville is the last remaining vestige of the world that caused their pain and suffering. As such, Neville needs to be destroyed. Since “The Family” cannot stand the light of day, they torment Neville at night as he tries to sleep. During the day, Neville attempts to find their hiding place so he can kill them all.
If this plot sounds vaguely familiar, it should. This is actually one of three versions of this story to make it to the big screen. The first was 1964’s The Last Man on Earth, starring Vincent Price. The most recent was I Am Legend, starring Will Smith. Each version has been quite different from the others. This particular one is probably the most different from Richard Matheson’s novel, “I Am Legend”, the original source material for all three movies. This version seems to have been written to showcase Charlton Heston’s machismo as much as possible. Unfortunately, it’s to the film’s detriment.
Also, the film has not aged well at all. Supposedly taking place in 1977, the movie’s attitude seems rooted in the 1960s. The campy 1970s wardrobe Heston dons throughout the film is enough to inspire chuckles, but the healthy smattering of jive talk from Lisa (Rosalind Cash), a woman that Neville finds in thought-to-be-deserted Los Angeles is downright laughable. I won’t even try to figure out where “The Family” gets their trademark monk outfits.
The Omega Man is notable for having one of the first interracial romantic relationships in film. Aside from that, though, the film is more of a curio than a must-see science fiction flick. For diehards only.
2.0 out of 5.0 stars
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