Rating: 
Summary: A great novel becomes an adequate film
Review: If you haven't read it before, the short novel "I Am Legend" by Richard Matheson is one of the classics of horror/science fiction. Grab a copy today (right here on Amazon, simple as can be!) and read it before watching this movie adaptation of the novel. (This is actually the second movie version of "I Am Legend." The first is the elusively unavailable Italian film staring Vincent Price, "The Last Man on Earth.")"Omega Man" is a movie that, sadly, abandons most of what made its source novel great: the aching loneliness of the only human (or so he believes) left on a planet of bestial vampires. The movie version jettisons the vampires, replacing them with a wacky albino cult that wears sunglasses and glitter-rock robes and have launched themselves on an anti-technology crusade. In a short documentary featurette on the DVD, one of the two screenwriters (the same team responsible for the last and least entry in the "Planet of the Apes" series) explains that they thought vampires were overused, and so opted instead for these albinos. It was a huge mistake; eliminating the vampires literally bleeds (excuse the pun) the story of the fear that it needs to work. The screenwriters also altered Matheson's story in other ways, like having the hero discover a cadre of human survivors with whom he joins forces, and by the halfway point, all traces of the fantastic original story have been lost, including its strange twist of an ending. To alter a novel for film, of course, is no crime in itself, but the end product in this case is poor, lacking tension, and pretty flat. The film has dated terribly in ways that go beyond the funky albino outfits: it has the kitschy look of a lot of 70s television shows, and director Boris Sagal (a TV veteran) is probably responsible for most of this. If you want to revel in the movie's funky 70s style, you'll probably get a kick out of it (the score is equally dated), but people looking for the serious science fiction film promised will tire of the music, the glam-rock bad guys in sunglasses and glittering robes, and the faux-blaxploitation dialogue. Heston, in the middle of his science-fiction period, appeals to people who enjoy the camp angle, but he is terribly miscast. He projects none of the isolation and despair that the character or Neville should, and it therefore becomes difficult to invest yourself in his situation. "Omega Man" does have a few decent tense moments, and Anthony Zerbe is fun in a nutty way as the albino leader. The DVD has a couple of extras. There's a short vintage documentary with interviews with Heston where he talks about science fiction. Like most promotional featurettes, there's not much about the making of the film and a lot of hard sell, but it is enjoyable seeing vintage advertising, and Heston's a great character even when he isn't acting. There's also a short modern retrospective on the film, with an interview with two of the actors (not Heston), and one of the screenwriters. Not much information here either, and they predictably give the film more praise than it deserves. There are also a few screens of text describing the science fiction films that Heston appeared in during this period. Yes, "Omega Man" has some charms, but only people with a love of cult 70s movies and their styles, or people who have read the novel, will really want to see it. If you are a science fiction or horror fan, there are a lot worse ways to kill 100 minutes -- but you should invest that time in Matheson's novel instead if you haven't read it, and then decide if you want to spend the extra time with this film. (Hopefully, the Vincent Price version, which is closer to the novel, will become available on DVD one day.)
Rating: 
Summary: Holy Moses...One of Hestons Best...
Review: Of those reviewers that felt that this film fell short of Hestons other Sci Fi films--shame on them. We, who have seen this one know the plot...Charlton Heston plays a government scientist that holds the key to survival...the antidote to the biological weapon his government help create, a deadly plague that either kills or genetically mutates the survivors of the disease and drives them insane. He, Dr. Nevill, is Satan to the mutated survivors--activly pursuing and killing them (putting them out of their misery). Hey--it's them or him--I vote for survival. I think the only thing I would do different is move out of the city, away from those REALLY creepy half dead zombies.I understand Hestons caracter refused to give in to them and stay where he was..but......The real point is--even though this movie is based on the R. Mattheson book--I am Legend--and not really close to the original story..who cares? The movie is good on it's own. Put it this way...unless I am in bed and can pull the covers over my head--I still won't watch this film downstaires in the dark by myself...but then neither my wife or kids will watch this with me either....It is a bitter-sweet film and you almost feel releaved rather than sad when Heaston is killed in the end--he was the one who was truely tormented.
Rating: 
Summary: Aha! They're supposed to be _vampires_
Review: I'm talking about those black-hooded albino people who do all the funny chanting. You might not _know_ they were supposed to be vampires unless you had either (a) read Richard Matheson's book _I Am Legend_ (the book on which the film is loosely based) or (b) seen Vincent Price in _The Last Man on Earth_ (based on the same book). This is the middle member of Charlton Heston's SF 'last man' trio, and I'm afraid it's not as good as either _Planet of the Apes_ or _Soylent Green_. For one thing, the music and the production values give it the feel of a lost episode of a 1970s cop show -- _Barnaby Jones_, say, or _The Mod Squad_. If you didn't know this had been a theatrical release, you'd never figure it out from the cinematographic texture. For another, there are those not-quite-vampires. They're led by the ever-dependable Anthony Zerbe, who does well in spite of it all (and fans of the _Matrix_ films will want to pay careful attention to his human-vs.-machine speeches in this film; his role as Councillor Hamann takes on a little extra depth). But all the white face paint and fake eyeballs just don't quite come together into anything halfway menacing. On the plus side, there's Heston, who is his usual magisterial self. He really tries hard to make us believe that he's the 'last man on earth', and he very nearly succeeds. Probably no other actor of the time could have carried this role, in this context, so close to believability. But no cigar. This is a classic and SF film buffs will want to see it and own it. But it's much harder to watch than it should be.
Rating:
Summary: 8 simple rules for making a movie
Review: And I think Peg Bundy's dad violated most of them. The movie is pretty good overall but dated as heck and I think that is the director's fault. Boris Sagal did a lot of TV programs so what may have been ok for the one didn't translate to the big screen. Movies should have a relatively timeless quality about them and this doesn't. It's like watching an old Sanford and Son rerun. The plot, of course, is loosely adapted from I Am Legend and is servicable and is satisfactory. Heston does sci-fi as only he could in that '68-'76 window of doom and gloom sci-fi (until Star Wars blew the lid back off and sci-fi returned to the adventurous serials of the 30's+40's). I saw this movie as a kid and it simply stuck with me (and I couldn't tell it was dated). I still have nightmares based around this movie and I am for the most part in the Heston role. I suppose when life is getting me down and I'm a little paranoid about the world I have an Omega Man based dream. But the real thing has not aged well and Boris probably has more to do with that then any other aspect. Movie idea gets ***** and the direction gets * so overall ***.
Rating: 
Summary: A CLASSIC ADDITION
Review: I remember seeing this movie as a child and reguarding it as a zombie film (along the lines of Night Of The Living Dead [1968]). It wasn't until I tracked down a copy of Richard Matheson's "I Am Legend" (along with his some of his other works which included "Prey") in a used bookstore (obviously long before eBay appeared) in Texas that I realized that this was really a vampire story. Having recently discovered "The Last Man On Earth" (1964) with Vincent Price (on the same DVD as his excellent "House On Haunted Hill" [1958]), I found that that film stayed closer to the original story. Be that as it may, this horror movie is an essential addition to my DVD collection and is obviously inspiration for the recent hit "28 Days Later". Having watched "28DL" a couple of nights ago, I was struck by the similarities of the long tracking shots of the protagonist roaming the deserted city streets (as well as other plot points). There's nothing like paying homage to a classic.
Rating:
Summary: Moses On A Mission!
Review: Charlton Heston is Neville, the "last" man on earth. You see, the world population has been wiped out by a super-plague that Neville helped to develop. He now lives in a fortress by night, venturing out by day to find and kill (if possible) the members of "The Family", a group of nocturnal uglies led by the insane Methias (Anthony Zerbe). The Family members are equally bent on putting an end to Neville. Heston and Zerbe are fantastic as the light(er) and dark sides of the same coin. THE OMEGA MAN is a dark, tragic story based on Matheson's book "I Am Legend" (also, see the movie "Last Man On Earth" with Vincent Price). The atmosphere of desolation, loneliness, isolation, paranoia, and desperation is palpable. Yes, the fashions are pure "hip" 70s, the dialogue is ultra-cheesy, and The Family look more like crazed albino monks than scary mutants (the most frightening thing about them is Methias' wig), but this only adds to the fun! Highly recommended...
Rating:
Summary: A Sci Fi Classic
Review: Finally, The Omega Man on DVD! This is a classic Sci Fi film, and yes, it is extremely dated. That is one of the fascinating aspects of this film for me. This film is a snapshot in time of 1971. Put aside the bad acting (except for Heston and Zerbe)and enjoy the spectacle of empty streets in downtown LA. One of the best scenes is when Heston wrecks his car, and then walks into an empty new car showroom, picks out a car, and then crashes is through the front window and heads down the street. I've been waiting for this film on DVD for at least 5 years, and my patience has finally been rewarded. If you like 70's sci fi, you should definitely buy this film.
Rating: 
Summary: Read This First!!
Review: I must admit I was rather excited when I found "The Omega Man" on DVD at my local video rental shop. Charlton Heston ("Planet of the Apes", "Ben Hur") is a fantastic actor in general so imagine my surprise an hour into the film when I began to realize how utterly terrible this film really is.
Now, ordinarily I'm the guy who loves movies everyone else hates (Pi, Trainspotting, Zardoz, etc) but there was just no saving this film. Aside from Heston, the acting is utterly horrid! The characters are straight from Joe Bob's drive-in theatre, and the one liners nail the coffin shut! If you like good movies...please..do not sacrifice 2 hours of your life that you'll never get back on this crapper!
Rating:
Summary: the colour techno gotho western mutant/horror just arrived
Review: hoorah, its the best but the worst its highs are astounding ,but its lows are a major bummer.WERE TALKIN 1970 HERE,WHITE FACED AFRICAN AMERICAN ZOMBIES HERE WOODSTOCK IN AN ACID LIKE FLASHBACK REVISITED AND RECITED AS THE GOSPELL, BY HESTON, A GENUIS/SURVIVALIST MAD POLYESTERCLAD SURELY SQARE CYNICAL headcase. heston is the biggestLONER EXTERMINATOR NUT around, and hesONEbaD [delerious]ASS most of the time. hesfoamy horny and more blood thirsty than the ragged band of kinda green party zombies who hate him i love this movie.
Rating:
Summary: Sound configuration sux
Review: I hate it when the sound is 1.0, everything thru the center channel. Is 2.0 too much to ask?
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