Film Evaluate: The Omega Man (1971)


Style: Publish-Apocalyptic Thriller  

Director: Boris Sagal  

Starring: Charlton Heston, Rosalind Money, Anthony Zerbe, Paul Koslo  

Working Time: 98 minutes  

Synopsis: Two years after germ warfare annihilates humanity, Robert Neville (Charlton Heston) is among the few surviving people. In the course of the day he scavenges, whereas at evening he fends off assaults by “The Household”, a cult of contaminated and light-sensitive however not-yet-dead people led by Matthias (Anthony Zerbe). Neville is a former army scientist who could have found a vaccine for the lethal germs, and he begins to suspect there could also be different human survivors close by.

What Works Properly: The difference of Richard Matheson’s novel I Am Legend enjoys a spooky opening phase that options Neville navigating an deserted Los Angeles cityscape and serving to himself to a “new” automotive. Charlton Heston because the lonely however decided survivor is reliably sturdy, and his interracial romance with a fellow survivor (Rosalind Money) carries a black energy spark. The ending, whereas hokey, nonetheless delivers an simple shudder.

What Does Not Work As Properly: Past the introductory scenes, little distinguishes this film from a television-level manufacturing, and most of the key character actions occupy the foolish finish of the size. The antagonist “Household” members reside dangerously near parody, and Matthias’ ceremonial philosophizing about cleaning fires and the surviving people being the basis of all evil is at odds with the cult’s doofus incompetence. The scientific underpinnings of the dystopian premise are barely sketched in and often violated. 

Key Quote:

Matthias (to Neville): Definition of a scientist: a person who understood nothing, till there was nothing left to know.

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