MovieFreak.com - "The Omega Man" DVD Review by Dennis Landmann

Welcome to the future. Biological war has decimated life on Earth. Los Angeles is a windswept ghost town where Robert Neville (Heston) tools his convertible through sunlit streets foraging for supplies. And makes damn sure he gets undercover before sundown, when other "inhabitants" emerge. Neville fights off attacks by The Family, sinister neo-people spawned by the plague. He also becomes a man with a mission after meeting Lisa (Rosalind Cash), another uninfected survivor – and guardian of some healthy children representing our species' hope.

The Omega Man presents an interesting view of the future, but more on that later. Set in a futuristic Los Angeles, Director Boris Sagal and crew give the city a completely new look—desolate, empty, dirty, and rotten. Speeding across intersections and cutting around corners in a red convertible is Neville, the last known man left on Earth, as portrayed very dynamically by Charlton Heston. The first ten minutes are effective and strong, starting off the film with an energetic sense. Shots of the red convertible driving the streets in empty Downtown Los Angeles look fantastic and incredibly strange. The production must have shut down some major traffic to get those scenes in the can. However, those scenes are thirty years old, and trying to shoot those scenes in Downtown now would prove to be incredibly difficult. With that said, The Omega Man starts off with promise, but falls short as the story progresses.

Based on Richard Matheson’s novel I Am Legend, The Omega Man makes certain changes to structure and plot details. This turns the 1971 Hollywood version into a less than inspiring film. The novel’s basic premise is not enough to make a good film, and for reasons unknown to me screenwriters John William and Joyce H. Corrington opted to change a few things in the script (note: they worked independently it seems). First of all, the vampires in Matheson’s novel are no longer as they are replaced by some sort of “neopeople,” whatever the hell that means. Vampires are much more interesting and complex, though they tend to be the primary subjects of many horror films. This might have led to a discussion among producer Walter Seltzer and other people involved with the production. Vampires are nothing new, and featuring them in The Omega Man probably would have been considered recycled material. Still, Richard Matheson sets them up perfectly as part of a deadly plague, which makes more sense than to have a silly The Family as Neville’s enemy. Moreover, the second major change is the history of the plague, which in this film is the cause of biological warfare. That makes sense, and the change is not a terrible one.

It’s interesting to note the recent 28 Days Later, an apocalyptic horror/thriller directed by Danny Boyle (Trainspotting), explores similar aspects of the future as The Omega Man, such as a deadly plague, no civilization, an enemy (zombies), etc. However, 28 Days Later is a different film, and not overly original, but more impressive and well-written nevertheless. Also, Warner Bros. has been developing an update of Matheson’s novel for the past five or six years, and the latest draft by John Logan (Gladiator), dated 2002, is pretty good. Comparing that draft, entitled I Am Legend, with The Omega Man is interesting as plot points, structure, and other elements are different. I like the script more, because it incorporates much more story and background, plus it seems more cinematic. Unfortunately, talk over the past years indicates the script might never make it to the big screen.

But back to The Omega Man, which looks pretty good for its time. The cinematography is very nice, and there quite a lot of zoom-ins or close-ups, as well as a lot of panning. It’s a likeable style, and works well for this film. The script is not bad, mind you, and certain elements are intriguing. Dialogue is somewhat weak, and the progression of the story is a bit too muddled. The acting is fine, too. The script sometimes requires Charlton Heston to talk to himself, basically, but he does it in a generally convincing way. Certain scenes present awkward moments, but the actors look like they’re doing the best they can to stay clear of clichés or silliness. A few action scenes exist in The Omega Man, but most of them are unimpressive. However, it’s a 70s film and placing too emphasis on those scenes is unfair; they probably looked better back in the day.

Moreover, the film is also silly at times, but overall remains a decent futuristic sci-fi. I’m not even sure it’s a sci-fi, but I don’t know what else to call it. Again, The Omega Man starts off with promise, but as the story progresses things start to go downhill. I just think the people involved could’ve made a better film, but that’s me talking thirty years after the fact, which is unfair judgment. So, The Omega Man is a flawed film, but it has its rewards.

Warner Bros. presents The Omega Man in 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen. Well, as you know, the print is 30 years old, but the print quality here is pretty nice. Certainly not every aspect is without flaws. However, this presentation looks pretty decent. Grain shows up in dark scenes, and there are many, but it’s not very distracting. Daylight scenes look good in general.

Warner Bros. presents The Omega Man in English Dolby Digital Mono. The entire soundtrack emits from the front speakers. Ambient sounds are clear, however, as are dialogue scenes. There’s nothing wrong with the front speakers getting all the attention, because this audio presentation places good emphasis on sound reproduction and bass. Basically, it sounds just fine. You can also choose to view the film in French Dolby Digital Mono.

Warner Bros. put together a small roster of extras, but they’re very generous. Listed first is an All-New Introduction by Co-Stars Eric Laneuville and Paul Koslo, and Screenwriter Joyce H. Corrington. They reminiscence about the film, and Laneuville recounts his first encounter with Charlton Heston. Clips of the film are interspersed throughout. This is a one-time affair, but nice to have.

Next up is a documentary, entitled The Last Man Alive- The Omega Man, going behind-the-scenes of the production. There are some neat footage and film clips, as well as Heston interviewing some kind of professor. It’s nothing great, but good to have. Also included is a Charlton Heston Sci-Fi Movies Essay and the film’s Theatrical Trailer.

You can select to view the film with optional English, French, and Spanish subtitles. The DVD’s menus are not animated. The 98-minute feature is organized into thirty chapters.

The Omega Man is a flawed film, but presents acceptable sci-fi material and a startling look at the future. There are some silly moments, but the first ten minutes are quite strong. Video/audio is decent at best, and extras are nice to have if forgettable. Rent it if sci-fi is your genre.

THE MOVIE	6
THE VIDEO	6
THE AUDIO	5
THE EXTRAS	4
OVERALL (not an average)	5