Review of The Omega Man (1971) by Sarah O — 03 Feb 2012

I still prefer "The Last Man on Earth" with Vincent Price, but this is so much better than "I Am Legend." It's Charlton Heston - come on. Doesn't get much cheesier than that. Heston finds himself as the last human amidst a gang of mutants who terrorize him. I call them mutants because they aren't really zombies. Sure, they don't like the light, but they are somewhat intelligent beings who come up with a game plan to flush Heston out of his mansion and either kill him or convert him, whichever is easier I assume. Heston, in the meantime, tries to devise a serum that will cure the illness that has overtaken the rest of the human race and make them human once more.

There are a couple of close calls where the mutants almost get him throughout the movie, but he is rescued by a small band of humans who have not been infected by whatever it is yet. What gives him more motivation is his budding romance with Lisa, and her little brother Richie, who is going through "the Change." Not bad, but entertaining in a Heston/70's way.