Review of The Omega Man (1971) by David E — 10 Feb 2008

Pretty decent viral apocalypse flick. 70s stylization both helps and hinders here. Cons: blaxploitation reigns alongside cheesey music, leaving the film feeling dated. Pros: Charlton Heston rules and the ankle-deep religion vs. science and technology debate is interesting enough.

Better than the new Will Smith take on the story. It's curious to compare these two, though. Here religion appears as an old plague trying to oust scientific man. In the new version, nature/primitive, irrational man is trying to oust scientific man, and ultimately scientific man reads "god's plan" into the world.

That is, in The Omega Man, Charlton Heston dies as though crucified, arms extended and limp, legs twisted and knees bent, with spear wound and crown of military-issued cap instead of thorns. Doesn't make much sense really, since he's scientific, anti-religious man delivering a cure against religious fanatics. In I Am Legend, Neville's cure is apparently divine intervention against man-made devolution.

I'm rambling myself into confusion though. My point I guess is that Neville is a savior-figure in both films. I just find the disparities between the films interesting, given that religion gets a bad wrap in The Omega Man, and a good one in I Am Legend.