The Omega Man - Movie Review

If you can dig dialogue like don't move you motha' or this serum is 160 proof Anglo-Saxon...then you might just enjoy the 1971 film The Omega Man. If you find statements like I'll bust yo' ass to be tedious and irritating or just a nod, then you may as well beat it, brother, because this one's not for you. Can you dig it?

There is something refreshing about going back to old-school films before the advent of CGI and seeing the ingenuity used to create suspense with physical special effects and lighting the primary tools of the trade. The Omega Man is a campy science fiction film from 1971, which is set in the late-70s, a couple of years after a world war (March 1975) leaves few survivors. An eerie plague that slowly turns humans into zombie-like creatures before finally killing them seems to have affected the entire population. Or at least everyone except scientist Robert Neville (Charlton Heston), who treated himself with an experimental vaccine that built up his immunity to the plague.

Neville spends his days hunting for the zombie lair so he can put an end to his nemesis, Jonathan Matthias (Anthony Zerbe). He drives flat out through the deserted streets (I mean, he hauls, man), screeching tires in vintage machines. Neville spends his nights taunted by Matthias and his black-caped sun-glass wearing minions. They hang outside his pad calling his name and trying to torch the place. Neville talks to himself entirely too much. A total square. When he runs into Lisa (Rosalind Cash), he realizes he may not be the last survivor. Lisa plays hard to get, but eventually helps Neville out of a pinch with the help of another survivor called Dutch (Paul Koslo).

It seems that Neville has renewed hope for the world. He is changing from survival mode to bright prospects for the future. He is able to produce a treatment to reverse the effects of the plague using his own blood. He is able to help Lisa's brother Richie (Eric Laneuville) reverse the plague and return to normal. With a small band of pre-plague children, Neville hopes to provide them with immunity and start civilization over in the mountains. However, Matthias has his own plans and does not intend to allow Neville to succeed. It is a battle between good and evil, with Matthias believing he is on the side of righteousness.

Watching a film created nearly half a century ago with a fresh perspective was fun. I drew new corollaries from when I originally watched the film a generation ago. Matthias and his followers bear a striking resemblance to Charles Manson. They even call themselves The Family. The dialogue and outfits of the 70s add incredible charm to the film, giving it an almost comic element. The one-liners are dropped fearlessly in spite of the inevitable groans. But it works. There is an innocent, pure quality to the film that captivated me. The special effects were also fun to watch. Who cares if the powder coated skin showed signs of wear around the fingertips on the zombie actors...it didn't matter that much. The pyrotechnics and lighting added some good intensity to the film, as well as some snappy cutting when Neville burns rubber. The special effects and story captured within the cultural context of the 70s makes for great unforgettable cinema.

Charlton Heston spends the first fifteen or twenty minutes of The Omega Man talking to himself or his bust statue of Caesar. The dialogue is quirky but fun. Heston is half badass and half scientist making for an odd combination. But he is one of those guys that can pull it off. He does. Cash, with her big hair and plastic outfit screams 1971. Her performance was solid, but over-shadowed by Heston. The two did not have the chemistry to pull of the emotional aspects of the story, but the film did not dwell on that subject anyway. Although it was an undercurrent I wasn't necessarily buying into, the broader story held up. Matthias was eerily cool, seeping 70s counter-culture. His sidekick Zachary (Lincoln Kilpatrick) added some hip. In a word, the cast was a kick.

Neville may have been immune to the plague, but he did suffer from some Jungle Fever. He has a brief romance with Lisa that seems to be interrupted before it ever goes anywhere. There is a scene where Cash gets out of bed to close the drapes wearing nothing more than her bush (or should I say Afro?) Her breasts and buttocks are the only skin we get to see. The violence includes plenty of gun-play and multiple zombie deaths. The violence has an almost zero gore-factor. The intensity created by the music, lighting and editing are enjoyable but not necessarily nightmare inducing. The MPAA gave this film a PG rating, which is surprising with the nudity aspect. The violence and nudity (especially by today's standards) are kept in check. Teenage audiences and maybe slightly younger should be fine. Run time is one hour, 38 minutes.

Now that I'm a big daddy reminiscing about the good old days...The Omega Man looks a lot different. If you have never seen the film, or simply want to relive the 70s, drop some bread on this rental and cool it for 98 minutes. The film has a great story line with decent performances and provides a great snapshot back in time fifty years. The Omega Man definitely makes the list of old-school films worthy of dusting off for another screening. You'll have a blast. 7/10.

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