Charlton Heston
in 'The Omega Man'“The Omega Man” (1971)

MPAA Rating: PG
Directed by: Boris Sagal
Starring: Charlton Heston, Anthony Zerbe, Rosalind Cash, Paul Koslo

The Gist: Only one man can save the human race from extinction.

The Story: Dr. Robert Neville (Heston) is one lucky guy. Whenever he wants a new car, he just waltzes into the showroom and drives one off the lot, free of charge. It’s one of the perks of living on a deserted Earth that’s been decimated by a worldwide plague. A former military scientist, Neville is immune to the superbug. He’s a firm believer in flu shots. But a clan of militant mutants, known as The Family, considers Neville a heretic. The Family are a horde of photophobic albinos peppered with nasty lesions. They blame Neville and his kind for destroying the Earth with their pesky technology. The Family aims to deprive Neville of his creature comforts — and his life.

The Review: “The Omega Man” is a film hopelessly mired in the ’70s. Frankly, that’s what makes it fun. It’s based on Richard Matheson’s 1954 novel, “I Am Legend,” which had been adapted for the big screen in 1964 as “The Last Man on Earth.” Now, Will Smith is set to star in a third film based on Matheson’s seminal work. Filmmakers and writers love tales of the apocalypse, because they offer a platform to discuss what’s wrong and right with modern society. These stories challenge us to ask what’s worth preserving, and what we can do without. “The Omega Man” delivers spirited social commentary, while Heston gets to guzzle scotch and unleash heavy firepower on the bad guys. In a word: awesome.

The Classic Quote: Lisa (Cash): “Is there anything you can do, doctor? I mean, seeing as how you've lost over 200 million patients?”

(Jorge Sosa is a staff writer for the Hutchinson Leader. He can be reached at sosa@hutchinsonleader.com)