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The Omega Man

Play trailer Poster for The Omega Man PG Released Aug 1, 1971 1h 38m Sci-Fi Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
65% Tomatometer 34 Reviews 53% Popcornmeter 10,000+ Ratings
Led by a former TV newscaster (Anthony Zerbe), light-sensitive mutants stalk the last normal man (Charlton Heston) on Earth.
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The Omega Man

The Omega Man

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Critics Consensus

It may not live up to its classic source material, but The Omega Man transcends its limitations often enough to offer some mildly entertaining post-apocalyptic thrills.

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Critics Reviews

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Ian Nathan Empire Magazine In adapting Richard Matheson's novel I Am Legend, the film loses the original's quiet paranoia and rethink of the vampire theme, but it has quite a lot of gritty flair. Rated: 3/5 Apr 29, 2008 Full Review Chicago Reader Not bad, but far from a classic. Dec 10, 2007 Full Review Variety Staff Variety An extremely literate science-fiction drama. Sep 19, 2007 Full Review Sean Axmaker Stream on Demand The second screen adaptation of Richard Matheson’s haunting novel ‘I Am Legend’ stars Heston as the last man on Earth (or so he believes) after a plague turns the populace into night-dwelling albino vampires. Aug 19, 2023 Full Review David Nusair Reel Film Reviews Filmmaker Boris Sagal, working from a script by John William and Joyce H. Corrington, delivers an erratically-paced yet generally entertaining sci-fi endeavor that benefits from Heston's commanding, ingratiating performance... Rated: 2.5/4 Feb 11, 2020 Full Review Chris Alexander Alexander On Film The film s a pretty terrible direct translation of what is one of the easiest-to-adapt-to-screen books I've ever read. But it doesn't want to be the novel. It has something else on its mind. Dec 16, 2019 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Jason H The only good thing about this movie: it made me want to read the book it's based on for the first time. I Am Legend is now my favorite book, Richard Matheson is my favorite writer, and all three of the movie adaptations have stunk. Rated 1 out of 5 stars 09/07/25 Full Review Mitch B The gritty flair and the fight that this version of events was caused by a nulcear war makes it stand out.. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 07/17/25 Full Review Bryan i Charlton Heston stars in this second adaptation of Richard Mathieson's post-apocalyptic science fiction novel. He plays Neville, a former scientist who is seemingly the last man on Earth after injecting himself with an experimental vaccine after a biological war breaks out. Spending his days hunting murderous mutants and barricading himself into an apartment at night, Neville eventually finds out there are others who are not yet infected by the biological mutation and formulates a plan to use his blood as a serum to save humankind. But he must fend off "the Family," a mutant organization aimed at eradicating any link to the past, including Neville himself. I've always enjoyed this action movie, and so I was surprised to find that some of the reviews were pretty negative at the time of release. It may not reach the heights of some classics in the genre, but I think the atmosphere of a lifeless Los Angeles is effective. The performances are solid, particularly Heston and Anthony Zerbe as the mutant leader Matthias. The central role of Neville is a great one for an actor, and all three major adaptations ("The Last Man on Earth" from 1964, this film and the 2007 "I Am Legend") provide good showcases for Vincent Price, Charlton Heston and Will Smith. So I recommend the film for its entertainment value, though some may find it dated by its 1970s stylings. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 07/16/25 Full Review thiago s Filme fraco, o roteiro é fraco, as cenas são fracas, a história é fraca, o elenco é fraco, e ninguém ajuda a melhorar o filme, os personagens são fracos, e o filme deveria ter cenas bem melhores e relevantes, para fazer o filme ser bom. Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars 05/26/25 Full Review J H This movie is flat-out awful. Rated 1 out of 5 stars 05/08/25 Full Review CodyZamboni Z Solid, exciting, action sci fi set in the year 1977, Movie's first half hour is the best, As jaded lonely Charlton Heston drives around empty downtown LA streets, clearing out hordes of plague ghouls, watching the movie Woodstock, decorating his fortress with priceless art, Movie goes downhill with campy ghoul villians, sporting laughable robes and shoddy makeup fx, Heston should wipe the floor with these losers, But Heston makes dumb mistakes, and we have to endure Anthony Zerbe spout annoying pretentious blather, Movie does right the ship towards the end, as Heston finds something worth fighting for. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 02/01/25 Full Review Read all reviews
The Omega Man

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Movie Info

Synopsis Led by a former TV newscaster (Anthony Zerbe), light-sensitive mutants stalk the last normal man (Charlton Heston) on Earth.
Director
Boris Sagal
Producer
Walter Seltzer
Screenwriter
Richard Matheson, John William Corrington, Joyce Hooper Corrington
Distributor
Warner Bros. Pictures, Warner Home Vídeo, Warner Bros. Television
Production Co
Warner Brothers
Rating
PG
Genre
Sci-Fi
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Aug 1, 1971, Wide
Release Date (Streaming)
Jan 6, 2010
Runtime
1h 38m
Sound Mix
Mono
Aspect Ratio
Scope (2.35:1)
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