Skip to main content

The Omega Legend

Will Smith's quietly intense performance in I Am Legend is what clinched this movie for me. Based on Richard Matheson's novel, this story has had two previous filmic incarnations in a Vincent Price version from the 50's (never saw it) to Charleton Heston's histrionic 70's zombie flick The Omega Man. I'm sure you know the gist: scientist creates cancer-killing virus that mutates (hence violating the precautionary principle) and kills 90% of the world's population. Will Smith's character, Neville, is, of course, immune. He survives three years later, alone in NYC with his dog trying to synthesize a cure. Meanwhile, most of the survivors have become zombie-like beings who burn in sunlight and seem to have a taste for any and all flesh.
The movie gets the action sequences right, and even the slower stuff works, but the slower paced portions also help you to question the gaping plot maws that exist. 1) How is Neville powering his apartment and lab and getting flowing water in his home? 2) (Sorta-spoiler alert) How does Anna find Neville's place in the dark? Especially with Darkseekers prowling about? 3) Lastly how would Anna and Ethan even heard of the colony in Vermont?
Overall--good entertainment. Don't take the wee ones. Also be sure to check out The Homega Man.
Labels:

Comments

Anonymous said…
Oh Scot as usual you've managed to suck the life out of mindless entertainment! First of all this movie sucked ass! The zombies were too one dimensional! I really felt as if the head zombie had more to say seeing as how he went through all the trouble of catching Neville in the very same way trap Neville caught Zombie Boy's girlfriend. Not to mention he tracked Neville to his house just to get his zombie girl back. Proving that the zombies were of more than just mild intelligence as Neville suggests. The plot was lacking, it had the premise to be great but it fell short. As far as your questions go: 1) Neville had LOTS generators in his apartment and he primed a pump for his water (You may want to pay attention next time! ;-) 2) I can't believe I'm about to write this but (insert choke here) I agree. Wow that almost killed me! :-) 3) Anna probably heard about the colony while she and Ethan were on the boat, in fact it was probably the destination of the boat until everyone on board was infected.

Welcome back to my SHE SAID to your HE SAID, Love! I just wish I hadn't paid $2.50 to rent this piece of shit! I miss the days of dollar movies and arguing with you in person! Let me know if I can enlighten you further on any other movies.
March 21, 2008 at 1:39 AM
Scot said…
And only Lisa knows how to use a sledge hammer with such skillful, subtle precision. As far as priming a pump goes, the only one I saw was one at the gas station. BTW, I didn't realize zombies should be more than one dimensional. Your point is taken about Darkseeker intelligence, however. That's what happens when I write up a review late at night.
March 22, 2008 at 1:39 AM
Anonymous said…
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
November 20, 2009 at 10:30 AM
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Worth Quoting

There are but three social arrangements which can replace Capitalism: Slavery, Socialism, and Property.                                                                                                 --Hilaire Belloc                                                                                                The Servile State
8 comments
Read more

Good reads of 2009

I haven't made a list like this in a while, and I believe I discussed most of these on the blog as I finished them, but I thought I'd make a handy short-hand list for you and me. These are only in the order I read them and do not indicate any preference. The Open Door * Frederica Mathewes-Green The Children of Hurin * J.R.R. Tolkien The Omnivore's Dilemma * Michael Pollan Agrarianism and the Good Society: Land, Culture, Conflict, and Hope * Eric T. Freyfogle Wonderful Fool * Shusaku Endo Up the Rouge: Paddling Detroit's Hidden River * Joel Thurtell and Patricia Beck Johnny Cash and the Great American Contradiction: Christianity and the Battle for the Soul of a Nation * Rodney Clapp (I started the following in December, but I haven't finished them--so far they are excellent: Love and Hate in Jamestown * David A. Price and The Picture of Dorian Gray * Oscar Wilde) Try one of these--let me know.
6 comments
Read more

Independent Women?

      During breakfast today I was reading an excerpt from a play in The New York Times Magazine (I know, I was a day behind and read Saturday's edition yesterday) entitled Rust .  The play, written by a professor at Grand Valley State University, here in Michigan, is a nonfiction drama about the closing of a GM plant in Wyoming, MI.  The play itself sounds interesting and I enjoyed the excerpt, but what caught my eye was something a character said.  The character is "Academic" and plays a historian and guide to the playwright, also a character.  He is explaining the rise of the automobile factories and the effect of the car on American culture.  He says, "Women became independent, they go from producers of food and clothing to consumers of food and clothing."  This was meant as an earnest, praiseworthy point.     I would counter with "How far we've fallen."  To say that a woman (or a man) is independent because she has moved from producer to cons
6 comments
Read more