WARNING: This Review Contains Spoilers
Whilst in the midst of our very own global pandemic, I thought it would be apt to cover some films based around the same topic. Based on the 1954 novel ‘I am Legend’, I introduce to you The Last Man on Earth (1964) and its three latter iterations; Omega Man (1971), I am Legend (2007) and I am Omega (2007).
End of the world as we know it
In all four films, as far as our lead character is concerned – he is the last man standing of a human race that seems to have been permanently altered. In all cases, the cause could be considered as man-made but in only two films is it remotely similar. In both Omega Man and I am Omega, there is an element of germ/biological warfare – with the addition of nuclear war in the former. However, in The Last Man on Earth a disease has spread from Europe but the most concerning is that in I am Legend it is caused by finding a cure for cancer. One thing that three out of the four variations have in common is that the disease is airborne but can also be contracted through contact. I am Omega, on the other hand, follows only the latter.
Morgan/Neville/Renchard
Our leading character in all bar one of these films is a doctor, Dr Robert Morgan in The Last Man On Earth and Dr Robert Neville in both Omega Man and I am Legend (also goes by Col. Neville). Renchard in I am Omega, however, is simply an ex-soldier – an inference I made from seeing his medals on his shelf before mentions are made of his training. As previously mentioned, when we first meet these men – to their own understanding – they are the only men left alive at the most three years following the first outbreaks (it is only two years in Omega Man and there is no mention at all in I am Omega). As a result of this, Omega Man’s Dr Neville has resorted to talking to himself as well as a statue he has acquired in the time that has passed. This is similar to Renchard in I am Omega, however Dr Neville’s interactions with the statue are much longer –including playing chess with him. Alternatively, Dr Robert Morgan speaks mainly in narration which seems to put the viewer directly inside his head. I am Legend’s Dr Neville is the only one of these men to actually have a companion to talk to – his daughter’s dog, Samantha (I’ll talk about her significance a little later on).
Immunity
In order to be the last man standing, you would assume all of the men mentioned above have some sort of immunity to the disease that has afflicted the rest of the human race and with three films out of the four, your assumption would be absolutely correct. Once again, the only one straying from this concept is I am Omega, instead it is Renchard’s job to rescue the person who is immune. Robert Morgan and our Drs Neville are all immune for different reasons of course. In The Last Man On Earth, Morgan believes he has gained his immunity through being bitten by a bat a young child. Dr Robert Neville in Omega Man takes his survival into his own hands and injects himself with the vaccine when the helicopter he is taking to transport it, crashes. Now, Dr Neville of I am Legend however is possibly the luckiest of the three. He is one of 12 million out 600 million that are naturally immune to the disease. Knowing this fact, it makes me wonder that he does not have the same plan to save the human race as the Dr Morgan and his Omega Man counterpart. If you’re naturally immune, would using your own blood as a cure not be the most logical option? This plan is also in place in I am Omega, instead it is not Renchard’s but Brianna’s blood that is the key to save the human race.
The Effect of the Disease
As with any remake, there are always creative differences but some basic attributes stay the same. So, understandably with each change to the disease and its production – there is a change to how it affects those infected. Starting with The Last Man on Earth, we are led to believe that the disease has manifested itself in a way that causes them to behave like vampires. For example, Dr Morgan places garlic outside every door of his home along with mirrors and they only come out at night. The latter trait is repeated in both Omega Man and I am Legend. Once again, I am Omega is the only film where they attack in broad daylight as they come across as your everyday zombie. It is only in Omega Man that the enemy stays remotely human and takes on more of a cult theme. Those infected by the disease belong to a group called ‘The Family’ led by Matthias who are intent on destroying anything that remains of the old world – including Dr Neville.
Canine Complications
Man’s best friend only features in The Last Man on Earth and I am Legend. As I mentioned before, Dr Neville has his daughter’s dog, Samantha, from the very beginning of the film – providing him with the companion that none of his compatriots have. Dr Morgan on the other hand does not discover his puppy until at least an hour into the film, giving him the hope that he may not be the only survivor of the disaster. Unfortunately both dogs suffer the same fate. It is explained in I am Legend that canines are not immune to the disease, meaning that Dr Neville does his best to stop Sam running into the dark where she could get infected. It also results in the creatures having their own dogs. Both Sam and Dr Morgan’s dog become infected through a fight and it is left to their owners to do the only merciful thing. In my opinion however, the way Samantha is killed compared to the puppy in Last Man on Earth is quite dark. Dr Morgan takes his puppy’s life in the same way he has taken down the other vampires – a stake through the heart. Robert Neville, on the other hand, while holding Samantha in his arms after Compound 6 fails to cure her, he actually suffocates her to death.
There’s Always a Girl
With any film containing a heroic male, there’s always a damsel in distress. These four films are no different – but only one man gets the girl in the end, and that man is none other than Renchard. Before completing their escape from an exploding city, they seal it with a kiss. Unfortunately for Dr Morgan however, the first woman that comes into his life after three years, turns out to be a vampire – trapping him in order for her group to come and kill him. A similar situation transpires for Dr Robert Neville in The Omega Man once Lisa succumbs to the disease as she leads Matthias and ‘The Family’ into his apartment, the ending of said situation is to follow below. For I am Legend’s Dr Neville, we have Anna – a surrogate parent to Ethan. She saves Neville’s life but unfortunately leads the monsters to his home. We see that it is hard for him to adjust to the sight of another human and it seems that having the pair around reminds him of his late wife and daughter.
The Fatal Demise
I would say that once again in three out of the four films, our leading man is killed, but there is actually an alternate ending to I am Legend where Robert Neville survives. Both deaths in The Last Man on Earth and Omega Man practically mirror each other. Both men are being hunted by the infected factions trying to kill them and both succeed by throwing a spear straight in to his chest. In the original ending to I am Legend, Dr Robert Neville takes his death into his own hands in order to wipe out the creatures by exploding a grenade in his lab. It is with this ending that he creates a cure with the blood of a test subject he has already begun to cure. Now here comes the interesting part. The director decided to create an alternate ending where Neville gives his test subject back to the creatures causing them to cease their destruction of his lab and leave, allowing Anna, Ethan and himself to escape the city in search of other survivors. This ending is similar to that of I am Omega, where Renchard leaves behind an exploding city, destroying the nest, with Brianna and heads for Antioch in order to create the cure.
In Conclusion
As I think I have proven, I am Omega is the black sheep of this group of films as not many themes carry over from its predecessors. I have to admit, I was not expecting too much from I am Legend – I’m not Will Smith’s biggest fan when it comes to action films – but I do think it’s a better film than I was expecting. However, both of these pale in comparison to The Last Man on Earth and The Omega Man. I feel they both tell the same story brilliantly differently.
