+2
I liked The Last Man on Earth far better than Omega Man. I watched all three movies recently. The one that is closest to the book is the Vincent Price version.
They all have cute quirks to them. None of them actually hit the mark as far as the story they are based on goes. I'd like to see a version that did.
Omega Man was amusingly retro and high on the whole "black power" movement which was cool.
The crashing his cars thing was perplexing to me and amusing but why?
The "vampires" didn't much resemble vampires at all but reminded me more of the mutant worshipers from Beneath the Planet of the Apes.
They also seemed to have a sort of hive mind thing going on. I guess cults were big and scary back then? That's not part of the books at all. It made no sense to me.
I didn't think the whole, "we are going to destroy all technology and books" part made any sense.
They could eat regular food? Huh? How come?
The end didn't work with the book ending. It just sort of dangled strangely as if the writers got bored and wrapped things up too quickly and without much thought. Actually, the whole script for this version, didn't seem to make much sense to me.
The Last Man on Earth was so old B movie, but it got quite a few things right. The vampires milling around each night calling the last man out, the garlic being strung and the mirrors on the door were all correct. The loss of the wife and daughter, and the pathos of the almost pet were well done IMO. The ending in this was closest to the book seen on screen so far.
The latest version with Will Smith in it had it's moments. You also could see the nods to previous movies here and there. I appreciate that.
Having the dog be a pet from day one was very different but I liked the change. Honestly the trailer had me from that first scene of sleeping in the bathtub with the dog and shotgun.
The movie changed the location and time in which the story was set. I didn't have any problem with that. I thought it would be intriguing and could add to the story. Seeing a deserted New York with deer (but why and how did they survive?) and weeds grown over really made me want to see the film as well.
They also changed how the wife and child were killed. I didn't care much for that change but I was willing to go along.
One of the key elements missing really bothered me. There was no milling throng of vamps calling him out. How could they eliminate that and why would they?
Oh, of course, silly me, they'd decided to utilize CGI and 28 days monsters that are FAST and STRONG, So if they knew where their foe lived they could take him out of his little "tin box."
That to me was a very wrong decision. Copying something else doesn't make it a great idea. CGI that you can use doesn't mean that's a great idea either. Think outside the box, make it your own, make it art. Renew it. Please.
I thought the calling out was a key element that they needed to use but then I'm just the viewer with drink, popcorn and milk duds, what do I know?
I know that I wanted to thump Will on the head for letting his companion run into a darkened building. That was, I have to admit, a very effective scene. I was so worried I was almost literally sick!
Then later I was furious at him for not noticing, so many things and once again putting his companion in danger.
The last scene with the dog in it was simply brilliant. It's not part of the story in the book, but dayum, the acting in that scene was great stuff. I have to give Will his kudos there. I like Will a lot and this was an unexpectedly quality moment.
I was pleased to see the Woodstock Movie replaced with Shrek! LOL!
I hated the gauntlet / suicide run. That whole scene needed to be rethought. It made no sense to me.
The moments in the lab with the rats and the lady vamp were pretty gut wrenchingly, horrific to me. I truly hated the strange way the creature was breathing.
What really killed the movie, story wise, for me, was the end. It didn't fit the story. It was just inexplicable to me.
Ah, but then I saw the alternate ending. It was so much better and so much truer to the book. It still wasn't quite right but closer.
Overall I enjoyed the films, all three of them.
Someday, maybe, they'll make a film with vampire females actually trying to lure him out. I'd love to see that. Why didn't they bother with that in any of the films? After all it fits right in with today's sleaze does it not? It could be nasty brilliant if done just right.
The book's Neville was excessively whiny. I should say story since it really wasn't a book at all but a longish story. If that were truly done on film I'd most likely, hate that part, and the character.
I kept thinking, dude, you may not have a girl (other than vamps) but you still have your mind and your hands right? Seriously. Get over with it and get on with it.
The whole point of the story is the ending. Until they get that right they haven't gotten the story right. They may amuse us, even make us cringe, and often angry, but it ain't right.
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Bleacheddecay