DVDS: WILL TO SURVIVE; DVD OF THE WEEK I AM LEGEND (15, pounds 19.99) ****.

Byline: JESSICA MELLOR

The Omega Man was one of Charlton Heston's finest films. Without it, there would have been no Dawn Of The Dead or 28 Days Later. So it is perhaps fitting that, following Heston's recent death, his classic of the apocalyptic sci-fi genre should hit the DVD shelves in a brand spanking new form.

In this modern update, Will Smith takes the Heston role as military scientist Robert Neville, the sole survivor living in New York City following a plague that has turned the rest of mankind into turbo-powered flesheating mutants.

Luckily, our Nev is one of the few people left on the planet who could find a cure for the disease. (What are the chances of that happening, eh?) So his days are spent trapping mutants then testing antidotes made from his own blood on them.

The zombies are a ferocious bunch. Once infected, they quickly lose their hair and inhibitions, gaining animal-like strength and senses. The fact that they don't much like the light helps Neville in his day job of hunting the wild animals that now roam the Manhattan streets.

He keeps himself relatively sane by talking to his trusty dog, Samantha, and watching the film Shrek over and over again. But Neville has, up until now, drawn a blank, and the longer he takes to find a cure, the stronger his hostile neighbours become. Also, as he seeks to end his waking nightmare, it looks as though the usually focused scientist may be about to let his guard down.

With a fast and furious pace, this is a feast for the senses - even if the first part of the film plays a bit like like an extended episode of One Man And His Dog. The zombies are scary, the effects devastatingly real, and yet Smith manages to humanise the whole thing. After all, he's often the only being with any body hair on the screen. After giving his all, Will emerges valiant and victorious in a potentially difficult role. He certainly has a greater range than the chiselled, but somewhat wooden, Heston.

Extras include four animated comics, an alternate ending, some interesting stuff about the science behind the film and a DVD-ROM weblink to loads more behind-the-scenes bits. And for those who want to watch it on their computer, there's a code that enables you to do this.

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CAPTION(S):

DOG DAYS: Will Smith with canine co-star; DOTING: Will's daughter Willow has a cameo role