If filmmakers want to tap into the (un)holy trilogy of The Omen (there’s a fourth movie that we can wholeheartedly omit), they need to do their homework.
Richard Donner’s “The Omen” kicked off with Robert Thorn, portrayed by the great Gregory Peck, swapping his wife’s deceased baby with the actual son of the devil. Ever wondered how that baby came into existence? The creators of “The First Omen” are here to explain what happened, but make sure your expectations are low.
The First Omen has received a surprisingly positive response from critics, but a more average outlook from moviegoers. Maybe my opinion of this movie is too critical, as I grew up on The Omen (from 1976) as a child before the age of 10, but this prequel failed me.
When a young American woman is sent to Rome to begin a life of service to the church, she encounters a darkness that causes her to question her faith and uncovers a terrifying conspiracy that hopes to bring about the birth of the antichrist.
Within the movie’s opening scene, you get a sense of “been there, done that” in relation to the original film. Unfortunately, the entirety of the movie feels the same way…a two-hour movie of déjà vu. From death scenes to exact dialogue, the movie does it’s damnest to pull at your fearful heartstrings to remind you of its predecessor. But, with lines like, “It’s all for you” only stand to remind us that we’d rather be watching the original.
“The First Omen” delivers a compelling layer of darkness and features some standout performances, but it heavily relies on jump scares that, while effective, fail to truly elevate the film. Overall, the movie struggles to distinguish itself from the myriad of other horror films I’ve watched throughout the year, and throughout the last couple decades.
While certain aspects of The Omen (1976) feel dated (the death scenes), the impending dread and horror of each scene is incomparable, especially for the 1970s. The blueprint of The Omen proved the whole “less is more” to be more horrifying than The First Omen’s jump scares and layered “plot twists.” One of my favorite aspects of the original film was Jerry Goldsmith’s haunting score, which I hoped, if The First Omen copied anything, it would be this. Nope.
If you’re a die-hard fan of the original franchise like me, this prequel might leave you feeling as disappointed as I was. Seeing the photograph of Gregory Peck’s character near the end of the film only heightened my longing to revisit the original “The Omen” rather than this repetitive prequel.
Watch The Omen instead.
On the Screen Reviews 