When Richard Donner’s ‘The Omen’ was released, there were probably some people who wondered about the origins of this sinister child, or simply put, the antichrist. The horror genre is now dominated by sequels, prequels, and spin-offs, as evidenced by franchises such as The Conjuring, Insidious, and The Evil Dead. ‘The Omen’ was no exception, leading to several sequels, and it could be argued that none could quite match the original film.
So, did ‘The Omen’ truly need a prequel? The answer is yes. Enter ‘The First Omen’, directed by Arkasha Stevenson. This newest instalment in The Omen series serves as a prequel to the 1976 film, exploring the origins of the sinister child, Damien.
The movie centers on a young American nun, Margaret (Nell Tiger Free), who arrives in Rome and quickly forms a bond with a teenager, Carlita (Nicole Sorace). Margaret quickly discovers that there is something truly sinister happening at the convent where they are staying.
Although sequels or prequels to cult classic horror films are often disappointing, it’s probable that viewers had low expectations when they watched ‘The First Omen’. Although the movie has some similarities to ‘The Nun’ and ‘Sister Death,’ it only lasts for the first half-hour. After that, all hell breaks loose in the movie. It’s clear that this isn’t just another predictable jump-scare demon nun film; there’s something much darker going on. Given that the movie explores Damien’s origin, it’s no surprise that it’s dark and gory.
The movie is set in 1970s Rome, and the colour palettes used effectively transport us back in time. The film is also set during a period of significant political unrest, and Stevenson skillfully captures how such turbulent times could lead to something truly evil. In addition, the film explores the historical and ongoing issue of women being viewed as entities to be controlled, often subjected to torture as if their pain or consent is not important. For instance, there are multiple scenes depicting Margaret or Carlita being shunned or overpowered, all in the name of the greater good. When they attempt to assert their independence, they are dismissed as “mentally ill.”
For a horror movie to truly resonate with audiences, relying solely on jump scares and traditional ghost tropes isn’t enough. There needs to be a deeper, more sinister element that gets under your skin, and ‘The First Omen’ delivers on that front. The film features deeply unsettling scenes. For instance, childbirth, often considered a beautiful experience despite its pain, is depicted in the most grotesque manner possible, making the audience wish that those scenes ended quickly.
That said, the movie is not without its shortcomings. At times, it becomes a bit too predictable or lacks the necessary dramatic impact. The movie’s climax could have been more terrifying, given the specific events that occur.
Nell Tiger Free’s performance as Margaret breathes fresh life into the film and delivers a convincing performance. In the movie’s early sequences, one would never anticipate the level of gore she will have to endure later on. This movie is a refreshing addition to a world filled with uninspired franchise films, even though it’s impossible to compare directly to the 1976 original. For those who truly appreciated the 1976 film ‘The Omen’, this movie is unlikely to disappoint and actually offers some unexpected twists.
Given that most of us know of where and how Richard Donner’s original begins, it’s clear that a baby is on the way and right from a ghoulish early scene, Stevenson effectively maximises the body horror of childbirth. She has a keen eye for the grotesque, knowing how to burrow her way under the skin and pushes up against the limits of how far we expect a mainstream film such as this to go (there’s an effectively unsettling Possession homage that is one of many images that shall linger). It’s not all gory provocation though with her script, co-written by Tim Smith and Keith Thomas (almost making up for his hideous Firestarter remake), cleverly finding a new way into the old story and unlike so many other horror films about the devil, it’s not as shamelessly evangelical as we’ve come to expect (there’s a reason why the God-fearing Conjuring movies made so much money in the US). Religious fanaticism is as much of a danger as satanism here, a prodding throughline that puts the film into an interesting conversation with last month’s other nun-led horror Immaculate, also laying blame at the foot of the cross.
The Omen was released at a time when studio horror films were just as extravagant and cinematic as any other genre and Stevenson has followed in that tradition over much of the artless tack of today, her film as sumptuous and specific with its 70s recreation as any prestige-y drama might be. But it’s when the shadow of that film truly comes into view that things go downhill in a last act of obvious reveals and clumsy pretzeling, a film somewhat of its own forced to align itself with a franchise. It’s a messy bow on top of an otherwise pristinely wrapped gift, the final scene so distractingly bad it feels like the result of test audience meddling one can almost sense the moment that Stevenson handed back reins to the studio. The conclusion suggests that it may not be the last Omen but I’m far more interested to see what Stevenson can do next instead, allowed to fully step out of the shadow of what came before.
- The First Omen is out in cinemas on 5 April
