"Create something to fear."
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 own faith and uncovers a terrifying conspiracy that hopes to bring about the birth of evil incarnate.
Nell Tiger Free
Margaret
Ralph Ineson
Father Brennan
Sonia Braga
Sister Silva
Tawfeek Barhom
Father Gabriel
María Caballero
Luz
Charles Dance
Father Harris
Bill Nighy
Cardinal Lawrence
Nicole Sorace
Carlita
Ishtar Currie Wilson
Sister Anjelica
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 own faith and uncovers a terrifying conspiracy that hopes to bring about the birth of evil incarnate.
It was alright. Not bad, but definitely not as good as previous omens. First of all, its story was short, but too stretched into 2 hours length & to be honest it felt like movie was very slow paced which made it a bit dull. Secondly, almost whole movie was happening in once place - nunnery and basically movie lacked scenes in other places, which made it a again dull and boring. Wasn't scary either. I think 6/10 is an appropriate rating for this movie.
This movie was ultimately pointless. While it featured some cool visuals and interesting death scenes, it was overall very boring and failed to add anything significant to the lore of the franchise. The film does have moments of visual flair, with certain scenes showcasing impressive special effects and creative cinematography. A major issue with the film is the way it handles its female characters. The writing falls into condescending tropes that undermine the potential for strong storytelling. Female characters are often depicted in stereotypical roles, diminishing their complexity and impact on the plot. Additionally, the film attempts to delve into the Christian-based horror sub-genre, specifically exorcism themes, but falls short of creating genuine scares. Studios often struggle with making these films truly terrifying because they lack a deep understanding of the faith’s principles. The result is a portrayal that feels hollow and inauthentic. One solution could be to hire screenwriters who are well-versed in Christian theology and culture to bring authenticity to the sub-genre. Marketing these films to a Christian audience might also prove interesting and create a more engaged viewer base. Authenticity in storytelling could transform the genre, making it more impactful and frightening. As someone who does not identify as Christian, I can see the potential for more meaningful and scary films within this sub-genre if approached with respect and depth. The current approach, however, leaves much to be desired and feels disconnected from the true essence of the faith it seeks to portray. Overall, while the movie offers some interesting visuals and death scenes, it ultimately fails to deliver a compelling or original story. The condescending portrayal of women and the hollow execution of Christian-based horror elements significantly detract from its potential. Studios need to rethink their approach to both character writing and genre-specific storytelling to create more engaging and authentic films.
Why does the modern horror community settle for such mediocrity in film making? Don't be so lazy and settle for the usual unfulfilling, stereo typical Hollywood dreck such as this. There are so many fantastic indie horror movies being made out there.
I really don't see the point of making a prequel that retcons the original films. Hollywood does it all the time, and when you hear the creators it is always to own the fans in some way. As in: "this will anger the fans of the original" I don't understand how they think it's a good idea given that the fans are the reason the movies are worth making sequels, prequels, and reboots of. So they seem to intentionally NOT want the fans to see it, and then are always angered when the movies fail. But sometimes it's because Hollywood hires people who proudly didn't see the source material and then don't require them to watch the source material. In either case they always seem shocked when the movie fails. I read the plot and... didn't see it until fate made me, and the reason I didn't see it is because they outright said what they retconed. I'm not sure if it failed or not, but watching through it I couldn't help but think "Why rewrite the Omen? Why does my wife want to watch this?" and then when it was over "Well, yeah, I can understand why you don't like it honey, you're right, they changed too much."
"The First Omen" approaches the whole franchise in much the same way as George Lucas did with his "Star Wars" prequels (1999-2005). Lucas took some ideas which had only been hinted at in the dialogue and then he simply expanded upon them. The "Omen" film which emerges here using this same method has been superbly directed by Arkasha Stevenson and it does manage to create a particularly threatening atmosphere which is allowed to subtly develop from the very beginning and then it gradually comes to the forefront and eventually permeates everything by the end. The idea of a sinister conclave existing within the church and working its own agenda is a magnificent concept and it has been marvellously used here with deeply disturbing results. However, it is somewhat unfortunate this film also resembles "To The Devil A Daughter" (1976) at least in the beginning. This realisation hits home almost as soon as Margaret makes her first appearance on screen and the moment of revelation which comes much later on has no real impact at all because of it.
The First Omen (2024) is the most confused I’ve been by a horror movie title since A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy’s Revenge. Wasn’t the first Nightmare already about Freddy’s revenge? And wasn’t the original 1976 film already the first omen? They should have called this one “The Same Omen” instead, because that’s exactly what it is: more of the same, only nowhere near as good as it once was a long time ago. The Omen franchise, as franchises are wont to do, always followed the Law of Diminishing Returns, and was never a stickler for continuity (I’m looking at you, Seven Daggers of Megiddo). The First Omen adopts some of the series’ worst tendencies and adds a few of its own. So self-derivative is this script that it often feels like a remake. The most flagrant example is the scene where a female servant of Satan hangs herself in the middle of a children’s party. What are the odds that this woman will also swing backwards and crash through a window? Very good, apparently. The major difference is that the woman ignites herself before jumping. It’s like the filmmakers were telling us, “See? It’s different. It has fire now” — except it doesn’t, as the flames are computer-generated. The first time we saw it was shocking, not least because it looked like it was actually happening. They took a gritty stunt and turned it into a cheap visual effect digitally added in post-production. Like I said, the same but worse. This sequence is not only unoriginal and incompetent, but also misleading. In The Omen, the suicide is a perverse homage to little Damien Thorn. In The First Omen, the tribute (complete with the “It’s all for you” line) is ostensibly directed at 13-year-old Carlita Scianna (Nicole Sorace), implying that she is this movie’s Damien. However, anyone familiar with Omen lore will not be duped. The First Omen takes place at the same time and location where Damien was vomited forth into this world in The Omen. That makes Carlita, at best, a backup and, at worst, a flimsy red herring. The Carlita character could be cut from the film, and her absence wouldn’t affect the plot, such as it is, in any noticeable way. As it is, though, co-writer/director Arkasha Stevenson is stuck with Carlita long after she has outlived her dubious usefulness. She’s utterly inconsequential, and her irrelevance is justified by claiming that she’s “too young.” Isn’t that awfully nice of the Satanists? The Devil doesn’t mind incest, but pedophilia — that’s where he draws the line. Despite all of its uninspired parallels to the source material — a reliance on familiar plot points that detracts from any potential suspense or intrigue the movie may have had —, The First Omen is a prequel. By definition, that means it’s sketchy, predictable, anticlimactic, and redundant — a two-hour wait for the other shoe to drop with nothing in the way of a payoff aside from an ass-backwards Sequel Hook for a 48-year-old film. The saga of Damien Thorn was already exceedingly lengthy (at least two movies too long) without a meandering prologue that concocts a convoluted origin story that Damien didn’t need. Must he be Satan’s son and grandson too? This guy is the Antichrist, the Beast Incarnate, El Chamuco. If there’s a villain who requires no other motivation or reason for being than pure evil for pure evil’s sake, it’s him. Damien necessitates no more context than that which the original film provides him with, and Stevenson managed to retroactively screw that up. One of the most unnerving aspects of Damien is that he was literally born of a jackal. That scene where Gregory Peck and David Warner dig up Damien’s mother’s remains is, simply put, spine-curdling (in case you’re wondering it can curdle your spine because it liquefies it first). The First Omen retcons that to make the jackal the father (i.e., Satan), which in turn leads to a Rosemary’s Baby ripoff. Additionally, the screenplay produces a heretofore unknown twin sister for Damien. I don’t have to like it, but I understand that the filmmakers directly contradicted the original because they couldn’t very well have a jackal be the heroine of their story. It wouldn’t put butts in seats, which is the sole purpose of this unimaginative retread. The First Omen was made to beat a few more pennies out of a stone-dead horse. Its goal is to scare up money rather than to scare viewers. This mystery sibling, on the other hand, was obviously never shown, mentioned, referenced, alluded to, or hinted at ever before in the series. She has no choice but to be a living, breathing, loose end — so why even introduce her at all? Apart from adding a clumsy “twist” with no real substance or connection to the existing storyline, that is. The mystery and horror of Damien’s origins are diminished by all these revelations. Exploring Damien’s lineage only garbles the original narrative and doesn’t contribute anything worthwhile to his character. Unfortunately, The First Omen couldn’t resist the temptation to overcomplicate a story that was already compelling. People who have watched all the other Omens as well as those who haven’t will all walk away from this movie wondering the same thing: “What the hell was that supposed to be?” And the answer is, it’s a past-due, creatively bankrupt attempt to cash in on a one-time successful formula, capitalizing on the franchise’s name recognition and nostalgia to generate revenue, prioritizing profit margins over crafting a truly terrifying experience for the audience, while miserably failing to conjure the chilling mood, haunting visuals, and visceral violence that made the real first Omen such an iconic horror cinema classic.
A priest with a dark past and a novice nearing her final vows are sent by the Vatican to Romania to investigate a nun's death and face a demonic force.
An American nun embarks on a new journey when she joins a remote convent in the Italian countryside. However, her warm welcome quickly turns into a living nightmare when she discovers her new home harbours a sinister secret and unspeakable horrors.
In response to a global rise in demonic possessions, the Catholic Church reopens exorcism schools to train priests in the Rite of Exorcism. On this spiritual battlefield, an unlikely warrior rises: a young nun, Sister Ann. Thrust onto the spiritual frontline with fellow student Father Dante, Sister Ann finds herself in a battle for the soul of a young girl and soon realizes the Devil has her right where he wants her.
In 1956 France, a priest is violently murdered, and Sister Irene begins to investigate. She once again comes face-to-face with a powerful evil.
A young woman with no strong religious beliefs, Frankie Paige begins having strange and violent experiences, showing signs of the wounds that Jesus received when crucified. When the Vatican gets word of Frankie's situation, a high-ranking cardinal requests that the Rev. Andrew Kiernan investigate her case. Soon Kiernan realizes that very sinister forces are at work, and tries to rescue Frankie from the entity that is plaguing her.
Father Gabriele Amorth, Chief Exorcist of the Vatican, investigates a young boy's terrifying possession and ends up uncovering a centuries-old conspiracy the Vatican has desperately tried to keep hidden.
In a dystopian future, the Vatican knows how to resurrect people. A priest discovers a conspiracy behind the resurrections and their possible link to a series of murders.
As a young girl, Alison Parker attempted suicide after being traumatized by her father's sexual exploits. Now an elite fashion model, she moves to a Brooklyn Heights apartment building where she encounters a number of bizarre, eccentric tenants and attempts to uncover the building's sinister secret.
Immediately after their miscarriage, the US diplomat Robert Thorn adopts the newborn Damien without the knowledge of his wife. Yet what he doesn’t know is that their new son is the son of the devil.
A remote village in Roman-era Egypt explodes into spiritual warfare when a carpenter, his wife and their child are targeted by supernatural forces.