THE FIRST OMEN (2024) - Movie Review

Director: Arkasha Stevenson
Starring: Nell Tiger Free, Tawfeek Barhom, Sônia Braga, Ralph Ineson, Bill Nighy
Genre: Horror, Mystery, Thriller
Writer: Tim Smith, Arkasha Stevenson, Keith Thomas
Runtime: 119 min
Rated: R for violent content, grisly/disturbing images, and brief graphic nudity
Buy This Movie: Blu-ray (Amazon), DVD (Amazon), Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV

This blog is supported by its audience. When you buy through links on my blog, I may earn an affiliate commission.

Synopsis:

In this psychological horror prequel to the classic Omen films, a young American woman is sent to Rome to begin a life of service to the church. Soon, she encounters a darkness that causes her to question her faith, and that reveals a terrifying conspiracy to bring about the birth of evil incarnate. The First Omen stars Nell Tiger Free (Servant), Tawfeek Barhom (Mary Magdalene), Sonia Braga (Kiss of the Spider Woman), Ralph Ineson (The Northman) and Bill Nighy (Living). The film is directed by Arkasha Stevenson based on characters created by David Seltzer (The Omen), with a story by Ben Jacoby (Bleed) and a screenplay by Tim Smith & Arkasha Stevenson and Keith Thomas (Firestarter).

Review:

I never thought much of "The Omen" as a horror franchise. The sequels were pretty bad compared to the original, but I suppose they've grown a cult following through the years. However, not enough, it seems, because the 2024 prequel "The First Omen" fizzled at the box office. Despite being the first decent movie in a series that got progressively worse with each installment, it nevertheless failed to find an audience.

Nell Tiger Free, best known for her role in the M. Night Shyamalan-produced series "Servant", leads the film as a young American novitiate, who is sent to an orphanage in Rome where she is to begin her life as a nun. Here she uncovers a dark conspiracy that aims to birth the Antichrist into our world, a revelation that will make her doubt her commitment to the Catholic Church.

The story overall is silly, but serviceable. It's also very predictable, and even the big reveals are easy to guess beforehand. The whole conspiracy is overwrought and not particularly convincing. Fans of the franchise will probably take issue with the subtle adjustments to the lore, as the filmmakers retcon a few things here and there. On top of that, the ending is a complete misfire, foregoing a satisfying conclusion to undoubtedly set up a sequel.

However, Nell Tiger Free's performance is a showstopper, as they say, keeping the film afloat even during its dreariest and silliest moments. She is the film's greatest asset, proving that the actress deserves the Scream Queen title. Ralph Ineson is a good casting choice for Father Brennan, the priest who tried to warn Gregory Peck's character about the unholy origins of his son in the original. The supporting cast which includes Sonia Braga and Bill Nighy is overall decent, but sadly the characters are forgettable. Charles Dance makes a brief appearance in the prologue, but it's a shame they didn't give him more screen time.

Taking a page from the original, director Arkasha Stevenson (in her feature film debut) favors slow burn (some might say too slow) and ominous tension. Since the film is set in Italy, Stevenson appropriately pays tribute to giallo films, a nice touch that fits well with the film's 1970s setting. She also borrows quite a bit from "Rosemary's Baby", perhaps even a little too much. The movie delivers a decent helping of gore, and some extremely disturbing sequences, including a nigthmarish birthing scene. The only scene I thought didn't quite fit was one that mimics the nanny suicide from the 1976 film, and it really took me out of the movie.

"The First Omen" is not quite as good as Richard Donner's "The Omen", but a solid second-best. It's a decent horror film in its own right. It looks great, it nails the dread and sinister atmosphere, and it benefits from a great lead performance. While I can't say it's a prequel we needed, I can't deny it's an ambitious addition to the franchise, even if it falls short of the lofty heights it aimed for.

SCORE: 7/10