I've never seen any of the other Omen films so I can't speak to how well this film honours or connects to them. But what I can say is that viewing this as a standalone horror it is atmospheric, creepy, and has a thoroughly intriguing and well executed plot.
It follows Margaret, a nun plagued by terrible visions who is transferred to Rome, where sinister events begin to arouse her suspicions of an insidious conspiracy at the heart of the church.
From a story perspective it isn't overly complex, but I think that's a really positive thing. I've seen too many horror films lately that try to overcomplicate their plotting, but The First Omen keeps it relatively simple and to great effect. I do think the pacing is a little saggy and a two hour runtime is a bit uncalled for, but largely it keeps a good momentum.
There is a great atmosphere that hangs over the film, primarily injected through the score which is superb. This extends to the visuals as well, with a retro effect applied as if it were shot on film, giving it a really rich feel. At times the film falls back on cheap jump scares to illicit it's scares, and these are all very telegraphed, but largely the horror is well earned through the creepy atmosphere.
Then there's the body horror which again is really solid. This won't be one for the squeamish as it doesn't shy away from the gore at all. But thankfully it doesn't feel that gratuitous which is a nice change. It all serves the story which gives it even more impact.
So, in a world that has seen plenty of iconic horror franchises dragged kicking and screaming into the 21st century (Halloween, The Exorcist, The Evil Dead etc), The First Omen surely stands out maybe the finest example of how to execute a franchise revival (although I did rather enjoy Evil Dead Rise for the record).
It follows Margaret, a nun plagued by terrible visions who is transferred to Rome, where sinister events begin to arouse her suspicions of an insidious conspiracy at the heart of the church.
From a story perspective it isn't overly complex, but I think that's a really positive thing. I've seen too many horror films lately that try to overcomplicate their plotting, but The First Omen keeps it relatively simple and to great effect. I do think the pacing is a little saggy and a two hour runtime is a bit uncalled for, but largely it keeps a good momentum.
There is a great atmosphere that hangs over the film, primarily injected through the score which is superb. This extends to the visuals as well, with a retro effect applied as if it were shot on film, giving it a really rich feel. At times the film falls back on cheap jump scares to illicit it's scares, and these are all very telegraphed, but largely the horror is well earned through the creepy atmosphere.
Then there's the body horror which again is really solid. This won't be one for the squeamish as it doesn't shy away from the gore at all. But thankfully it doesn't feel that gratuitous which is a nice change. It all serves the story which gives it even more impact.
So, in a world that has seen plenty of iconic horror franchises dragged kicking and screaming into the 21st century (Halloween, The Exorcist, The Evil Dead etc), The First Omen surely stands out maybe the finest example of how to execute a franchise revival (although I did rather enjoy Evil Dead Rise for the record).