The First Omen (2024) User Reviews

Watch this instead of Immaculate

[beatriceosuji · 8/10 · 4 April 2024]

How can a prequel of a classic directed by a first timer (at least when it comes to feature films) be this good???

The First Omen is a must watch for it's cinematography alone. Adding Nell Tiger Free as the incredible lead, eery body horror, spectacular sets and costumes and the feeling of 70s cinema.

It might be a tid bit too long and the whole Dan Brown-esque scavenger hunt wasn't fully working, but damn is it fun and just beautiful to watch.

Arkasha Stevenson did the original Omen justice.

I have to compare it to Immaculate since it's basically the same story, but so much better! Go watch this instead, trust me.

Unsettling but flawed

[JTReviewsPlus · 6/10 · 14 April 2024]

Unsettling is the perfect word to describe The First Omen. This prequel to the 1971 classic maintains the atmosphere and dread of the original while adding a few of its own twists and turns to the lore for better or worse.

Exploring the dark forces behind Damien's birth is one of the best parts of the First Omen. The tension that builds up to the final act is equally as compelling. Thankfully there were only a few cheap jump scares with the film opting for more disturbing imagery. There were many scenes where you knew something was going to happen but all you could do was either watch it play out or turn away. If you do decide to stick with it you will find the graphic moments satisfyingly disturbing. The First Omen does not disappoint when it comes to fully utilizing its R-rating.

One of the worst aspects of the film is the narrative. Hauntings kind of just happen for no particular reasons and some of the changes to the lore in The Omen don't quite jive not just with the original but within the context of The First Omen itself. All of the actors did an amazing job in their respective roles but a majority of the supporting characters needed more development. Nell Tiger Free's Margaret stood out as the leading protagonist while her friend and ally priest left me wanting to know more about them.

For me, the pros outweigh the cons but the lacking story is worth considering if you are on the fence about seeing The First Omen in theaters.

No Jumpscares no Problem

[eoinageary · 7/10 · 10 April 2024]

Finally a horror movie that doesn't rely on jumpscares every 10 seconds.

The story is of Margret who goes to an orphanage run by nuns in Italy in the 70s. She is on the road to getting her veil when we discover she was also brought up in one of those homes and was plagued by visions which she was thought that they were her imagination. When a girl starts having similar experiences she grows close to her trying to uncover the route of them. As people are losing faith in God around the world the church pose a plot to gain back their faith, going to extreme lengths, sinister lengths.

The movie is solid, it focuses on telling a story in the horror genre with about 3 jumpscares and a major lean on visual horror scenes.

The acting is good, there also seems to be a good sense of dread in the entire movie as the characters are on edge the whole time. The settings are good and the music is good. The story is a little predictable as I caught on quite quick the "twist"

Overall an enjoyable time and I hope more of these come out as I like them not filled with Jumpscares as that gets so boring, 7.5/10.

The First Omen: A Slow-Burn Horror with Eerie Charm

[harishnj · 7/10 · 13 April 2024]

I found "The First Omen" a decent horror flick. It's definitely a slow burn, so be prepared for building suspense rather than constant jump scares. The chilling atmosphere, unsettling moments, and creepy background score really worked for me.

While the pace might be too slow for some, I appreciated the way the film gradually builds tension. It has genuine scares, fueled more by atmosphere than cheap tricks. If you enjoy a classic, atmospheric horror experience, you might like this one.

Don't go in expecting a fast-paced thrill ride. Instead, be prepared for a film that aims to unnerve you. It won't blow you away with originality, but for fans of old-school horror, "The First Omen" offers some solid chills.

A Gruesomely Entertaining Horror Flick That Resurrects "The Omen" Franchise

[SAMTHEBESTEST · 6/10 · 5 April 2024]

The First Omen (2024) : Movie Review -

The First Omen Review: The Omen franchise has never been the same since the first film, "The Omen" (1976). Back in time, anybody would have taken it as a great sequel to Roman Polanski's "Rosemary's Baby" (1968), but it came as a different film and a different franchise. Polanski's classic was about the "Birth of the Antichrist," and The Omen walked on the same lines, as we saw a couple adopting the "Baby Antichrist." Making a prequel to a cult classic flick after 6 decades is not easy and definitely not the same job. The filmmaking style of the 1970s, the use of camera and background score, movie codes, and graphical violence-everything has changed over the years, so you can't really continue using the same formula to do a service to the old classic. Also, you don't have a legendary actor like Gregory Peck to lead the show. He was, back then, one of the rare legendary actors to do a cult horror film after Boris Karloff (Frankenstein), Bela Lugosi (Dracula), Claude Rains (The Wolf Man), and Fredric Marc (Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde), but he didn't play the ghost/devil but a victim instead. That takes a lot of load away from The First Omen, as it comes with low expectations since all the previous films in the franchise (excluding the first one) have either been disappointing or mediocre. Surprisingly enough, this one goes wild, gruesome, and cruel enough to revive the franchise to some level, so this surprise should be welcomed by fans.

Set in 1971 in Rome, The First Omen takes you to the events before American diplomat Robert Thorn and his wife Kathy were given the baby Antichrist, aka Damien. Margaret Daino (Nell Tiger Free), an American girl, is sent to Rome to work at an orphanage before taking the veil. She meets a disturbed girl, Carlita Skianna (Nicole Sorace), who is seeing some visions that can't be true but are true. Margaret befriends her roommate, Luz Valez (Maria Caballero), who takes her to the bar to have some fun. That BC-time-old cliche of a girl and a boy meeting at the bar, having drinks, dancing, kissing, and going to bed takes the story forward, but for many smart viewers, the climax twist is over at that moment only. Carlita is suspected to be the girl who will give birth to the Antichrist, and Margaret wants to save her. With the help of Father Brennan (Ralph Ineson), she is off to find the mystery behind the evil number "666" and how it is connected to Carlita and other women who have suffered the same fate in the orphanage.

Being a prequel is difficult because the audience already knows the climax. The First Omen suffers from the same problem because we already know what the climax is. Damien is already with Kathy and Robert in "The Omen" (1976), so we know Margaret failed to stop them. This isn't a spoiler, but a basic guess anyone could easily know. Therefore, Ben Jacoby's story hasn't really anything to offer, but there is something in the screenplay for you. Tim Smith, Arkasha Stevenson, and Keith Thomas's screenwriting gives you a hell of a "HORROR" show. You might puke or feel sick sometimes while seeing this macabre series of visuals. It's disturbing, filthy, obscene, and somewhat vulgar too. Particularly for female audiences, who are generally more sensitive to such things, and I did witness some disgusting expressions in the cinema hall from them during my screening. The jump scares like The Nun, Annabelle, and The Conjuring are low, but the horrible and ridiculous visuals come in a higher quantity. Beware of them if you can't digest them. And if you love them, then get ready for a feast! Yumm or yuck, you decide. I leave that decision to you. One more decision should be left to audiences, and that is whether or not this film hurts the religious sentiments of "Christianity." A soon-to-be nun going to the bar, smoking cigarettes, discussing sexual desires from the past-I mean, I am not sure if they are allowed to do so. The experts can be better judges than me.

Nell Tiger Free wins you with her cuteness from the very first scene. After a while, the character and her expressions start boring you, as nothing compelling comes out of it. The climax, however, gives Nell to go free with some barbaric theories. Nell is fantastic in that pregnancy scene when she behaves like she is having an epilepsy attack. It gets on your nerves. That's only until you see the baby scene, which is even more thrilling. A mother can't just kill her own baby, even if it's the devil. Mia Farrow pushed the cradle in the iconic ending frame of Rosemary's Baby, leaving us shattered with her motherhood duties, and in the same way, we have Margaret's hand shaking here. Nicole Sorace has done well for the kind of weird character she got, while Luz Valez is a total babe! Ralph Ineson makes the father more relevant and believable than anyone else could have done. The supporting cast, including Sônia Braga, Bill Nighy, Tawfeek Barhom, and Charles Dance, looked quite decent.

As mentioned earlier, the filmmaking style has evolved to whole new proportions from the 1970s to 2024. Aaron Morton's camera uses ultra-close-up shots of the eyes, stomach, vagina, and many other things to make you feel the horrors, fear, and strangeness of the characters and the moments they are going through. The background score has been effective, and a special mention should go to the editing skills of Bob Murawski and Amy E. Duddleston for cutting the scenes in such manners that they turn out to be unbearably horrifying. Some frightening scenes don't go well, as they cause ridiculous laughs, which is a common case with today's horror movies. The First Omen misses out on psychological nuances that could have made it more intense and gripping. Nonetheless, The First Omen is too good to be a directorial debut for anyone. Arkasha Stevenson has done what many filmmakers couldn't do, which is to resurrect the old classic in a modern way. Of course, it is no match for the first OG flick by Richard Donner, but it's far better than the mediocrity others offered us on the goodwill of "The Omen." A few hiccups don't bother much, so this one deserves to be seen and experienced on the big screen. Go to the nearest cinema hall for a night/late-night show as gruesome entertainment awaits you.

RATING - 6/10*

Huge surprise

[masonsaul · 8/10 · 11 April 2024]

The First Omen is literally the Rogue One of horror movies. Late stage horror prequels are usually cheap cash grabs which is what makes this one such a pleasant surprise. It's clearly crafted with vision and artistry as it operates within an established franchise whilst being so much nastier than mainstream horror usually gets to be.

Nell Tiger Free is phenomenal, as the film progresses it demands more and she is always able to provide it. A late stage sequence has her going to a very visceral place and it leaves you speechless. Ralph Ineson gives Father Brennan a lot more humanity than he originally had and is great at establishing the stakes.

Arkasha Stevenson makes such a confident debut, skillfully choosing to harken back to the original not just with callbacks and musical cues but by imbuing this film with the same rich texture and slow burning pace of 70s cinema. She also crafts an atmosphere so potent that the few jump scares really land and the horrific imagery won't be forgotten anytime soon.

Nuns aplenty

[andrewpetrouap · 7/10 · 4 April 2024]

Following on the heels of the film "Immaculate" about nuns giving birth to the satanic in a Catholic cult, comes the First Omen about nuns giving birth to the satanic in a Catholic cult!

However the latter is a far better production that relies less on jump scares and more on slow burn horror. Warnings of "viscera" were overrated as it only graphically appeared once. There was instead a clever analysis of the natural horror of the ordeal of childbirth.

The treatment of the Catholic Church was also more balanced as it clarified that most Catholics were spiritual people, and not satanic cultists.

There was even a hidden message that sin, even one night out, was not good for nuns!

Anomalies existed. Why Satan didn't like fire for example was inconsistent with the entire history of Catholicism. Also the ending was very contrived to ensure a sequel could be resurrected if needed.

The setting was an orphanage for girls run by nuns so there was an interesting archetypal ambience about motherhood, which worked very well for the film. Every version of the feminine was on hand with a cunning foxy Cardinal Bill Nighy in the henhouse, so to speak.

It was this strange analysis of everything female, and I mean everything, that was exceptional.

Finally a worthy prequel!

[Roobin3358 · 8/10 · 6 April 2024]

Kudos to the filmmakers for having the guts to do a straight up prequel to such a classic horror film. Rather than another re-boot, the events in The First Omen take place directly before the classic film.

The film is delightfully creepy and weird, including a sequence that legitimately gave me goosebumps. Fantastic cinematography and atmosphere actually makes the film feel like it could've come out in 1971.

Not only does it give context to the original but also answered some lingering questions I had after watching the original. A prequel that is not only worthy, but actually feels necessary.

ONE OF THE BEST HORROR PREQUELS.

[andrewchristianjr · 7/10 · 4 April 2024]

Easily one of the best horror prequels. The original Omen is an all time classic, and this is a great follow up. The film revels in mashing up genres: body horror and gothic church horror. Well paced with a good cinematic moment.

Synopsis: 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.

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's Mother was a Jackal....

[neil-268-805771 · 1/10 · 6 April 2024]

Maybe when doing a prequel watch the original Omen first....

Brennan the little priest ("The little Priest, is he dead yet") witnessed the birth, but here he is 6 foot priest who is made to be a good guy and not the cancer ridden apostle of Satan in the original

Its mother was a Jackal is his great line and Thorn uncovers the graves and we see the Jackal skeleton for the mother of Damian.

Not in this movie he is conceived by a woman and not a jackal so loses the entire premise of the original omen.

Cheap screenwriting and money grab trying to appeal to an audience that has never seen the original omen.

Came out of nowhere!

[Luispei0015 · 8/10 · 5 April 2024]

This movie came out of nowhere (at least for me).

It has really good acting, excellent soundtrack and awesome scenes/images. CGI could have been better but it really doesn't affect the movie.

I recently watched the trailer when I went to see Kong and Godzilla and thought it was really interesting and intriguing. I was hoping it wasnt going to be a 4.5 rating on IMDd and I'm glad to say this movie should no go below 6.0 raiting.

Now days when it comes to "horror" we are so used to movies like the nun 2, the conjuring 3, Insidious 5, movies that have no substance or story telling.

If you have the option to go to your movie theater and watch then Watch it! Jaja.

Best Omen movie since the first, original movie from 1976.

[movieman6-413-929510 · 6/10 · 7 April 2024]

The First Omen is a prequel to the first Omen film from 1976. This prequel is directed by Arkasha Stevenson. This is her film directorial debut, before which she has only directed episodes of various TV series.

The young American Margaret (Neil Tiger Free) has been sent to Italy to live in the service of the church. During her time at the church, she learns about hidden, dark actions at the church as they seek to bring the Antichrist to life.

With this prequel they respond well to the original Omen film from 1976. This original film has already had sequels, spin-offs and a remake. All these films after the original Omen often did not work very successfully, but this new prequel seems to change that after years. With this prequel they respond well to the story that happened before the original film. They know how to create a good, exciting, but also equal atmosphere with this new Omen film. The only disadvantage of the fact that the film responds so well to the original Omen film is that it can make this prequel a bit predictable at times. As a connoisseur of the classic Omen film, you can anticipate this prequel.

In addition to the predictable aspects that the film can have for connoisseurs, the film also has an incorrect outcome date. This film is very similar to the horror film Immaculate, which was released in cinemas a week earlier. Due to the similar horror stories, it can feel a bit repetitive when you see these two films in two weeks in a row.

With horror aspects, with this film they do not play much on horror clichés such as lame jump scares, but manage to create a more religious horror atmosphere around the birth of the Antichrist. This is not a sadistic body horror film, but focuses more on the aspects involved in birth. They seem to have used so many real effects for this, which also made some more of the cast members ragged.

Nell Tiger Free also carries this film as the lead, who learns about dark secrets in her church. Together with the other cast members, she and the rest play the characters well and appropriately enough, making it seem like they are also from the 1976 film.

An insult to the creators of the original

[Zed-Runner · 1/10 · 6 April 2024]

Commits every crime a prequel could possibly commit. Steals scenes and exact camera shots from the original while simultaneously contradicting major plot points. They want you to remember the nanny who hung herself and the priest who got impaled, among other scenes, but want you to forget Damian was birthed by a jackal. This was expressly stated several times throughout the original trilogy, most notably by Father Brennan in The Omen and again by Damian himself in The Final Conflict. And we see the corpse of the jackal buried with Thorn's real son. But no no, this movie couldn't happen if that were the case, so they change it completely and, I kid you not, the jackal was Damian's father. Seriously, I'm not joking. Oh, and the fire mentioned in the original happens here because of course it does and the jackal burns in the fire, making the scene in the cemetery in The Omen make no sense. Speaking of making no sense, the central conflict of the film is not a satanic cult secretly operating within the catholic church, but the catholic church itself trying to bring about the birth of the antichrist to make people afraid again and boost church membership. I did not exaggerate this plot point for effect. That's literally their motive. It's absurd beyond belief. Combine all this with a ham fisted metaphor for women's reproductive rights and what you get is a terrible movie that spits in the face of everyone involved in the original trilogy.

Gimme more!

[ubasarsahin · 7/10 · 18 April 2024]

Just like everyone else I gotta say this was way better than I expected. I love the OG, not like the rest, never thought we needed a new movie in the franchise yet I ended up enjoying my time so much.

First off, it was a lovely made movie. The score, the makeup, especially set design were all amazing. Lead did a perfect job portraying the character as well. It was amazing how much effort was put on this movie.

Definitely a rewatchable and enjoyable piece of art. I love it when new horror releases are this good!

One specific scene made jump off my seat lol I loved it!

Also, certainly a must own on blu-ray!

7.5 good horror

[anthonyfleming-15917 · 7/10 · 25 April 2024]

This is a very decent horror movie; I loved the cinematography the different shots it showed the world of it beautifully. The main point that I loved about this movie that it didn't count on cheap jumpscare , but the jump scares it uses weren't preparing you for them so it's not predictable. The movies uses more stomach turning scenes which really sticks to your head. And the acting that stood out to me was the main one played by Nell tiger free who was great in her role and also father Brennan who was played by Ralph Ineson.

The only fault I had with the movie was the end which was a bit underwhelming but apart from that it was overall a decent 7.5 movie.

The Antichrist Arrives!

[Pairic · 8/10 · 4 April 2024]

The First Omen: Though similar in plot to Immaculate at a superficial level, this film sticks to the supernatural in the attempts to create the Antichrist. In the prologue an aged Father Harris (Charles Dance) is tracked down by Father Brennan (Ralph Ineson), Harris relates a garbled tale about a baby created through a woman mating with the Devil. The progeny is destined to be the mother of the Antichrist. Shortly afterwards Father Harris is showered by stained glass and a piece of scaffolding takes a chunk out of his head, obviously just happenstance. Rome, 1971, Margaret (Nell Tiger Free) arrives from the US to take her vows at a school/orphanage, herself an orphan, she was raised by the Roman Catholic Church. She is met by Cardinal Lawrence (Bill Nighy) who a decade before had counselled her when she was having troubles. They travel to the Convent to the background of Trade Union and Student protests; the Cardinal reflects on how the RCC is also losing the support of young people. These disturbances continue in the background over the radio until Margaret is caught up in a riot during a pivotal scene,

The Convent seems to be a happy place, the children are treated well, they have parties, nuns bounce on trampolines, even the elder sisters smoke and crack jokes. However Margaret finds that one child Carlita (Nicole Sorace) is often kept in a room, tied to a bed even. Carlita acts up, is violent, draws strange pictures, Margaret realises that Carlita is acting like she did years ago, so she bonds with her. Similar to Immaculate there is a naughty novitiate, Luz (Maria Caballero) she browbeats Carlita into going dancing and drinking, after all one must live before leaving secular life. Things take an odd turn at the orphanage, Carlita has terrifying visions, a strange young nun, Angelica connects with both Margarey and Carlita. Father Brennan reappears and tries to convince Margaret that a conspiracy is at play to create the Antichrist. The plot now takes an interesting turn which it would be a spoiler to reveal.

The First Omen is a largely satisfying film in its own right and promises to take the franchise off at an angle to the previous films. There are scenes of graphic horror, not least in the birth scenes where elements of body horror are introduced along with Margaret's visions of the risen dead. Some good jump scares but the pacing of the film takes away from the effect of a couple of these. A tightening up of the convent scenes with additional exposition of Margaret's backstory might have improved the flow of the narrative. Nell Tiger Free's part demands a lot and she is equal to it as her character develops. Maria Caballero is wonderful in her nunsploitation role in the nightclub scenes and in her dress sense, this sequence and her later taking of vows introduces a touch of Dario Argento. Nicole Sorace gives a fine performance as the disturbed and conflicted young girl.. Bill Nighy gives further support as the enigmatic and pragmatic Cardinal. Of course The First Omen introduces a few characters who featured in the 1976 film The Omen and even pays homage to several of its gory death scenes (improving on at least one of those). Directed by Arkasha Stevenson, who co-wrote the screenplay with Tim Smith and Keith Thomas from a story by Ben Jacoby. 8/10.

Mostly good prequel of a classic 70s film

[FilmMining101 · 7/10 · 17 April 2024]

Reviewed by Filmmining 101:

"The Omen" in 1976 captured perfectly the satanic paranoia zeitgeist of the US in one fell scoop. But like any great script, it quickly became a so-so movie series which by 2006 had only to offer an inevitable and failed remake due to its banal execution and copy pasting the source material.

Eighteen years later, director and co-writer Arkasha Stevenson's first feature film "The First Omen" takes unexpectedly the prequel approach leading to an uphill battle involving critics, audiences and the original's fans. With the outcome of the supernatural horror story already known, Stevenson and the writing duo of Tim Smith and Keith Thomas have to make our pre-Damian trip to Rome worthwhile and not just focusing on sightseeing. Their demonic path is mostly well laid out featuring somewhat 2-D characters even if they really run in the middle of every single hell-ish cliche you can think of; shadowy figures, abandoned rooms, dodgy nuns, whispers, otherworldly visions and theocratic conspiracies all converge towards the anticipated finale that will pave the way for "The Omen".

Clearly a product of its time (i.e., post #MeToo era), there are some heavy handed themes of emancipation, anti-patriarchy and on the nose metaphors for abortion which will either make or break the film. Considering it takes place in 1971, this presentism view of Rome (complete with a diverse background cast (!) especially at a disco bar) occasionally does not make sense as way too modern ideas and dialogue are inserted towards a time and a place where Catholicism is as important to Italians as it is water to a person crossing a desert. As we head towards the appropriately fiery finale, "The First Omen" has to bow down to boring genre rules although its key message that touches sequel bait territory about (spoiler alert) preferring to give the middle finger to the Antichrist because he is a male is baffling considering we will have an upcoming apocalypse.

Bypassing these conflicting notions, Arkasha does a remarkable job at recreating the supernatural horror 70s aesthetic just like James Wan did in "The Conjuring" (2013) showcasing Rome as a very unfriendly place indeed while simultaneously paying witty homage to Richard Donner's work from the original. Taking cues from every successful horror flick of the last ten years, "The First Omen" emphasizes atmosphere and interestingly, it does not shy away from shocking body horror images that push its R-rating to the max. The marvelous architecture and befittingly Christianity inspired production design add extra dread to already ominous proceedings and despite some predictable jump scares (how many times a ghost nun can be effective these days?) and a few unintentional laughs due to the main lead's line delivery, its outstandingly eerie music (candidate for best soundtrack of the year) combined with superb cinematography gives the film an unexpected panache.

The random word generator named Nell Tiger Free (Myrcella from "Game of Thrones" (2011-2019)) has an ok presence even if the dialogue's quality turns her down several times. She is doing better in the numerous boo shenanigans than in cases requiring more emotional depth; Alyssa Sutherland (e.g., "Evil Dead Rise" (2023)) or Jane Levy (e.g., "Evil Dead" (2013)) she ain't. The supporting cast though manages to solidify the protagonist sharing good dynamics in their small but effective roles. Sonia Braga (e.g., "Kiss of the Spiderwoman" (1985)) is unrecognizable (veil and all) as the iron-fist ruling head nun, Billy Nighy ... is Billy Nighy and (the stunning) Maria Caballero as Luz a solid contrast against Free's reclusive soon to be a woman of god although all three (and subsequently the movie) would have benefitted from more of their on-screen presence.

"The First Omen" strays from the horror prequel, reboot, requel and remake pack that sees the destruction of the original's legacy due a lack of creativity. This tale of satanic expansion might take away (as they always do) the mystery of a compelling story but at least, it executes it (mostly) with gusto and attempts to introduce some engrossing and original elements through an audio and visual panache which films of similar context sorely lack. It might be eventually trapped under an established mythology and become preoccupied to tick check boxes towards the end but one thing is for sure: Arkasha Stevenson has a bright future indeed.

"The First Omen" is a formidable film, the best horror film of the year so far.

[jp_91 · 10/10 · 4 April 2024]

"The First Omen" is a film that can only be described positively, from wonderful, incredible, great, but the most accurate and correct is that the film is a masterpiece. The script is a prequel that tells us the story of Damien Thorn's birth, and it does so in an effective and gloomy way, at times it seems predictable but soon there are wonderfully designed twists, as well as including tribute scenes to the first film from 1976. The director Arkasha Stevenson's work is first class, she tells this story in a slow way that is full of emotions, together with the editing work, the film gives a result of art cinema, with the vein of current classics such as "The VVitch" (2015), "Heriditary" (2018) or "Suspiria" (2018) to name a few. The art direction and filming locations were carefully chosen, resulting in a visual delight that the cinematography manages to exalt in each scene. The costume design transports you to the beginning of the '70s, although sometimes it falls into anachronisms such as extras who wear costumes that belong to the mid- and late '70s and not the beginning of these, there is even disco music that in 1971 had not yet been played, an example is the classic "Daddy Cool" by Boney M. The soundtrack by Mark Korven is an auditory delight and evokes the soundtrack he made for "The VVitch" in 2015. The effects are well done, it is appreciated to be able to see old school special effects, with the exception of a couple of scenes that use digital effects but decent and moderately. The makeup effects are realistic and gloomy. The film, being a co-production between the United States, the United Kingdom, Italy, Canada and Serbia, provides elements that are reminiscent of Italian cinema from the '70s, in addition to paying tribute to classics such as "Rosemary's Baby" (1968), "Suspiria" (1977), "Possession" (1981) and remembering the atmosphere that "The Omen" trilogy gave a gift in its time. "The First Omen" is a formidable film, the best horror film of the year so far.

This movie was had lots of great moments. And some other moments too...

[liberty-rebel-smalls69 · 6/10 · 5 April 2024]

First off.. The movie was not horrible. It had its moments where my jaw was dropped. And mind you it is a 2-hour long movie. So those moments felt heavy. One particular scene really um.. well yeah let's just say this movie didn't bare as much teeth as it did idle hands compare to others(if you see there movie, pun intended)

Nell Tiger Free was marvelous in many moments, however I feel as thought she sometimes missed the Q. But there were moments I could not take my eye off of her. In fact, please if they ever remake Possession (1981), please cast her.

However, as much as I love these movies separately, they do not belong in the same movie(toward the end, it felt like I was more so watching Possession rather then anything related to The Omen)

Ishtar Currie Wilson!!!!!! I NEED TO SEE YOU IN MORE HOROR IMMEDIATELY. YOU WERE CRAZY AND LOVED EVERY SECOND OF IT!!!! WHICH IS WHY I WANTED MORE OF ANGELICAS STORY!

I don't know if I could tell if I enjoyed the movies without subtitles or not? I feel like it was intentional to make the movie feel as though we were in her shoes in a way, since she didn't speak Latin. It did give an eerie vibe since it was Latin and I believe only one scene was subtitled. But mixed feeling for me. I feel it would have worked better for a movie like a remake, of Possession. Sorry!

As I said it has its moments. Visual effects were outrageously delightful and that it itself is worth giving it a go. I waited to watch Immaculate so I didn't get too Nunned out. Highly recommend watching this prior before comparing the two, as im sure they are both good in their own ways. This one definitely hits different, but could have had better acting, shorter run time and support.

Also, it really did not ever need to be a whole two hours long. It could have been a simple 1.30-1.45.

It's all for you.....

[FlashCallahan · 5/10 · 5 April 2024]

A young American woman is sent to Rome to begin a life of service to the church.

After a while, she encounters a darkness that causes her to question her faith and uncovers a terrifying conspiracy that hopes to bring about the birth of evil incarnate......

This had all the makings of a being a potentially really good film. It has a legacy, the franchise isn't too bad, all five previous films have some sort of unique element to them, yes, even the remake and that weird fourth one that nobody saw. The trailer looked good, even though it had elements of the first Donner film.

And it starts amazingly. We have special guest star Charles Dance in the pre credits scene, giving us a little exposition and letting us know what we are in store for, and it's just a chefs kiss of the horror genre.

Then the film starts proper, and we meet Margaret, who is brilliantly played by free, and we follow her to Rome, where she meets with other special guest star Bill Nighy, and she meets her roommate. At the covenant, she meets a strange girl, who is drawing ugly pictures. She's sinister because she is pale.

Her and her roommate go clubbing, ad then the film just falls flat, and the film never recovers from the wonderful opening.

Jump scares are cheap, there is a twist that you can see coming from a mile off, and it just becomes a chore to watch.

The cast are great, and although there is an air of tension throughout the film, you know that some of the characters will be safe, after all, this is a precursor to the Donner film, and this also really affects the films narrative.

The film picks up in the last five minutes, but only because it references the first film, and it makes you want to watch something that is better than this.

The thing is, this will make a lot of money, it's part of a franchise where the first film is something else, but people will see right through this, and wil leave the film disappointed.

Absolutely brilliant

[samzawadi · 9/10 · 4 April 2024]

The opening scene captured the eeriness of the originals. Yet this is a masterful film in its own right. Brilliantly executed by cast and crew, the editing is fantastic as are the performances. Nell Tiger Free has a scene reminiscent of Isabelle Adjani's subway scene in Possession (1981). She does a good job as lead, though I can see some of her work in Servant (2019) seep into her character here, so she still has some way to go as an actor-artist. Nonetheless she carries the film well and creates a believable performance.

The story is well crafted and the pace is good, I didn't once look at my watch for the duration of the film. In fact I wanted it to go on for longer.

It's rare these days to have such an enjoyable experience with horror at a cinema. Highly recommended and I hope to see a sequel to this.

Not quite immaculate, but really solid NUNtheless

[Pjtaylor-96-138044 · 7/10 · 8 April 2024]

'The First Omen (2024)' is surprisingly good for a prequel to a horror classic. It's also remarkably similar to 'Immaculate (2024)', to the point that one would seem to have ripped off the other if it had been released significantly later (the tiny gap between the two films' release dates indicates a case of parallel thinking, rather than plagiarism). Its most valuable asset is its direction, which makes use of assured cinematography and measured pacing to deliver some really well-achieved sequences that are typically as unsettling as they are atmospheric. The picture is often dripping with dread, evoking this intangible sense that what you're seeing is actually evil. With an unrelentingly ominous soundtrack, some really confronting imagery and the overall texture - both aesthetic and narrative - of something straight out of the seventies, the film carves its own unholy mark on the genre and is often really compelling (even during its more obviously silly moments). Its pacing does wane slightly in its second act, and its central mystery - or, at least, where it's heading - is unfortunately really obvious if you've seen 'The Omen (1976)' (or even read the tagline). I guessed the movie's major twist within the first few moments, for instance, and being ahead of the narrative doesn't do the experience any favours considering its enigma is pretty much its main driving force. Even if you aren't able to see the reveal coming, the film's main problem still has a strong impact. The issue is that it has to tie in to the original, which severely diminishes the potential - and power - of its third act. The finale just feels incredibly boxed in, and it doesn't help that the flick isn't content to just strongly imply. Instead, it feels the need to spell out, with a rushed epilogue that ends on a namedrop that's intended to carry weight but actually just feels weird. It's not as if the rest of the movie is exactly subtle, but the climax feels like a total sledgehammer in the worst possible way (not in terms of its in-universe implications, but its meta ones). It's bending to the studio's idea of what it needs to be, rather than what it it's been naturally building towards. However, this obviously top-level interference isn't enough to significantly reduce the overall effectiveness of the affair. It's still a really accomplished in-the-moment experience, despite its legitimate narrative issues. The direction really is rock-solid, as are most of the performances, and there's a palpable sense of foreboding throughout. A lot of the set-pieces are rather unsettling, too. It's ultimately a strong effort that suffers most from being part of a wider franchise, yet is also far better than you may expect an entry in said franchise to be. If its third act was a little better, it could have been great. As it is, it's still really good.

So bad I'm mad at it

[twogreysmom · 2/10 · 6 April 2024]

Went to the theater today and was expecting a good creepy ick. Well not this time, sister. The first half was trying to build up a story by switching from obvious foreshadowing and bits of history. The history went nowhere and the foreshadowing didn't either. Ok so the second half was just a monkey throwing poo at a script. Really, it's as if the writers were brainstorming scenes for the movie and then said well let's just film some of those and stick them in the movie...nobody will notice there's no story or reason for them to be happening. This was the biggest pile of empty movie carcasses to hit the screen since Cats. Rotted.

Nice film but I was expecting more

[pedroquintaoo · 6/10 · 10 April 2024]

"The First Omen" presents itself as a technically well-produced film, with a decent budget evident in its sets and successfully recreated atmosphere of the 1970s, providing a visually appealing experience. The soundtrack and sound effects also stand out, using characteristic sounds of the era to build the temporal setting of the work. The performances of the actors, especially Nell Tiger Free and Nicole Sorace, are convincing. Despite the plot about the Antichrist and diabolical pregnancy not bringing anything new to the horror genre, the film manages to entertain the viewer solidly and competently.

However, I found it difficult to fully engage with the narrative, unlike what happened with the film "Immaculate." And although "The First Omen" is competent, it doesn't stand out enough to distinguish itself from other works in the horror genre.

SPOILERS The explanation that the church is creating the Antichrist and the revelation that the protagonist is the daughter of the devil are aspects that do not fit cohesively into the plot, resulting in a confusing explanation that hampers the narrative development. Additionally, the revelation of the protagonist's origin ends up being predictable due to the clues left throughout the film, reducing the emotional impact of the revelation. For example: the lack of contextualization about the protagonist's past and the evident clues of her demonic origins contribute to a less impactful revelation.

Meh!

[MrDeltoid77 · 6/10 · 7 April 2024]

Not a bad film. Just didn't live up to expectations. Really a shame. The trailers were very provocative. Bill Nighy and Charles Dance? Great casting. But...

THE GOOD: Beautiful cinematography and art direction. Really created an atmosphere that drew you into this world and time period.

Acting was very good across the board. Sonia Braga was particularly creepy and decrepit as Sister Silva.

The concept of the "two churches" and the reason for the birth of the anti-christ was intriguing and I think, original.

I liked the call back to the original film and Gregory Peck's character.

THE NOT SO GOOD: Started strong, but dragged a bit in places.

The only real scares in the film were jump scares. Yes, I jumped. But I never got an overall sense of dread that permeated the original.

While the twist of the story was a surprise, most of the rest of the film was easy to predict.

A lot of women screaming. It frankly got irritating after a while.

The gross factor was up there... but I've been around a long time... nothing really shocks me anymore.

The ending dénouement was totally unnecessary and frankly not in keeping with the canon of the original movie. It was there to obviously set up a sequel. But it also turned the heroine into an action hero... completely negating her role in the greater plan of the evil church.

Without giving away too much, they should have stuck to canon.

THE BAD: Not enough Charles Dance!!!

Overall, if you like Horror with Demons and Devils, it is a fun watch.