Explain this… why would Hollywood release two different movies with the same theme and almost the same setup not even a month apart? This is the case with Immaculate, released March 22nd, and The First Omen, released April 5th through 20th Century Studios. Both films deal with a young nun going to a new convent in Italy to find out things are not what they seem. The difference lies in that The First Omen is supposed to serve as a prequel to the Horror classic, 1976’s The Omen. As promised it does, at least in the Omen-verse, but that is where it ends.
The First Omen’s plot follows a young American woman who is sent to Rome to begin a life of service to the church. She encounters darkness that causes her to question her own faith and uncovers a terrifying conspiracy that hopes to bring about the birth of evil incarnate.
Directed by Arkasha Stevenson, in her feature debut, from a script by Ben Jacoby (Bleed 2016, Borderland 2017) based on characters created by David Seltzer (The Omen 1976, Prophecy 1979), it has provoked a bit of a mixed reaction. Released to digital platforms on May 28th, and available for streaming on Hulu two days later, with the Blu-ray and DVD arriving on July 30th, there have been plenty of chances for people to check it out. Starring Nell Tiger Free (Servant series, Wonderwell 2023) as Margaret, Ralph Ineson (From Hell 2001, Nosferatu 2024) as Father Brennan, Sônia Braga (Dona Flor and Her Two Husbands 1976, Shotgun Wedding 2022) as Sister Silva, Tawfeek Barhom (A Borrowed Identity 2014, Boy from Heaven 2022) as Father Gabriel, Maria Caballero (Amar 2017, Olvido 2023) as Luz, Charles Dance (Alien 3 1992, Game of Thrones series) as Father Harris, Bill Nighy (Eye of the Needle 1981, Underworld 2003) as Cardinal Lawrence, there is also Rachel Hurd-Wood (Peter Pan 2003, For Love or Money 2019) as Katherine Thorn; the wife of Robert Thorn and the adoptive mother of Damien (who was originally played by Lee Remick.).
After a cold opening, you are dropped in on a confessional between Fathers Brennan and Harris. Harris does not make it out alive, and we are off. It is here our first red flags pop up. As mentioned, The First Omen is supposed to be a prequel set five years before 1976’s The Omen… so that would leave it in 1971. Fair enough, the issue is The First Omen looks like it was made in 2024. It might be being a stickler, but dare we say they should have toned down the 4K, and made the film look older and grainier. After all, an authentic look goes a long way.
Furthermore, today’s sensibilities in Horror do not fly in a movie that is supposed to be set fifty-three years ago since it feels like today’s Horror go-to is gore, and the more, the better. Sure, the ’70s produced some pretty gnarly movies, and to some extent, there is some Body Horror in The First Omen, but outside of that, the gore is unwarranted for the continuity to segway to 1976’s The Omen that little blood was involved, because it relied more on Psychological Horror.
The First Omen was shot in Rome on soundstages at Lumina Studios. In addition to the studio, Villa Parisi (which is also where Immaculate was filmed). was used along with a farm in Procoio to serve as the orphanage. This is as opposed to Hollywood backlots serving as a faux Rome.
Although the plot is something you have already seen with a few tweaks, especially if you saw Immaculate, it is absolutely genius to have the devil born in the church to a green nun. There is a perverse itch to see how the plot plays out. Of course, the plot means nothing if the cast cannot sell the goings-on. With this in mind, The First Omen cast deliveries; being Italian actors and actresses. Since she is the driving force, Nell Tiger Free imbues Margaret with a greenness that turns to incredulity when she sees how lax the convent is about anything when in their social groups, and horror when she realizes what’s going on behind closed doors. Then, a two-way cat and mouse ensues. Margaret with Fathers Gabriel and Brennan tries to find out what’s being done and said in hushed voices while Cardinal Lawrence and his minions work to thwart Margaret’s little band.
The First Omen faired decently, but again, critics were much more forgiving than audiences; who are typically just looking for the scariest, now goriest thing they can get their hands on. Either critics are getting less discerning, or vice versa with audiences getting more discerning with prequels that allegedly set before the forty-eight-year-old original. Ultimately, The First Omen serves its purpose, and Cryptic Rock gives it 3 out of 5 stars.
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