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THE FIRST OMEN
3 stars
Walt Disney. Blu ray and DVD 5th August
THE FIRST OMEN, as you surely must have guessed by the title, is a late in the day prequel to the classic 1976 THE OMEN. It is rather hamstrung by the need to service this connection, plus it was unlucky enough to be released in cinemas around the same time as the similar, and superior Sydney Sweeney starrer IMMACULATE.
It is 1971 – Margaret (Nell Tiger Free), is a young, shy American who has come to Rome to help out at an orphanage – with only girls – which is run by nuns for the church, as she prepares to take the veil and become a sister herself.
She soon begins to realise all is not well within these walls and she becomes protective of a younger girl Carlitta (Nicole Sorrace), as she reminds her of when she was that age and the mental health and other issues she had.
But this is a horror movie so things start to go awry…
This is a slow burn movie which does eventually pick up in its final third. The opening scenes are especially tense – cleverly teasing a repeat of the infamous glass beheading from the original. This is the first of other incidents that echo back to the first film. This does add to the fun if you are a fan though and it is stylishly presented by director Arkasha Stevenson.
However, the big twist, such that it is, is pretty much obvious from the start and some of the things that happen struck me as odd or even stupid – which I can’t really point out here as they are spoilers. The jump scares are telegraphed way before they happen, thereby lessening their effectiveness.
I will say that it was a bit odd that when one of the other nuns was seen to be taking her vows she had full make-up on. And what was the jackal creature near the end? It’s also a shame they didn’t or couldn’t use Jerry Goldsmith’s music. And why oh why can’t they get CGI fire to be convincing.
Bill Nighy pops up as a priest – and as usual he basically plays Bill Nighy. The biggest asset here is Nell Tiger Free who is excellent.
Overall this was an okay if not outstanding horror which wasn’t a patch on the original. It does leave some loose ends which presumably could be picked up if this was successful though not sure how they would fit into the overall timeline.
EXTRAS
2 stars – all a bit cursory
The Director’s Vision (4 mins): a short overview with director Arkasha Stevenson saying she is a big horror fan. Includes Bill Nighy, Nell Tiger Free, Maria Caballero, Producer Keith Levine and Sonia Braga.
The Mystery of Margaret (5 mins): Talking about the main character with contributions from Nell Tiger Free, Director Stevenson, Bill Nighy and Maria Caballero
Signs of The First Omen (8 mins): Stevenson and Levine. Shooting in Rome; Eve Stewart, Production Designer and her research for locations and sets; Paco Delgado, Costume Designer; Adrien Morot make up effects designer and creating practical fx.
Steve Kirkham
