The Omen
Summary
The Omenfranchise is one of horror ’s most iconic , and is still melt down decades on from its 1976 debut . Before the likes of Michael Myers or Freddy Krueger stole his calcium light , The Omen’sAntichrist villain Damien Thornwas one of the writing style ’s first icons . The original movie ’s accent on gory last was also a harbinger to the slasher craze of the 1980s , even ifThe Omensaga is a ( moderately ) classier affair . reasonably much every decade since the 1970s has seen a new entrance in the property too , be it on the crowing or modest screen .
2024’sThe First Omenis set in 1971and is both a prequelandsoft reboot that details the day leading up to Damien ’s birth . Time will say if the unexampled entering leads to further sequels , butThe First Omen’stwist endingand reviews suggest its future is burnished . Like any long - running dealership , The Omenhas had its portion of ups and downs critically and commercially . One thing they could never be accuse of being is dull , with each instalment offering some guilty pleasance thrills at the very least .
Title
Rotten Tomatoes Critics ' musical score
Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score
The Omen(1976 )
Custom image by Yeider Chacon
85 %
81 %
Damien : Omen II(1978 )
48 %
49 %
Omen III : The last Conflict(1981 )
29 %
33 %
Omen IV : The Awakening(1991 )
The First Omen is a horror film from director Arkasha Stevenson that acts as a prequel to the 1976 film The Omen. The film follows a young woman who goes to Rome to become a nun but begins to question her faith after encountering a terrifying darkness that aims to spawn an evil incarnate.
17 %
23 %
The Omen(2006 )
26 %
40 %
The First Omen(2024 )
78 %
67 %
Omen 4: The Awakening (1991)
The only Omen sequel not to feature an appearance by Damien
Omen 4 : The Awakeninghas a long , proud tradition of appearing at the bottom ofanyThe Omenmovie franchiseranking , and with good intellect . This 1991 entry originally aired as a TV movie in the U.S. before receiving a theatrical release in sure territories . The narration sees a couple adopt a tike key out Delia , who is afterwards let on to be the daughter of the previous Damien Thorn .
Being a low - budget TV movie produced for FOX , The Omen 4’sproduction values are noticeably low , the acting is largely poor - away from lead Faye Grant and Michael Lerner - while the kills are tamed to conciliate broadcast standard . To the sequel ’s credit , it embraces the campiness of the idea more so than the other ledger entry and is taking its evil child cues fromHome Alone . The Awakeningdepicts Delia as more of a troublemaking brat than the Devil ’s spawn , but whileThe Omen 4is a very skippable field day , it still has little sprinkles of fun .
The First Omen pit the comeback of the horror franchise . Here is whether there is a post - credits scene teasing The Omen franchise ’s future ( and past ) .
Omen 3: The Final Conflict (1981)
The end of The Omen trilogy was an early star vehicle for Sam Neill
With the first twoOmenmovies detail Damien ’s prison term as a boy and a teenager , there was only one logical place for the final chapter to go . The third film was originally released asThe Final Conflict(later re - releases addedOmen 3 ) andthe story call for the grownup Damien ( Sam Neill ) try on to stop the 2nd sexual climax of Jesus Christ . Meanwhile , a group of monks plot of ground to kill the Antichrist before he can bring about the apocalypse .
The Final Conflictbarely feels like a horror picture , and it lacks the bravura death sequences that defined the otherOmenmovies .
Omen 3is a profoundly strange flick and one that has a hard time deciding what it wants to be , in terminus of genre or tone . The threequel has too many storyline die hard , from Damien ’s romantic subplot with a British journalist to his patriotic assistant peradventure being the Father of the Church of the 2d orgasm of Christ . The Final Conflictbarely feels like a repugnance movie , and it miss the bravura destruction sequence that defined the otherOmenmovies .
More than anything , the side game involving Damien ’s disciple murder babies who might be Christ ’s 2nd approaching do the subsequence unnecessarily mean value - spirited . One key saving grace of God ofThe Omen 3is Neill ’s operation , who is by bit magical and hammy as the older Damien . Neill gets some chewy monologues about the nature of in force and evil and just adds a touch sensation of course to the whole affair . Sadly , it is n’t enough to stopThe Final Conflictfeeling like a big anti - climax .
Sam Neill and hisOmen 3co - star Lisa Harrow entered into a romantic human relationship during the flick ’s production and have one son together .
The Omen (2006)
The Omen remake was part of a 2000s horror cycle
The 2000s see a wafture of horror classics being remade , fromThe Texas Chainsaw Massacreto Rob Zombie’sHalloween . The best of these efforts attempted to do something different , but unfortunately,2006’sThe Omenremake obtain a lot wrongand just copies the original ’s homework . This John Moore - direct crusade has a lot going in its favor ; the motion-picture photography is rich and atmospheric and every time the threshold opens , great doer like Mia Farrow , Pete Postlethwaite or Michael Gambon take the air in .
The Omenremake was step on it into production for an avowedly gross release date : 06/06/06 .
cast those elements to one side , there is something achingly empty about the 2006 version . Those who ’ve seen the original know on the button how the story will act out , since this reimagining sticks slavishly to the reference fabric . The deaths might be gorier but this does n’t make them scarier , andThe Omenremake ’s tempo is oddly slackdespite sticking so close to the 1976 movie . It ’s not quite on the point ofPsychowhen it come to remaking a classic shot for shot , but the 2006Omenoffers perfectly nothing raw .
Damien - Omen 2 (1978)
The second Omen features the most sympathetic Damien
Cast
The first follow - upDamien - Omen 2is a well - made , if slightly slow - pace sequel . It focus on a now teenage Damien ( Jonathan Scott - Taylor ) , who hold up with his auntie and uncle and give ear a military honorary society . Damiensuffers a common sequel issue from this geological era , in that it endeavor to repeat the structure of the first filmwhile adding little touch of its own . Two elements work in the follow - up ’s favor though ; it genuinely develops Damien as a fibre , while offer some fucking , Final Destinaton - inspired setpieces .
The Omen 2 also benefits from Damien having to fall to term with his fate , as he only learns of his ancestry around the midway point . The sequel give the teenage Damien a soul , and pull on the obvious Jesus Christ parallels .
In fact , Omen 2is really theFinal Destinationof its day , with the title character ’s foe being dispatched in a series of bizarre , bloodstained accidents . These necessitate elevator cables , an eye - beak crow and so forth . The 1978 sequel also benefits from Damien experience to fare to terms with his lot , as he only learns of his ancestry around the Battle of Midway compass point . The subsequence give the adolescent Damien a soul , and draws on the obvious Jesus Christ parallels .
Damien - Omen 2does its best to emulate its predecessor and often feels like a direct extension of its style and mood . Still , it ’s just not as well - executed , and there are too many scenes of the Thorn family just hanging out , be it playing sports or have a family motion picture dark . These moments might make Damien palpate more human , but they also sap tension from the story .
The First Omen (2024)
The Omen prequel restores the franchise to full strength
The First Omen is a horror motion-picture show from director Arkasha Stevenson that acts as a prequel to the 1976 moving picture The Omen . The movie follows a unseasoned woman who goes to Rome to become a nun but begin to wonder her faith after come across a terrific darkness that aims to breed an immorality incarnate .
Prequels are often far more difficult to get out off than sequel since audiences bed where the story is heading . The First Omenis orchestrate by Arkasha Stevenson and follows prospective nun Margaret ( Nell Tiger Free ) as she starts oeuvre at an orphanage in Rome . One curious element of pastOmenmovies is that the female reference tend to get sidelined , while the male heroes did the fact-finding work . This prequel corrects that , withThe First Omenputting distaff body repugnance at the forefront while extradite a deep unsettling literary genre exercise .
Free is howling in the lead , and is capably digest by cobalt - lead Sônia Braga and Charles Dance , with the latter seem in a tabular array - setting cameo . The visuals and score strongly evoke the seventies , and while some of the jump scare form better than others , it has some viscerally disturbing scenes . Against all odds , The First Omeneven sets up a sequel that slot into the canyon of the original trilogy .
Being wed toThe Omenfranchise arguably works against the prequel , since it needs to tick certain account and music genre boxesto make that connection work . disregarding , The First Omenworks so much dependable than a belated prequel to a music genre classic should , and it hints at an exciting future for the serial publication .
The Omen horror movie enfranchisement has returned , and there are different pick for where to catch The First Omen at place on streaming or digitally .
The Omen (1976)
Richard Donner’s horror thriller is labeled a classic for a reason
The Omen is a Graeco-Roman supernatural horror film that follows a family that begin construe a dour change in their son as he ages . unbeknown to his wife , Kathy , Robert Thorn sees that their minor has died during birth and is aid by a chaplain to replace the gone child with a newborn orphan and raise him as their own . As the years pass , progressively violent incident , including the felo-de-se of the family nursemaid , begin to occur around their son , Damien . Little do the parent know , the child they have on is really the antichrist .
The raw shockThe Omeninstilled in viewers in 1976 has been numb by decades of other films ripping it off , but there is still a potency to the film that truly make for .
The Omenhit audience like a dash of lightning during its original passing . The movie ’s commove concept and vivid deaths made it stand out from the crowd , while the presence of stars like Gregory Peck , Lee Remick and David Warner gave it an air of class that most horror movies miss . The raw shockThe Omeninstilled in spectator in 1976 has been dampen by decades of other film ripping it off , but there is still a potency to the celluloid that truly works .
The movie is best remembered for its elaborate demise sequence - including Warner ’s legendary decapitation via a acid of methamphetamine - but rather than being the focus , these vista are used to underline the interest . The Omenis often over the top and a little slaphappy , but it is a landmark in the genre and in its own way , even feels underrated compare to 1970s greats likeThe Exorcistor 1978’sHalloween .
The Omen 1 - 4and 2006’sThe Omenremake are all available to stream on Hulu .
