By Keith Walther | Rose Law Group Reporter
A diabolical plot of conspiracy and evil resurrects a forgotten horror franchise nearly 50 years after the original film’s release. “The First Omen” is a direct prequel to 1976’s “The Omen,” with memorable characters from the original returning, being played by different actors of course. This latest installment may not be as fear inducing as the original, but it provides enough intrigue and spine-tingling eeriness to keep audiences glued to their seats.
Set in Rome 1971, an American woman by the name of Margaret (Nell Tiger Free) is in final preparations to become a nun. She begins noticing odd behaviors and strange occurrences within the church and adjoining orphanage that has her questioning her own mindset of what is real. With memories of a troubled childhood devoid of parents, Margaret is concerned her haunting visions are returning.
As Margaret investigates the troubling trends within the church, secrets begin to emerge that shake her to her core. With the help of Father Brennan (Ralph Ineson), she uncovers a sinister conspiracy that hopes to birth the Antichrist. Unknowing who to trust, Margaret looks to expose the horrific plan and protect the children before the evil incarnate is unleashed on the world.
This is the feature film debut for director Arkasha Stevenson, and she delivers not only a worthy prequel to a horror classic, but also one to build upon for subsequent sequels. She starts by accurately capturing the political/religious climate of 1971 Rome, showing demonstrations and riots of Italian youths dissatisfied with the Holy Church, which helps pave the way for the believability of the plot. Having a feasible storyline is step one to fashioning an authentic horror film.
Next, Arkasha harnesses powerful visuals and imagery to shock and unsettle viewers. In fact, some of the visuals are so graphic, the film nearly received an NC-17 rating from the MPA. She incorporates classic cinematography techniques like closeups and darkness to enhance tension, while implementing a hauntingly religious sounding score. This certainly provides an unsettling vibe for the film, but she falls short of creating a truly terrifying production like “The Exorcist” or “The Conjuring.”
Arkasha’s inexperience as a filmmaker does show itself in the form of plot holes that aren’t compatible with the original film and careless errors like having a song in the background that wasn’t released until 1976. The half-hearted, obvious attempts at jump scares she employs also contribute to the overall lack of fright. Fortunately, these weaknesses do not derail an overall well-made film.
British actress Nell Tiger Free excels in her first lead role in a feature film, putting her talent on full display that viewers familiar with her work have seen glimpses of in M. Night Shyamalan’s AppleTV+ series “Servant.” The intensity she brings to the role along with genuine emotion is wonderfully captivating as her character wrestles with her grip on reality. There is one particular scene towards the end of the film in which she creates an unnervingly memorable moment.
“The First Omen” also benefits from solid supporting performances from veteran actors and actresses like Ralph Ineson, Sonia Braga, Bill Nighy, and Charles Dance as well as a strong debut from Nicole Sorace.
“The First Omen” won’t have you white knuckling your armrest in terror, but the overall production quality and creepy realism make it a worthy watch. In this way, it is more comparable to “Rosemarie’s Baby” than it is to 1976’s “The Omen.” Since it is a prequel, you don’t need to revisit the original or even know anything about it, but this movie will make you want to check it out afterwards.
This movie earns:
