Time: 119 Minutes
Age Rating: R16 – Graphic injury detail, horror, childbirth scenes, sexual violence & suicide
Cast:
Nell Tiger Free as Margaret
Ralph Ineson as Father Brennan
Sônia Braga as Sister Silva
Tawfeek Barhom as Father Gabriel
Charles Dance as Father Harris
Bill Nighy as Cardinal Lawrence
Director: Arkasha Stevenson

When I first heard that there was going to be a prequel to The Omen, I had many doubts. It seemed rather unnecessary, so it was very surprising when the initial reactions were quite positive. Having watched it, I can call this a genuinely great movie.

One of the best aspects of The First Omen is how well it functions on its own. Not only is it a different kind of movie from the original, but it is very much its own story and doesn’t rely on knowledge of the original film. I still think that it is worth watching the first movie beforehand, but for those who haven’t seen it, you don’t need to in order to understand The First Omen. The opening scene sets the tone of the film perfectly. The film excellently builds up the tension and uneasiness over the runtime, and there’s a sense of dread throughout. It moves at a steady pace as the mystery eventually unfolds and more horrors are revealed. My biggest criticism of the movie comes with the final 5-10 minutes of the movie. This is where the prequel actually has to show its links to the original Omen. I understand that it needed to be done, but I still think it could’ve been handled better. This is especially the case with the final scene, which comes across as cheesy and doesn’t end the story and characters in a meaningful way, instead just establishing that its a prequel to The Omen.

As the protagonist, Nell Tiger Free delivers an outstanding performance. She makes for a compelling and engaging lead to watch, and especially shines in the third act. As Father Brennan (a major character in the original Omen), Ralph Ineson is great and a notable screen presence, on top of resembling the original actor from the 1970s film. The rest of the cast are really good, including Bill Nighy, and Charles Dance in a one scene role.

It was surprising to learn that The First Omen was director Arkasha Stevenson’s first film, because it didn’t feel like a first film. It is incredibly well directed and I’d love to see more movies from her. It is shot beautifully and has some great production designs and sets. Between the visuals and excellent editing, The First Omen is reminiscent of horror movies from the 1970s at points. It’s effective at creating a surreal atmosphere, helped further by the creepy score from Mark Korven. There’s a lot of memorable and unsettling imagery, and the effects and gore were fittingly gnarly and freaky. It is actually surprising that a studio movie with a franchise as iconic as this got away with the things they put in here and how graphic it could get. Apparently, there was a struggle to avoid an NC-17 rating and I’m not surprised. Even the jumpscares were pretty well constructed.

The First Omen is a surprisingly great, atmospheric and effective prequel to the horror classic, with impressive direction, and fantastic performances, especially from Nell Tiger Free. It’s one of the biggest surprises from this year, and one of my favourites so far.