The First Omen Review: More Than a Prequel

You’d think a horror prequel wouldn’t succeed if it didn’t have the main character of the franchise in it, but that’s exactly what The First Omen manages to do. Directed by Arkasha Stevenson – in her feature directorial debut – it stars Nell Tiger Free (Game of Thrones) as a young woman named Margaret. She travels to a convent in Rome to take her vows and become a nun. She notices that the other nuns are treating an orphan awfully, putting her in solitary confinement, and soon after, another nun commits suicide. 

Margaret’s new friend and fellow nun, Luz – played by Maria Caballero (Olvido) – helps her get out of her shell and discover what life is like outside. So, part of the film also explores the freedom she could have. It also stars Bill Nighy (Love Actually), Sônia Braga (Kiss of the Spider Woman), Ralph Ineson (The Witch), Tawfeek Barhom (Cairo Conspiracy), and Nicole Sorace. A prequel to 1976’s The Omen, the film focuses on the birth of Damien, the main antagonist of the franchise. You won’t need to have seen the original to see this film, but it will greatly enhance your experience. 

I Saw the Signs

The First Omen starts as a fairly simple story if you’re familiar with the original movie. But, even though there’s at least one character whose fate we know, the narrative shakes itself enough to feel interesting. However, we need to talk about the elephant in the room. The First Omen shares many similarities with a recent horror film – Immaculate. Both focus on a newly minted nun and a religious and evil pregnancy. There are other overlaps as well, but going further would spoil both movies. This is to say that the plot of The First Omen has been seen before. 

Unfortunately, the story does go in some predictable directions. However, it caught me off guard multiple times, mainly because the film focuses on developing a character’s motivations, rather than trudging through an already laid-out plot line. Even some of the fairly obvious twists are still fun and/or devastating because you care about the characters. I also found the story to be fairly deep, with a somewhat feminist message about women’s rights, especially those in religious systems.

Margaret’s mental health and past trauma informs not only the decisions of her character, but it forces you to root for her. Father Brennan (Ineson) is weirdly compelling because we know how tortured his character becomes in the original film. And you can’t help but feel sorry for Carlita (Sorace). The performances are good. Free is slightly over-the-top at some points but nails her performance in the final act. Bill Nighy isn’t phoning it in, but he isn’t elevating the film either. Ineson and Braga are great, with Sorace nailing the vibes of a troubled and isolated young girl. 

The Horrific First Omen

There are moments in this movie that are viscerally graphic. These moments are amplified because of how the anticipation builds up to the horror. Shots tease while the score rises, instilling you with a sense of dread. You’ll think they won’t show you certain shots, and you’ll be wrong. But, it never feels overly graphic, and when it is graphic, it’s earned. This occurs right from the beginning, with a special appearance from Charles Dance (Game of Thrones). It’s not just the graphic imagery that shines either. The First Omen has beautiful shots that stand out because of good lighting. 

However, some murkiness does muddy some of the shots because it’s trying to make you wonder whether or not some of what you’re seeing is real. The effect is used sparingly, just shy of becoming annoying. Because some of the plot is dedicated to Margaret getting used to the convent, there’s also a great opening filled with humor and charm. Even the first jumpscare is equally comedic and terrifying. 

The First Omen isn’t for people who get overwhelmed by horror easily. If you can handle a certain amount of eerieness you should be fine, but if you can’t handle Paranormal Activity you should stay home. It succeeds by not only having those viscerally violent scenes but by also shocking the audience and creating an atmosphere of dread. The dread piles on deeper as you attempt to figure out what exactly is going on, which makes it an utterly successful and enjoyable horror movie.

The Sound of Horror

Mark Korven’s (The Black Phone) score fits the movie well, filling scenes with tension and bridging them with a foreboding dread. But, nothing would ever reach the heights of Jerry Goldsmith’s score for the original 1976 film, especially seeing as it makes a brief return at the end of The First Omen. This isn’t to drag Korven’s work; it’s just that without Goldsmith’s score, The Omen would have been a much worse picture.

The First Omen doesn’t do an absurd amount in 119 minutes, but it didn’t need to. It’s a prequel that sets itself apart from the original while setting it up nicely. Filled with characters you want to follow, and imagery you want to turn away from, it’s a compelling horror movie. If you’re a fan of The Omen franchise or just a fan of horror movies, you’ll want to rush to the theater to see it. But, if you’re too scared, you might want to wait until it’s available digitally so you can watch it with the lights on. 

You can see The First Omen in theaters now.