Reviews

After 18 years, The Omen franchise has been revived with a prequel to the 1976 original.

This supernatural thriller, set in 1971, follows Margaret (Nell Tiger Free), an American woman who moves to Rome to become a nun. During her time working at an orphanage, she discovers a sinister conspiracy to bring about the birth of the Antichrist.

You can go a while without a nun-based horror and two come along at the same time – The First Omen will obviously be compared to Sydney Sweeney’s Immaculate, which came out a few weeks ago. They both follow American nuns (or trainee nuns) in Italy who discover a dark secret. They aren’t exactly the same but there are plenty of parallels along the way too.

While The First Omen pales in comparison to Immaculate, it isn’t fair to review it through this lens and it must be considered on its merits.

You have to be patient with this film because it takes a long time to get going, the pacing is rather slow and is more creepy and ominous than scary. But it’s all worth it when you reach the “big revelation” (if you didn’t see it coming already!) and enter the unhinged final act.

There are moments of horror, violence and gore before then, particularly one graphic childbirth scene, but the third act is where director Arkasha Stevenson takes it up several notches. It is wild, scary and thrilling and Free really gets to let lose and show what she can do.

Fans of the original will recognise the name Father Brennan, the only character that connects the prequel to the 1976 outing. Ralph Ineson doesn’t look much like Patrick Troughton but he does a fine enough job.

Beloved actor Bill Nighy is the most famous face in The First Omen as Cardinal Lawrence, a senior member of the church. There was nothing wrong with his performance but he didn’t feel like the most perfect fit for this dubious character. Sometimes playing against type works well, but this role felt like it needed someone more unsettling and unnerving.

The First Omen takes a while to find its feet but it fully delivers on its horror promise in the end.

In cinemas from Friday 5th April.

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