The First Omen Movie Review: Nell Tiger Free’s Splendid Performance Uplifts This Gruesome Yet Absorbing Prequel to The Omen (LatestLY Exclusive)

The First Omen Movie Review: PS: If you are a movie character arriving at a place, and your welcome committee includes Bill Nighy, RUN as far away from that place as possible. With that out of my mind, let me delve into my thoughts on the latest horror flick hitting Hollywood screens this week: The First Omen. Serving as a prequel to the 1976 chilling classic The Omen, which starred the great Gregory Peck, The First Omen unravels the events leading to the emergence of the Anti-Christ on Earth in the form of little Damien. While the original The Omen (apologies, I've yet to brave the remake) revelled in its eerie ambience and Jerry Goldsmith's haunting score, The First Omen delves into disturbing body horror and jump scares, resulting in a chilling experience. The First Omen Review: Nell Tiger Free and Arkasha Stevenson's Horror Film Receives Thumbs Up From Critics.

Set in 1971, a few months before The Omen's events, the story follows Margaret (Nell Tiger Free), an American nun who arrives in Rome to work in a church-run orphanage and prepare for her upcoming vows. Intrigued by a young orphan named Carlita Scianna (Nicole Sorace), who exhibits occasional aggressive behaviour and is frequently punished by the nuns by being sent to a "bad room," Margaret becomes increasingly alarmed by the occurrences at the orphanage.

Watch the Trailer of The First Omen:

Soon, Margaret is approached by Father Brennan (Ralph Ineson) – the same character who meets a gruesome fate in The Omen (played there by the late Patrick Troughton) – who warns her to be wary of Carlita, as ominous events are destined to unfold around her.

A Confident Debut

I'm not particularly fond of prequels or sequels that merely prolong narratives unnecessarily or inject unnecessary details that should have been left to the viewer's imagination. However, when executed well—such as in Toy Story 4 or Rogue One—the disappointment is significantly mitigated. This sentiment precisely encapsulates my experience with The First Omen. While it may not wholly justify its existence, it captivates your attention to the screen, even amidst some rather unsettling imagery.

Directed by Arkasha Stevenson, whose previous works include a few short films and television episodes, The First Omen marks her debut in feature filmmaking. Yet, what emerges is the assured hand of a director not merely milking an intellectual property for the sake of it (a persistent issue with The Nun films that also have similar settings). Stevenson excels in crafting a vintage atmosphere that aptly complements the film's period setting and Catholic iconography. Her adept manipulation of lighting, fog, and shadows evokes fond memories of classic horror cinema, reminiscent not only of The Omen but also of The Exorcist. Furthermore, she seamlessly integrates contemporary visual effects to enhance the film's visceral impact. Insidious The Red Door Movie Review: Patrick Wilson’s Uneventful Horror Film Lacks Genuine Scares and a Cohesive Plot.

Disturbing Gore and Excellent Score

The film features several stomach-turning sequences, with its most intense and gruesome moments unfolding in the last half-hour, that are well-executed. While I missed Goldsmith's score, Mark Korven delivers an evocative soundtrack that complements the proceedings. However, I got literal chills when the movie strategically reintroduced Goldsmith's iconic "Ave Satani" track at a pivotal moment.

Nell Tiger Free

If The First Omen thrives under Arkasha Stevenson's direction, it equally benefits from the stellar performance of its lead actress. Nell Tiger Free, known to Game of Thrones fans for playing the ill-fated Myrcella Baratheon, shines in a complex role that allows her to navigate a spectrum of emotions.

A particularly memorable moment occurs in the third act, where she portrays a convulsive episode in a single, unbroken shot. In the hands of a lesser actress, the scene might have felt awkward, yet Nell Tiger Free's portrayal left me terrified and necessarily grossed out by her performance there.

The Jump Scares

The First Omen still has some issues, though. Like The Omen, its prequel isn't exactly a ghost film, so it has to rely on the protagonist's scary visions to bring some jump-scares. While there are a couple that did get me - a particular sequence in the 'bad room' left a scream in my throat - most of the others felt quite lazy and simply existed to remind us that we were watching a horror film.

While the events of The First Omen do lead to The Omen - including a callback to Peck's Senator Thorn - there are rare times the homages don't fit well. Like with the first film, there is a scene where a character dies by suicide, uttering nearly the same words. However, in The Omen, the nanny died because she was hypnotised by the Rottweiler, and she had to pave the way for Mrs Baylock; here, the reason why that character died isn't discernible except that the film needs to show some fatal stakes. Talk to Me Movie Review: The RackaRacka Duo’s Frighteningly Entertaining Horror Film is an Impressive Debut.

Leading to The Omen

The First Omen doesn't stick true to plot elements established by its predecessor, like the purpose of the 'jackal' - which is fine - but its path to The Omen isn't always paved properly with reasoning. If Father Brennan's claim to be part of the 'Good Church' rings true, then why did he have the '666' mark on him as told in The Omen? Should I have to wait for another prequel to have this explained?

I had watched The First Omen with a friend who hadn't watched The Omen, and he was confused as to why a certain transfer happened at the end of this film. The Omen mentions a poem explaining this, but no reason is given here as to why that must happen (also, going by the events of this film, Damien shouldn't be scared of the Church, should he?). Thankfully, even if the writing may not make sense all the time - though I chuckled about the reasoning behind the Antichrist's birth being linked to the Church's aversion to secularism - the visual treatment and the performances skip over the flaws.

Final Thoughts on The First Omen

Even though it may be a prequel attempting to elucidate elements that perhaps don't require explanation, The First Omen doesn't come across as a mere cash-grab venture. This is largely due to its evocative treatment, unsettling 'horror' sequences, and the outstanding performance delivered by Nell Tiger Free. Apart from a few ordinary jump scares, The First Omen stands out as a solid horror film in its own right, even when it also served as a respectable prequel.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 05, 2024 08:04 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).