The First Omen

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8 / 10
1 Review
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8 Based on 1 Votes
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Overview

When a young American woman is sent to Rome to begin a life of service to the church, she encounters a darkness that causes her to question her own faith and uncovers a terrifying conspiracy that hopes to bring about the birth of evil incarnate.

Media

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The First Omen | Trailer Tomorrow | 20th Century Studios

Cast

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Actor Avatar
Charles Dance
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Bill Nighy
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Nell Tiger Free
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Ralph Ineson
Director:
Arkasha Stevenson
Writer:
Arkasha Stevenson, David Seltzer, Tim Smith, Keith Thomas, Ben Jacoby
Release Date:
2024-04-03
Run Time:
119m
Tagline:
Create something to fear.
Genres:
Horror
Keywords:
1970s anti-christ church dark secret devil's son female protagonist italy nun prequel priest prophecy religious horror revelation rome, italy satanism shocking suspenseful
Financials and Popularity

Budget: 30,000,000.00$

Revenue: 53,992,802.00$

Vote Average: 6.8/10

Vote Count: 1283 Votes

Movie Popularity: 4.6169

Spoken Languages: Italian, English

Review

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  1. Insomniacs Reviews
    8 Based on 1 Votes
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    ⭐ Insomniacs Rating: 8/10 THE SUMMARY A young American woman, Margaret (Nell Tiger Free), travels to Rome in 1971 to begin a life of service to the church. But instead of finding spiritual peace, she’s pulled into a gritty conspiracy within the Vatican. She discovers a shadowy faction is working to birth a literal personification of evil to scare people back into the pews. It’s a smart, slow-burn prequel that explains the origins of the 1976 classic, trading cheap jump scares for deep-seated dread and a visceral look at body horror and religious corruption. THE PROS This is an absolute win for the franchise. It hits an 8 because Nell Tiger Free delivers a pained, honest performance—one particular scene in a hospital corridor is an instant horror classic that’ll have your jaw on the floor. The cinematography is gorgeous, capturing a 70s Rome that feels both historic and decaying. It’s an honest, gritty prequel that respects the original while adding its own disturbing layer of lore. The practical effects are top-tier, especially during the more "visceral" birth sequences, making it feel like a proper throwback to the era of 'The Exorcist' or 'Rosemary’s Baby'. THE CONS The pacing is very deliberate, so if you’re looking for a high-speed slasher, the first hour might feel a bit sluggish. It stays at an 8 because the final act has to do a lot of heavy lifting to connect the dots to the original film, which can feel a bit rushed compared to the slow build of the rest of the movie. It misses a higher mark because some of the supporting characters are a bit one-dimensional, existing mostly to deliver exposition about the prophecy. If you aren't already familiar with 'The Omen', some of the reveals might not carry the same "epic" weight. THE VERDICT 8/10. A gritty, stylish, and genuinely unsettling prequel that actually justifies its existence. It’s an honest triumph for director Arkasha Stevenson and a fair shout for anyone who wants a horror film with brains and a lot of bite. INSOMNIAC TRIVIA • The film’s "tribute" scene to Andrzej Żuławski’s 'Possession' was so intense that it almost landed the movie an NC-17 rating, forcing the director to trim a few frames to keep it at a hard R. • To maintain the 1970s aesthetic, the production used vintage lenses and specific color grading to mimic the look of the "New Hollywood" era of filmmaking. • Despite being a prequel, the film includes several subtle audio cues and musical motifs from Jerry Goldsmith’s original Oscar-winning score to link the two eras together. THE VIBE Like cold incense in a stone cellar. It smells of old parchment, damp marble, and the metallic tang of a surgical tray.

Videos

The First Omen | Trailer Tomorrow | 20th Century Studios

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The First Omen

Comment (1)

  1. Insomniacs Reviews

    ⭐ Insomniacs Rating: 8/10

    THE SUMMARY
    A young American woman, Margaret (Nell Tiger Free), travels to Rome in 1971 to begin a life of service to the church. But instead of finding spiritual peace, she’s pulled into a gritty conspiracy within the Vatican. She discovers a shadowy faction is working to birth a literal personification of evil to scare people back into the pews. It’s a smart, slow-burn prequel that explains the origins of the 1976 classic, trading cheap jump scares for deep-seated dread and a visceral look at body horror and religious corruption.

    THE PROS
    This is an absolute win for the franchise. It hits an 8 because Nell Tiger Free delivers a pained, honest performance—one particular scene in a hospital corridor is an instant horror classic that’ll have your jaw on the floor. The cinematography is gorgeous, capturing a 70s Rome that feels both historic and decaying. It’s an honest, gritty prequel that respects the original while adding its own disturbing layer of lore. The practical effects are top-tier, especially during the more “visceral” birth sequences, making it feel like a proper throwback to the era of ‘The Exorcist’ or ‘Rosemary’s Baby’.

    THE CONS
    The pacing is very deliberate, so if you’re looking for a high-speed slasher, the first hour might feel a bit sluggish. It stays at an 8 because the final act has to do a lot of heavy lifting to connect the dots to the original film, which can feel a bit rushed compared to the slow build of the rest of the movie. It misses a higher mark because some of the supporting characters are a bit one-dimensional, existing mostly to deliver exposition about the prophecy. If you aren’t already familiar with ‘The Omen’, some of the reveals might not carry the same “epic” weight.

    THE VERDICT
    8/10. A gritty, stylish, and genuinely unsettling prequel that actually justifies its existence. It’s an honest triumph for director Arkasha Stevenson and a fair shout for anyone who wants a horror film with brains and a lot of bite.

    INSOMNIAC TRIVIA
    • The film’s “tribute” scene to Andrzej Żuławski’s ‘Possession’ was so intense that it almost landed the movie an NC-17 rating, forcing the director to trim a few frames to keep it at a hard R.

    • To maintain the 1970s aesthetic, the production used vintage lenses and specific color grading to mimic the look of the “New Hollywood” era of filmmaking.

    • Despite being a prequel, the film includes several subtle audio cues and musical motifs from Jerry Goldsmith’s original Oscar-winning score to link the two eras together.

    THE VIBE
    Like cold incense in a stone cellar. It smells of old parchment, damp marble, and the metallic tang of a surgical tray.

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