The First Omen Review: Director Arkasha Stevenson delivers a thrilling prequel to the “Omen” series with “The First Omen.” This debut feature ventures beyond the familiar narrative of Damien, the Antichrist, instead focusing on the events that set the stage for his arrival.
Set in 1970s Rome, the film follows Margaret (Nell Tiger Free), a novice nun sent to an orphanage shrouded in a veil of secrecy. Social mores are shifting, and a sense of unease pervades the atmosphere. Stevenson unbelievably creates a period piece with an unmistakable visual style, successfully constructing tension and laying the basis for an enrapturing, but the thick, story.
“The Main Sign” revives the establishment by ably mixing exemplary awfulness classes. Components of the beast film, body ghastliness, and the Gothic church spine chiller merge to make a novel and disrupting experience. The film benefits from fresh altering and a very fast-paced account, exhibiting Stevenson’s sharp eye for realistic narrating.
Free delivers a captivating performance as Margaret. She embodies the character’s initial innocence with a believable vulnerability, a quality that gradually hardens as she confronts increasingly sinister forces. In a particularly arresting scene, Margaret’s body contorts and writhes under an unseen influence, a chilling homage that rivals the infamous subway sequence from Andrzej Zulawski’s “Possession.”
“The First Omen” is a welcome addition to the horror genre, offering a fresh perspective on a familiar story. With solid exhibitions, a renewed story, and an unmistakable visual style, the film makes certain to dazzle fanatics of the establishment and loathsomeness devotees the same. Be advised, that the film is rated R for violence and disturbing content.
Running time: 2 hours, Release: Theatrical
