Review: It's All For You... "The First Omen" (2024)

Tyler Crosby
Jun 6, 2024
3 min read

Updated: Jun 23, 2024

Background:

The First Omen is a 2024 American supernatural horror film directed by Arkasha Stevenson, who co-wrote the screenplay with Tim Smith and Keith Thomas from a story by Ben Jacoby. It is a prequel to The Omen (1976), and the sixth film in The Omen franchise. The film stars Nell Tiger Free, Tawfeek Barhom, Sônia Braga, Ralph Ineson, and Bill Nighy. The plot follows an American woman sent to work at a church in Rome who uncovers a sinister conspiracy to bring about the birth of the Antichrist.(from Wikipedia)

Year: 2024

Director: Arkasha Stevenson

Genre: Possession, Supernatural, Psychological Horror

Plot:

A young American woman is sent to Rome to begin a life of service to the church, but encounters a darkness that causes her to question her faith and uncovers a terrifying conspiracy that hopes to bring about the birth of evil incarnate. (from IMDB)

My Thoughts:

There is no debate that Hollywood is just now the burial ground of beaten horse. So, going into this movie I didn't have any expectations. Going in with no expectations left me vulnerable to this slow burn. By slow burn, I mean a festering acid that goes unnoticed until significant damage is done.

The first degree of this chemical burn leaves only a small mark. It's nothing too concerning but you definitely notice a mark. The second degree is a spread, the initial burn site has increased in severity and damaged surrounding healthy skin cells. Finally the third degree, significant and permanent damage. Further, depending on the location, potential amputation.

The First Omen takes the same approach. The presence of evil is barely noticeable. A single instance at the opening of the movie that signifies the initial contact mark. It quickly intensifies into a crescendo with scenes of satanic rituals, birthing of demons, and nods to other great horror movies (will touch on that later).

The First Omen beautifully establishes a air of caution. From the foreboding score to the tension built jump scares, the implementation of these horror tactics is done tastefully.

The First Omen did have 2 references that stood more than other scenes. The first was a self-reference to the original entry of the series ("It's all for you!"). The second was my favorite, a strong nod to Andrzej Żuławski's Possession (1981 film). I won't spoil how, but once you see it, you can't deny the resemblance.

The Good:

Gore was selective and effective
The approach to Satan or Demons was unique and chilling
The Antichrist didn't feel edgy or cliche
Great acting from the entire ensemble
Scenes involving main character mental state were very fun to watch
Not a "The Exorcist" clone

The Bad:

The story was predictable (you can't expect too much from a prequel)
First 30 minutes is a chore
The nods to other horror movies almost appeared to replace original ideas. (Would love to have seen something new)

Summary:

I wasn't wowed but I also wasn't bored. If you enjoyed The Omen, then you will appreciate the direct tie into the series with The First Omen. There is a tension throughout the movie that is gripping that is complimented by tasteful (sparse) jump scares. I found myself enjoying more of the "creepiness" as we dive into our protagonists fragile psyche. The movie can be predicted but not in a cookie cutter fashion; you can suspend belief and get caught up in the drama. Overall, it's not a magical ride, but it is a fun one.