La Malédiction : L'Origine

I went into this movie aware that it was a 'slow burn'. This is fine with me and I greatly enjoyed movies such as VVitch, The Invitation, The House of the Devil etc. However, a slow burn movie done well maintains the suspense / dread throughout to keep you invested. In this movie, scenes are just stretched out to twice as long as they need to be and (in my case at least) boredom set in. When I needed a bathroom break I even ended up browsing the boards for upcoming movies rather than return to my seat straight away - I have never done that before in a cinema. To top it off there are continuity issues between this movie and the original this is the prequel to, which irritates as the original is such a classic. Not scary, and not worthy of the Omen name.

Kudos to the filmmakers for having the guts to do a straight up prequel to such a classic horror film. Rather than another re-boot, the events in The First Omen take place directly before the classic film.

The film is delightfully creepy and weird, including a sequence that legitimately gave me goosebumps. Fantastic cinematography and atmosphere actually makes the film feel like it could've come out in 1971.

Not only does it give context to the original but also answered some lingering questions I had after watching the original. A prequel that is not only worthy, but actually feels necessary.

In a world of prequels and frenchise universes this movie has been one I didn't wait for or did expect.

Especially after the 2006 Omen remake.

The story is not full of surprises. We always heard of Damian's birth, his real mother, the jackal. Now asome creative people wrote the story and brought it to life.

What to say? It's what you expect in the year 2024. But wait. It's more. Or better said: less!

It's a modern flick but in the style of the 70s. No jump scares. Just a good horror stories told in a decent way. The first death scene was something I haven't seen in a long time. An unexpected kind of killing and dying. But even more impressive. Not the usual "He's dead Jim" bloody jump scare death. More a "what the heck!? Really?" scene which keeps you mouth wide open.

And the movie continues this style of story telling and unexpected kills and how the people die. All in time without rush.

All in all this movie is doing things right other modern franchises are missing. A good story, people with patience and creativity who gave us something familiar from the past in times we only rush threw life.

I found "The First Omen" a decent horror flick. It's definitely a slow burn, so be prepared for building suspense rather than constant jump scares. The chilling atmosphere, unsettling moments, and creepy background score really worked for me.

While the pace might be too slow for some, I appreciated the way the film gradually builds tension. It has genuine scares, fueled more by atmosphere than cheap tricks. If you enjoy a classic, atmospheric horror experience, you might like this one.

Don't go in expecting a fast-paced thrill ride. Instead, be prepared for a film that aims to unnerve you. It won't blow you away with originality, but for fans of old-school horror, "The First Omen" offers some solid chills.

The First Omen is literally the Rogue One of horror movies. Late stage horror prequels are usually cheap cash grabs which is what makes this one such a pleasant surprise. It's clearly crafted with vision and artistry as it operates within an established franchise whilst being so much nastier than mainstream horror usually gets to be.

Nell Tiger Free is phenomenal, as the film progresses it demands more and she is always able to provide it. A late stage sequence has her going to a very visceral place and it leaves you speechless. Ralph Ineson gives Father Brennan a lot more humanity than he originally had and is great at establishing the stakes.

Arkasha Stevenson makes such a confident debut, skillfully choosing to harken back to the original not just with callbacks and musical cues but by imbuing this film with the same rich texture and slow burning pace of 70s cinema. She also crafts an atmosphere so potent that the few jump scares really land and the horrific imagery won't be forgotten anytime soon.