The First Omen

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.

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.

Finally a horror movie that doesn't rely on jumpscares every 10 seconds.

The story is of Margret who goes to an orphanage run by nuns in Italy in the 70s. She is on the road to getting her veil when we discover she was also brought up in one of those homes and was plagued by visions which she was thought that they were her imagination. When a girl starts having similar experiences she grows close to her trying to uncover the route of them. As people are losing faith in God around the world the church pose a plot to gain back their faith, going to extreme lengths, sinister lengths.

The movie is solid, it focuses on telling a story in the horror genre with about 3 jumpscares and a major lean on visual horror scenes.

The acting is good, there also seems to be a good sense of dread in the entire movie as the characters are on edge the whole time. The settings are good and the music is good. The story is a little predictable as I caught on quite quick the "twist"

Overall an enjoyable time and I hope more of these come out as I like them not filled with Jumpscares as that gets so boring, 7.5/10.

Easily one of the best horror prequels. The original Omen is an all time classic, and this is a great follow up. The film revels in mashing up genres: body horror and gothic church horror. Well paced with a good cinematic moment.

Synopsis: 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.

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.

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.