THE FIRST OMEN

US, 2024, 121 minutes, Colour.

Nell Tiger Free, Bill Nighy, Sonia Braga, Ralph Inesont, Maria Caballero, Nicole Soracce, Charles Dance.

Directed by Arkasha Stevenson.

It is almost 50 years since the quite high-profile original, The Omen, starring Gregory Peck and Lee Remick, showed an American ambassador and his wife adopting a charming child – who turned out to be Damien, the devil incarnate. Two sequels, Damien growing up, then Damien played by Sam Nell, wreaking evil in the world. There was a fourth film in 1991 and a remake in 2006. Almost 50 years of an Omen franchise.

Now, a prequel.

This time we are in 1971, early indications that the 60s changed young people, greater freedoms, and greater moving away from the churches. But, an eager young woman, Margaret (Neil Tiger Free), arriving in Rome from the United States, is to make her vows and work in an orphanage for girls, children of unmarried mothers,, invited by Cardinal Lawrence (Bill Nighy) who has known her since childhood.

There is a prologue with an ominous meeting between two priests, Charles dance and Ralph Tennyson, indicating that something terrible is happening, one priest afraid, in the confessional, but killed by the shattering of a falling glass stained window.

For audiences who saw Immaculate a month or so before the release of The First Omen, this will seem very familiar. And, as the film progresses, we see that the plotline has many more strong resemblances. (And commentators ‘divided, many pro-Immaculate, many Pro-First Omen, this reviewer inclining towards Immaculate.)

Needless to say, there are sinister (ominous!) things going on in the orphanage, a harridan of an abbess (Sonia Braga) are many strange nuns in very old-fashioned habits, young worldly woman who would not be allowed to remain in formation, out on the town, and an elaborate sequence, bridal gown and everything, often making her vows to the Cardinal, the orphans very nice and playful but one, Carlita, strange, segregated to tantrums in the “Bad capitalism”,, strange drawings, but Carlita bonds with Margaret.

Since the original films were about the incarnation of the devil, then we are expecting this kind of demonic sinister development. One of the variations on the theme is that there is a church cabal claiming orthodoxy, but who are despairing with defections from the church all over the world and who come up with the idea that if the devil became incarnate, this would so terrify people that they would want to return and take refuge with the church! A novel theological-pastoral approach which, someone in the film describes as “insane”. Yes.

However, once this premise is established, it is full steam ahead, sinister scientific machinations behind the scenes (those in Immaculate were even more imaginative), pregnancies, horrifying birth sequences, and the seeming victory of the fanatics.

A satisfying moment towards the end when the nuns arrange for the child to be adopted and a photo of Gregory Peck from the original film comes up.

But, not quite, a final sequence which sets the scene for a sequel to the prequel.

1. The status of the Franchise? The original in 1976? Two sequels? A different beginning with Omen IV? The remake of the original in 2006? A prequel?
2. The similarity of the story and issues with Immaculate, 2004? Released at much the same time?
3. Audience expectations, memories of the original film? Satan, the demonic, demonic incarnation? The power of the demonic child? The motivation here that people were leaving the church, that the appearance of a Demon child would frighten back adherence to the church?
4. 1971, the changes in the world, with youth, freedoms, adherence to the church during the 1960s? The hypothesis of an alternate church, focused on the devil, using young women, preparing them to be mothers of the demonic, the motivation to put fear into the population? The insanity of the hypothesis?
5. The opening, the stained-glass in the church, Father Brennan, the confessional, Father Harris? Coming outside, it is to Harris and the warnings, the stained-glass, the gash on his head, his death? Father Brennan, then excommunication?
6. The introduction to Margaret, story of her being an orphan, the patronage of Cardinal Lawrence, coming from Massachusetts, to make her vows in the community, the commitment? Arrival in Rome, Father Gabriel, her own chauffeur, the welcome from the Cardinal? The initial encounter with the abyss, her manner? Her room, the encounter with Luz, free and easy and her manner?
7. The orphanage, the children, unmarried mothers, the little girls, classes, play, Margaret bonding with them, her Italian and English, the story of the butterfly and wishing to fly? Suspicions? Noticing the priest and the nuns? The encounter with Carlita? Carlita, alone, the “Bad Room”? Her drawings, the gift, happy drawings, the black nuns, the later pregnancy drawing? The explanations, her birth in the orphanage, the documents, her seclusion?
8. Cardinal Lawrence, genial, welcoming, memories of the past, his influencing the orphanage, working with the abbess? His visits? The ceremony for Luz, the bridal dress, the change into the habit, the restrictions, the nuns prostrate and chanting, her vows?
9. Luz, provocative, the dress for Margaret, urging her to go out, taunting her about her narrow outlook, the nightclub, drinking, the encounter with the men, the meeting with Paolo, talking, the dancing, her drinking too much, the collapse, being brought home, the explanations by Luz? And the later encounter with Paolo in the street, in her habit, his fleeing from her, the crash, being pinned against the wall, her holding him, severed, his death? His fears?
10. Margaret at work, seemingly normal, the range of nuns, the smoking gun, the chatter, the meals, the children and their enjoyment? Carlita, separated, confiding in Margaret?
11. Margaret, the glass, the woman giving birth, the Demon claws emerging?
12. Father Brennan, approaching Margaret, the address, the going to visit, his explanations, the demonic, Margaret leaving? His argument about the documentation? The ceremony, Margaret leaving, the search in the office, finding the documentation?
13. Father Gabriel, friendship, her talking with him, the pursuit, his saving her, the going to Father Brennan,, his picture of the baby, with Carlita’s name, going through the documents, placing the photograph, between? And the 666? In Carlita’s mouth? The sign on the head, the search of Margaret’s head, her being the destined mother of the child? Preserved, being brought to Rome?
14. The capture, Margaret being chained, the pregnancy, the nuns, the cardinal, everybody in attendance, the black veils, the alternate Church? The difficulties of the birth, the incisions? The womb, the emergence of the child, twins, a boy, the group happy? Taking the child, consecrating it? The abbess?
15. Margaret, the knives, turning the tables, the death of the cardinal, the girl child, the fire, the assumption that she and the child were burned?
16. Margaret and the child, surviving, the girl? The visit of father Brennan, his warnings?
17. The setting up of a sequel for this prequel?