The First Omen brings horror fans back into the world of The Omen with a prequel story that ties in perfectly. Nell Tiger Free is incredible.
Sometimes it is hard to imagine how a film would benefit from a prequel, which is perfectly understandable. When The First Omen was announced, many fans wondered if this great horror classic should be touched, and if there was even a need for a prequel. While, have no fear because The First Omen ties in wonderfully with the story. It never feels like a cash grab, or like the filmmakers are trying to fit together two pieces of a puzzle that don’t go together. It works extremely well, largely in part because of the writing and the stellar performance by Nell Tiger Free as Margaret.
The First Omen follows Margaret, a young American woman who is sent to Rome to begin a life of service to the church. It doesn’t take long before 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.
Right from the very first scene, fans will be happy with their choice to see this film because it leans into the horror aspect in a shocking and intriguing way. That said, while The First Omen is rated R, it takes a while until it leans into that rating. However, once it does, it doesn’t look back. When the movie brings the gore to the screen, it brings the gore. There are uncomfortable moments, as in viewers will be watching through their fingers, and that is exactly the feelings a movie like this should evoke.
The whole film feels as if you are going on a journey with Margaret. It is claustrophobic at times due to the brilliantly placed tight shots and intense and suspenseful score. The longer The First Omen goes on, the more Margaret starts to question herself. And she won’t be the only one. Viewers will start to question their own eyes and ears in regards to what is actually happening as well, making this movie all that more exciting.
While Nell Tiger Free is fantastic, excelling every step of the way, she has a wonderful supporting cast who help to make the story believable and terrifying at times. It should come as no surprise that Bill Nighy is perfectly mysterious, as you never know if you should trust him or not.
Maria Caballero, who plays Margaret’s roommate Luz, is another standout of the film. She is fun and energetic, and it is easy to fall in love with her from the moment you see her. She knows she is about to take her vows, but that isn’t stopping her from having a bit of fun first.
The First Omen has a lot of moments that will have viewers cowering in their seats, wondering what could happen next. While there are certainly some slow parts, overall the story really comes together in an exciting and unexpected way – despite it being a prequel. Towards the end of the movie there is a small continuity error that likely only women will pick up on. It isn’t that big of a deal, but it something that will leave some viewers a bit confused, so be warned.
Prequels are often hit or miss. Viewers already know how the next chapter plays out and so they can be predictable and unexciting. However, The First Omen has its fair share of twists and turns as it fits in to the overall plot of The Omen perfectly.
The score, the cinematography, and the decent story that expands on the lore of The Omen make this one more than worth a watch for horror fans. While it takes a while to lean into the R-rating, all bets are off when it does. Nell Tiger Free brings her A-game, making The First Omen a strong contender for the best horror film of 2024.
Nell Tiger Free briliantly leads an absolutely terrifying tale that will have viewers shielding their eyes as they sit on the edge of their seats with their hearts pounding.
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About The First Omen
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.
“The First Omen” stars Nell Tiger Free (“Servant”), Tawkeef Barhom (“Mary Magdalene”), Sonia Braga (“Kiss of the Spider Woman”), Ralph Ineson (“The Northman”), and Bill Nighy (“Living”). The film is directed by Arkasha Stevenson (“Legion”), based on characters created by David Seltzer (“The Omen”), with a story by Ben Jacoby (“Bleed”) and a screenplay by Tim Smith & Arkasha Stevenson and Keith Thomas (“Firestarter”). The producers are David S. Goyer (“Hellraiser”) and Keith Levine (“The Night House”) and the executive producers are Tim Smith, Whitney Brown (“Rosaline”), and Gracie Wheelan.
The First Omen hits theaters on April 5th.
Tessa Smith is a Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer-approved Film and TV Critic. On Camera personality and TV / Film Critic with 10+ years of experience in video editing, writing, editing, moderating, and hosting.