ScreenWize

The original Omen, made in 1976 and staring Gregory Peck, was made in the midst of decade of horror films that focused on the occult, including Rosemary’s Baby and the Exorcist. Although it never received quite the acclaim of these, it has become something of a classic and won an Academy Award for its music – a dramatic choral work of latin chanting. It was followed by three sequels of varying success, but has now been remade using the original script by David Seltzer.

The new Omen – which opened in Cinema 6 on 06.06.06 – is a stylish update that meddles little with the story line – matching the original film shot for shot and line for line in places.

The opening however is new, placing the story more definitely in the current social context of the evil that appears to surround us on all sides, and giving us the religious background we need to understand the biblical references to Armageddon, the Antichrist and the mark of the Beast. With that out of the way, we follow the birth of Damien into the Thorn family – father a US diplomat with strong connections to the Presidency, and mother an increasingly neurotic woman who struggles to deal with her son who is, as she says “so far away”.

Posted to London as the US Ambassador, Robert Thorn (Liev Schreiber) is confronted by a mad priest (Pete Postlethwaite) who warns him about the identity of his son and the threat to the family. Robert remains stoically protective of his son until enough people around the boy have died in mysterious circumstances to warrant a search for the truth. Aided by a photographer (David Thewlis) who has been documenting the strange happenings that surround the Thorn family, Robert returns to the site of his son’s birth and takes on the forces that seem to be creating a path for young Damien’s future in the world.

The production design and cinematography are dazzling, with ample – if not too obvious - use of red iconography in the shadowy gothic views of Italian and English architecture. There are several delightful little additions to the original film, particularly the horror filmmaker’s favourite device of nightmares. The sound design is squealing and anxious – as it should be - and the performances are strong, particularly from Liev Schreiber who outdoes Gregory Peck as the decent man dealing with a terror within. Mia Farrow plays the creepy Nanny with extra added saccharine and Postlewaite is edgy as the poetic bringer of omens.

Overall it’s a worthy remake that neither strays into the religious nor the emotional storylines, sticking close to the middle line of suspense. Six point six out of ten!

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Filed Under: Reviews by Simon