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The First Omen

The First Omen

2024

Arkasha Stevenson

Nell Tiger Free, Tawfeek Barhom, Sônia Braga, Ralph Ineson ...

6.4

1,800

Horror. Thriller A young American woman is sent to Rome to begin a life of service to the church, but encounters a darkness that causes her to question her faith and uncovers a terrifying conspiracy that hopes to bring about the birth of evil incarnate. A prequel to the original 'Omen' (1976).

	Media	Author	Review
		Brandon Yu The New York Times	"A prequel to the original franchise, this debut feature from Arkasha Stevenson is a thrilling mash-up of horror tropes that gives the story new life (...) smartly edited and well paced, with a good cinematic eye."
		Michael Phillips Chicago Tribune	"It’s a movie that maximizes all its elements with some panache. (...) with a visual confidence and personality of its own. (...) Rating: ★★★ (out of 4)"
		Clarisse Loughrey The Independent	"A theoretically unnecessary prequel that is vicious, elegant and oddly beautiful (...) a surprisingly great movie that avoids cheap scares and bravely tackles the institutional horrors of religion and authority (...) Rating: ★★★★ (out of 5)"
		Benjamin Lee The Guardian	"It’s far more artful and striking than it has any right to be, thanks in overwhelmingly large part to the director, whose bravado works incredibly well until it really doesn’t, when she’s forced to play by franchise rules rather than her own. (...) Rating: ★★★ (out of 5)"
		Ian Freer Time Out	"This horror prequel is thoughtful and engaging – but still unsettling (...) Stevenson does a sterling job (...) She gives us perfect jump scares, wince-worthy Cronenbergian terrors (be warned if you are expectant parents) (...) Rating: ★★★★ (out of 5)"
		Peter Debruge Variety	"A decently executed prequel (...) Director Akasha Stevenson concocts a twisted-nun backstory to 'The Omen' that's less scary than the 1976 horror classic suggested, but infinitely more profane"
		Frank Scheck The Hollywood Reporter	"A Fever Dream With More Atmosphere Than Narrative Coherence (...) It all feels very familiar (...) That’s no fault of its talented young lead, whose emotional and physical commitment to her role is highly impressive"
		Richard Whittaker Austin Chronicle	"What Stevenson has created as director and co-writer isn’t simply a worthy precursor to the series. It’s quite possibly the most gruesome horror to be released by a major studio in decades. (...) Rating: ★★★½ (out of 5)"
		Eric Goldman IGN	"[It] manages to serve as a well made prequel as well as an unsettling and creepy horror film in its own right (...) the brunt of the movie is very strong, with lead Nell Tiger Free and director Arkasha Stevenson both cementing themselves as stars on the rise"
		Tim Grierson Screendaily	"Arkasha Stevenson crafts impressive levels of style and atmosphere, but the tense proceedings never entirely scare away the suspicion that an enormous amount of effort has been put into reigniting a franchise that may not be worth the trouble"
		Tomris Laffly rogerebert.com	"The whole thing is so provocative, beautifully cinematic and in touch with its head-decapitating roots that you will forgive the slight drag in its final act (...) Rating: ★★★½ (out of 5)"
		Meagan Navarro Bloody Disgusting	" Thanks to the exquisite craftsmanship on display, beguiling Gothic horror, an impeccable cast, and an emotional journey that packs a wallop, 'The First Omen' stands strong on its own (...) Rating: ★★★★ (out of 5)"
		Kyle Turner Slant	"Stevenson atomizes all the darkness and the light within ourselves (...) Rating: ★★★ (out of 4)"
		William Bibbiani The Wrap	"An Extreme and Tedious Story (...) a grotesque yet uninteresting film (...) but Nell Tiger Free does her weird job well and Arkasha Stevenson proves she can turn brutality into artsiness and, with a more interesting story, probably into fascinating art"
		Wendy Ide The Guardian	"Director Arkasha Stevenson can’t match the scares of the 1976 classic, but her decent chiller can still make the skin crawl (...) Rating: ★★★ (out of 5)"
		Witney Seibold SlashFilm	"Bleak, severe, and awesome, 'The First Omen' is the best horror movie of the year so far"
		Nick Schager The Daily Beast	"A pointless prequel beyond redemption (...) Of all the villains deserving of an origin story, Damien shouldn’t make the cut"
		Mel Valentin Screen Anarchy	"If only 'The First Omen' had been a standalone horror film, unfettered by the limitations and demands of a half-century-old series, it might have belonged in the first category and not the second"
		Pete Hammond Deadline	"Although this is a well-worn genre, and the Omen franchise is nearing a half-century old now, the Italian setting and an excellent cast make this all worthwhile for fans looking to see how it all began"
		Kristy Puchko Mashable	"[It] offers generous splashes of gore, jump scared, and dread. So if you're seeing something more spooky than scary, or more haunting than horrifying, this religious thriller will scratch that itch with a long, putrid claw"
		Terry Staunton Radio Times	"The new film is a solidly crafted if frequently pedestrian story which is never short on atmosphere (...) Rating: ★★★ (out of 5)"
		Ross Bonaime Collider	"A smart, unsettling revamp of the classic horror franchise (...) Arkasha Stevenson's prequel gets under your skin with uncomfortable scenes that won't leave you any time soon"
		Patrice Witherspoon Screen Rant	"[It] contains the scary elements from the classics and creative upgrades, resulting in a hit for the horror genre and The Omen franchise (...) Rating: ★★★★ (out of 5)"
		Tim Robey Telegraph	"Sorry, but the Antichrist deserves better than this (...) This traces the run-up to Damien’s birth, but by the time Jerry Goldsmith’s score finally returns, it’s too little real darkness, too late (...) Rating: ★★ (out of 5)"
		Mary Beth McAndrews Dread Central	"An upsetting and necessary tale about abuse in the Church (...) Rating: ★★★★ (out of 5)"
		Noah Berlatsky Chicago Reader	"This is a heartfelt, angry film whose exploitation genre beats can’t conceal a core of real hurt, betrayal, accusation, and maybe even—in the suggestion of sisterhood and resistance—hope"
		Donald Clarke Irish Times	"It hardly needs to be said that, as it goes on –the film loses coherence (...) But, coming a year or so after that catastrophic 'Exorcist' sequel, 'The First Omen' feels a lot better than it needed to be (...) Rating: ★★★ (out of 5)"

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