"The First Omen" is a prequel to the original 1976 film "The Omen." This new film stars Nell Tiger Free as Margaret and Ralph Ineson as Father Brennen. This film captures the good and the evil of the nuns within a church in Rome.
Synopsis
An American young woman named Margaret is brought to Rome to start a life of ministry to the church. Still, she discovers a horrifying plot intended to bring about the incarnation of evil and is confronted with a darkness that makes her doubt her faith.
This church is full of orphaned little girls who are shown the life of ministry. Margaret comes to this church to have an opportunity to receive her vows and become a nun. This mission soon ends due to the mysterious things happening within the church.
Margaret begins to question everything about her morals and the church. During this time, Father Brennen finds Margaret and convinces her to help him uncover the evilness within the church. This film has satanic rituals and demonic creature-like spirits.
Highs
The acting from Free as Margaret performs phenomenally, showcasing her emotions and braveness throughout the film. The scenes when she is confronted show the determination to keep the evil from capturing innocent little girls. Her character Margaret is this quiet young girl on a mission to become a nun who slowly turns into this courageous woman prepared to sacrifice her life for another girl. In the scenes where she had to become possessed, her acting was amazing; it showed the demonic creature taking possession of her body.
Rome, a stunning city, serves as the setting and effects for the movie, which is another highlight. Something is unsettling about the church that feels like a mental institution. The movie has some insane special effects that give it a very lifelike appearance. In addition to certain moments during the rituals, it gave off an unsettling feeling.
The acting of Ineson as Father Brennen was also perfect with his concern and as the good character in the film. Not all priests are evil; he provides this protectiveness of Margaret, which adds to the story.
Nicole Sorace has an outstanding performance as the main young child Carlita, despite her fearful demeanor. When all the sisters oppose her and keep her apart, she doesn't mean any damage. Her bond with Margaret is consoling, and she is courageous in her refusal to give up on them. Margaret takes every precaution to keep Carlita safe from harm and looks out for her like a sister would.
Lows
Some scenes are very graphic. Also, the plot can be a little unclear at first, but by the conclusion, everything starts to make sense.
There are individuals, including Sister Silvia, the lead nun in charge of the church, who would be annoying to deal with. In the movie, she causes more harm than good with her domineering demeanor.
Margaret's life story before her affiliation with the church needs to have been well documented. Furthermore, there had to have been more sequences in which Father Brennen interacted with members of the church. It was riskier for Margaret to find the evil within the church on her own.
Verdict
The acting and storyline of this movie made it a flawless nun horror movie; there weren't many weak points.
Rating: 8 out 10
Mariam Fakhreddine is a film and theater reviewer for The Eastern Echo. She has worked as a news and features reporter for The Echo for two years.
