THE OMEN

The son of Robert Thorn, an important American diplomat, is born dead. Father Spiletto, a priest at the hospital, proposes to Thorn to adopt a child born at the same time as his son, but whose mother died in childbirth, and to do it without anyone knowing, including his wife Katherine. Thorn accepts. The years pass, the child, named Damien, grows up without ever getting sick, but begins to exhibit strange behaviors. On the day of Damien's fifth birthday, the nanny hangs herself and Thorn is contacted by Father Brennan who warns the man of the possibility that his son is actually the son of the Devil. Meanwhile, the Thorns hire a new governess, Mrs. Baylock, who shows from the beginning an attachment that is far too obsessive for little Damien. From there to shortly, a series of strange events and mysterious deaths will lead Robert Thorn to consider the demonic nature of the child as true. Preceded by an imposing advertising campaign, "Omen - The Omen" arrives in theaters worldwide on 06-06-06, a faithful remake of the 1976 film of the same name directed by Richard Donner. The first question the viewer asks after watching the new "Omen - The Omen" is: "Why was it necessary to make it?". The answer is rather obvious: an announced economic success. In fact, the film, which earned almost 13 million dollars in the United States alone on its first day of release, follows the prototype in a too faithful way, adding just a few dreamlike scenes (still avoidable), a sequence at the zoo and obvious references to current events, ranging from the war in the Middle East to the tsunami in Southeast Asia. Effective, although rather predictable, are the links between the signs announcing the Apocalypse and the current political and social situation, which in some cases even manage to be tinged with sarcastic semi-satirical jabs. As could be obvious, if one proceeds with a direct comparison with the original "The Omen", this remake would lose sonorously on all fronts, from a rather anonymous direction by John Moore that has absolutely nothing to do with the magnificent performance that Donner had given in his film; to a rather unmemorable soundtrack by Marco Beltrami, far from the suggestive and unsettling soundtrack of the previous film. So let's set aside uncomfortable comparisons and see what "Omen - The Omen" can offer the modern viewer. First of all, we are faced with an excellent cast that sees the good Liev Schreiber (the "Scream" trilogy and "The Manchurian Candidate") in the role of Robert Thorn, the good David Thewlis ("The Lost Island", "Timeline") in the role of photographer Jennings, the unconvincing Julia Stiles ("Save the Last Dance") in the role of Katherine Thorn and Mia Farrow in the new role of the demonic governess, in an ironic counterpoint to what had been her most famous role, that is, young mother of the Antichrist in "Rosemary's Baby". To portray little Damien we can admire Seamus Davey Fitzpatrick, sufficiently unsettling in his coldness and oxymoronic angelicity; with great surprise appears Giovanni Lombardo Radice ("Fear in the City of the Dead", "The House Lost in the Park") in the role of Father Spiletto. Particular merit must be given to the suggestive sets (the scenes in Subiago and Cerveteri are scary) and the beautiful photography of Jonathan Sela. As for emotional involvement, this "Omen - The Omen" manages to alternate in a functional way scenes of stasis with adrenaline rushes, characterized mainly by the well-made splatter deaths and the sudden dreamlike flashes capable, on more than one occasion, of making the viewer jump out of his seat thanks to the now tried-and-true alternation of sound plans. So, how to evaluate "Omen - The Omen" version 2006? For the more demanding viewer, who has already witnessed the adventures of Damien from the 70s, the comparison with the prototype and the impression of general uselessness of the operation, caused by an obvious sense of déjà-vu, will be inevitable, although he cannot deny this film a formal impeccability of a "series A" product. For the viewer who, on the other hand, finds himself for the first time facing the story of the little Antichrist, this film could even turn out to be a little gem, considering the various merits listed above. Therefore, very suitable for the young generations of horror lovers who have not yet tasted the great film by Donner; a little less for the more demanding nostalgics.