Reviews
‘The First Omen’ Review – A Haunting, Powerful Prequel Worthy of the Horror Classic
Richard Donner’s The Omen begins June 6, at 6 am in Rome, with the birth of the Antichrist and his adoption into an affluent American family. Damien Thorn’s birth and subsequent reign of terror, preordained by franchise canon, make approaching a prequel to a heralded horror classic a daunting task. Director Arkasha Stevenson makes it look effortless with The First Omen, a masterclass in form matched by its compelling horror and characters.
The First Omen, set in 1971, follows American novitiate Margaret Daino (“Servant” star Nell Tiger Free) as she’s sent to Rome to work in an orphanage before she takes the veil. As Margaret adapts to not just her new vocation but an entirely new country and a city in the throes of unrest, she finds herself drawn to socially withdrawn orphan Carlita (Nicole Sorace). It’s through her bond with and concern for Carlita that Margaret notices something amiss within the convent. It unlocks a fiercely guarded conspiracy involving the birth of the Antichrist that leaves her questioning her faith; and puts her life in the balance.
Nell Tiger Free as Margaret in 20th Century Studios’ THE FIRST OMEN. Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios. © 2024 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.
Visually, The First Omen impresses for the way it captures the period and Gothic atmosphere. It’s not just the soft lighting and sepia hues that evoke the early ’70s setting but the rich details from production designer Eve Stewart (Eternals) and costume designer Paco Delgado (Death on the Nile). It’s also in the way that Stevenson packs the frame with extras; this vision of Rome is picturesque, lively, and bustling, as it should be. It all lends a sense of scale, dropping the meek Margaret into a large city with few allies.
The screenplay by Tim Smith & Stevenson and Keith Thomas takes great care in handling its ties to the original film. There are obvious callbacks and relevant plot details, from the convent itself to Father Brennan, now played by horror stalwart Ralph Ineson. However, Stevenson finds inspired ways to expand beyond any limitations imposed by The Omen. For example, Mark Korven’s piercing score harkens back to Jerry Goldsmith’s Oscar-winning score with its haunting choir vocals and the inclusion of “Ave Satani.” But Stevenson ensures it’s even more unsettling here in the way the score becomes diegetic sound, its haunting vocals interacting with and tormenting Margaret in parts.
Ralph Ineson as Father Brennan in 20th Century Studios’ THE FIRST OMEN. Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios. © 2023 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.
Then there’s the matter of the Jackal; how The First Omen interprets the lore behind Damien’s birth is nothing short of incredible. Through this symbolic interpretation, The First Omen explores thematically heavy themes of sexual abuse within the Church without getting overly heavy-handed, thanks to its stunning vision of body horror. The subject matter is dark, but it’s handled with elegance and care without sacrificing the horror. It’s helped by chill-inducing imagery and smart horror influences, including Jacob’s Ladder and Possession.
The film’s strongest asset, of course, is Nell Tiger Free. The First Omen dedicates itself to delivering complex characters with rooting interest (or not), ensuring a compelling, robust arc for Margaret that transforms her from timid, sweet nun-to-be into a panic-stricken but resolute woman determined to thwart her superiors’ plans for destruction. Free fully commits to every stage of her character’s evolution, turning in a breathless physical performance that stuns on more than one occasion.
While The First Omen can’t completely avoid its prequel constraints, with certain plot elements easier to guess in advance for fans of the original, it does expand the story and offer new avenues for the franchise’s future. 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. Arkasha Stevenson doesn’t just helm a prequel worthy of Richard Donner’s classic but establishes herself as a bold new voice in horror.
The First Omen releases in theaters on April 5, 2024.
Reviews
‘Penny Lane is Dead’ Review: A Bloody Ozploitation Throwback Fueled by Punk Rock Energy [Fantasia 2026]
A cruel birthday prank leads to Ozploitation levels of violence and bloodshed in Penny Lane is Dead, the raucous horror-comedy feature debut by writer-director Mia’Kate Russell. A vicious ’80s throwback with a modern sapphic lens becomes the energetic canvas for Russell to make the leap from makeup artist to director, which means an infectiously unhinged dedication to practical effects. It’s that stellar effects work, along with a winsome punk rock heroine, that carries this bloody horror-comedy far even when its villains descend into grating cartoon territory.
Everything is rosy for popular girl Penny Lane (Bailey Spalding) in the summer of 1986. She’s celebrating her final days of high school with friends Toni (Tahlee Faraday) and Amy (Alexandra Jensen) at a remote family cabin before setting off to the college of her dreams. Penny is also riding the highs of her new secret romantic relationship with Toni; not even the naive and tender-hearted Amy is aware. Her good mood prompts her to also invite her family’s black sheep: cousin Kat (Sophia Wright-Mendelsohn, daughter of actor Ben Mendelsohn).
Though the trio braces themselves for Kat’s bad mood, she instead comes with cupcakes and a smile. It’s all a ruse; Kat gleefully sets about making Toni and Amy uncomfortable as Penny falls unconscious to her spiked treat. When Toni ejects her for the party foul, Kat then turns to criminal boyfriend Angus (Ben O’Toole) to crash the party. It transforms a night of intended revelry into a harrowing fight to survive.
Russell fully embraces B-movie, Ozploitation chaos, putting her characters through the absolute wringer. Punk rock energy and free-flowing drugs for party girl Kat set off simmering tension that roars to a boil with an inciting sexual assault. From there, Russell unleashes a no-holds-barred torrent of violence that delivers no shortage of arterial spray and wince-inducing prosthetic work. It’s not just the practical effects that are cheerworthy here, but Faraday’s resolute performance as Penny’s protector that forces her into fight mode. Penny Lane is Dead is prone to forcing its characters into making dumb decisions for the sake of plot momentum, but it at least imbues Toni with the adaptable street smarts that make her a rootworthy protagonist.
Penny Lane is Dead also excels at making you loathe its detestable villains. Wright-Mendelsohn gives excellent crazy eye; there’s a sadistic, manic edge to Kat that makes her instantly unsettling and unpredictable. She doesn’t bat a (crazy) eye as her much older lover, Angus, and his unsavory henchmen Rodowsky (Fletcher Humphrys) and Merrick (Steve Le Marquand), set about hunting Toni and Amy. But by the final act, Wright-Mendelsohn’s unhinged portrayal of the young psycho stretches thin with nowhere left to go. The one-note villainess descends into cartoon mustache-twirling that an unsatisfying conclusion fails to overcome.
Not helping is the clashing tone; Penny Lane is Dead wants to be a fun romp despite broaching bleak territory. The film’s baddies do their best to channel the ’80s with larger-than-life character choices; O’Toole and Wright-Mendelsohn in particular really latched onto the enjoyment their characters derive from inflicting skin-crawling sexual violence. It’s here where Russell’s examination of genre norms grows confusing, especially as it assigns all responsibility to Kat only for the horrors inflicted upon female bodies. And it really doles out brutal punishment upon Penny, Toni, and Amy.
As a lean, mean horror siege, Penny Lane is Dead holds your attention and effectively pulls you into Toni’s bid to meet dawn with her lives and friendships intact. It’s visceral, propulsive, and a strong debut in terms of style and energy. But Russell’s explorations never venture very deep, and that punk rock energy fizzles out by the film’s end, leaving you split on whether this rape-revenge tale offers enough catharsis at the end of its zany, brutal ride.
Penny Lane is Dead made its world premiere at the 2026 Fantasia International Film Festival and releases on Shudder on August 28.
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