"Reel Reviews: ‘The First Omen’ could lead to worthwhile reboot for ‘Omen’ franchise" by: Jessica Shepard

   When I caught the initial trailer for “The First Omen” I had to go back and review what I knew of the original movie franchise.
  After all, this newest release is set as a prequel before 1976’s “The Omen” even graced the silver screen.
  Come to find out, First is actually the sixth movie made in the entire franchise and I honestly didn’t know there were that many.
  Still, I was curious to see how they’d portray prequel events during the early 70s in Italy – especially since it seems like such a niche moment of time to be showcased.
  Overall, I think it’s a strong entry into the franchise and not for the faint of heart due to some unsettling graphics.
  I also believe it might even pave the way for a full reboot if the key plotlines stay consistent.
  First is a supernatural horror film directed by Arkasha Stevenson, who co-wrote the screenplay with Tim Smith and Keith Thomas from a story by Ben Jacoby.
  The film stars Nell Tiger Free, Tawfeek Barhom, Sônia Braga, Ralph Ineson, Charles Dance, Tawfeek Barhom, Maria Caballero, Nicole Sorace, Andrea Arangeli, Ishtar Currie-Wilson, and Bill Nighy.
  While it clocks in at 119 minutes long the movie is rated R for violent content, grisly/disturbing images, and brief graphic nudity.
  Father Brennan (Ineson) presses Father Harris (Dance) about an occult conspiracy to bring about the Antichrist; the shaken Harris gives Brennan a photograph of a baby with the name “Scianna” inscribed on it.
  Harris is then killed when a falling pipe splits his head open.
  In 1971 Rome, amid left-wing protests, American novitiate Margaret Daino (Free) arrives at the Vizzardeli Orphanage.
  She meets with Cardinal Lawrence (Nighy), Father Gabriel (Barhom), Abess Sister Silvia (Braga), her roommate and fellow novitiate Luz (Caballero), nun Anjelica (Wilson) and orphan Carlita Scianna (Sorace).
  Luz invites Margaret to a disco, where she dances with a man named Paolo (Arcangeli) before blacking out; she awakens the next day with no memory of what happened.
  She bonds with the mistreated orphan Carlita, who is plagued by bad visions.
  Margaret spots Carlita showing Anjelica a drawing of a pregnant woman being restrained; moments later Anjelica self-immolates and hangs herself.
  Father Brennan warns her about Carlita, saying “evil things” will happen around her.
  Brennan explains that radicals within the church, desperate to regain power against the rise of secularism, seek to bring about the Antichrist to create fear and drive people back to the church, with Carlita intended to be his mother.
  During a field trip, a riot breaks out and Margaret experiences demonic hallucinations.
  Sister Silvia postpones Margaret’s vows and orders her to distance herself from Carlita for her own peace of mind, but Margaret refuses.
  After, Margaret spots Paolo in town and chases after him only to be horrified when he tells her to “look for the mark” before an oncoming truck fatally impales him.
  Margaret sneaks into Sister Silvia’s office where she uncovers a hidden, underground chamber and a series of subject files, all labeled with the name “Scianna” and a number.
  From there, things don’t get any easier for Margaret as the movie progresses, and be prepared for the unsettling atmosphere to get worse, too.
  However, I think the film stayed true to the initial plot of the original Omen movie and is worth watching on the big screen.