Review of The Omen (1976) by James G — 24 Mar 2011

In the era of 'The Exorcist', 'Rosemary's Baby' and, in some ways, 'The Wicker Man', it was no mean feat to create a fresh or original horror film based on Satanic rituals or the Devil without it being branded a poor imitation so, that it does just this, 'The Omen' is well-deserved of its reputation as a classic horror experience. The film, unlike so many horror movies of the last thirty years, contains that perfect mix of strong plotting, dedicated and interesting actors / characters and a seriousness about it that, irrespective of how ludicrous you might find the concept and background of the story, sucks you in and allows you to suspend your disbelief and enjoy what can only be described as an excellent film.

The plot, I'll admit, isn't the most complex or detailed I've seen, not by a long shot, but the beauty of it lies both in its simplicity and the way in which it's executed. The pacing is near perfect - it's consistent and compelling throughout and at no point should you find yourself getting bored because there is always something to focus on. Admittedly, the opening ten to fifteen minutes aren't great and the foundations are laid rather clumsily, drenched in a syrupy sentimentality that doesn't fit the rest of the film at all. The use of the pictures to show the passing of time could have been a neat trick but instead comes off as cheap and a bit nauseating frankly but the performances of Peck and Remick are strong enough to keep you interested. The scripting, too, is somewhat contrived and out of sync with the rest of the film in the opening scenes and it's a shame that the foundations weren't a bit stronger. It's easy to see that the film is trying to get us to like the characters at this early stage but there are so many better ways in which this could have been done and it does let the film down a tad.

However, once the practicalities of laying these foundations down have passed, the rest of the film is a blinding success. What the next ninety minutes do is provide an acting experience that is intense but not overdramatic and a script that is interesting but not too preachy, all covered in a wonderfully eerie atmospheric blanket that gives its audience a feeling of unease and uncertainty throughout. Each of the four major characters (excluding Kathy, who in many ways simply acts as filler - albeit, thanks to Lee Remick, well acted filler) is well fleshed out and Patrick Troughton's portrayal of Father Brennan in particular is Oscar-worthy. Equally, Billie Whitelaw's Mrs. Baylock is terrifying in her vulnerability, as a seemingly harmless woman who turns out to be a vicious Satan-worshipper. Were it not for the strong performances of the actors, these characters could well have come across as ridiculous and unbelievable.

However, it is impossible to sing the praises of a film such as 'The Omen' without mentioning the stunning soundtrack and musical arrangement of Jerry Goldsmith. From the daunting 'Ave Satani' chants of the opening credits to the chilling final scene, the music complements the concept of the plot and the eerie scenery beautifully and, without it, the film wouldn't be anywhere near as scary as it actually is. The scene in the graveyard in which Thorn and Jennings (David Warner) are attacked by dogs is made by the soundtrack that accompanies it.

What 'The Omen' does, essentially, is take an inaccessible concept and make it accessible for a modern audience, with unparalleled success. It isn't overly reliant on biblical imagery and the interpretations of Revelations utilised in the film are both inventive and intriguing enough to maintain the audience's interest. At no point does the film become preachy. It knows what it is and it sticks to it - it's a horror film at the end of the day, it's designed to scare. The fact that it does this so well is what makes it excel in comparison to most others in its genre and, without a doubt, it is one of a number of 70s horror films that deserves the recognition and admiration it gets today.

Overall - 83%.