The Omen (1976) | 100 Movies Bucket List

 

I'd seen this film a few times before this re-watch, but it had been a good few years so I was looking forward to seeing it again.

I liked this film.

The cast of the film is great. Gregory Peck and Lee Remick are fantastic in their roles, but Henry Spencer Stephens is fantastic as Damien. The film rests on his performance and it really works because of how authentic he feels in the role.

I loved the feel of the film. You could watch two minutes of any scene and know that it's a 70s movie. In an era where a lot of films look the same, it's great to watch older movies and see how distinct they feel to their decade.

It's really well written - the way things are teased out slowly is really impactful. As the viewer, due to how iconic the movie is, even on a first watch we know exactly who and what Damien is. But the fun of the film is seeing the people around him, particularly his parents, figuring things out.

The horrors are created really well. The scariest thing about the film is not knowing what will happen next, not knowing who is in danger, not knowing how things with Damien will end. Rather than the scares being overt, they're subtle and build over time.

It gets to a point where the film feels longer than it needs to, which doesn't say great things about the pacing, considering the film is just under two hours long. There are some slow moments here and there, but thankfully they don't slow the film down completely.

But that being said, the further we get, the more intense the film is. Whether you know the ending or not, each time is just as entertaining as the first time you see it.

And speaking of the ending, I loved that it didn't play safe or try to give an unrealistic happy ending. It really works, and if the ending had been happy, the film wouldn't be as iconic as it is.

This is definitely one to check out if you're a horror fan. There have been a few sequels and remakes but there's nothing like the original.