IR Film Review: THE FIRST OMEN [20th Century Studios]
The aspect of a horror film needs to create dread while also being acary psychologically and not just in a gore context. "The First Omen", despite treading some of the same ground as "Immaculate", accomplishes this admirably creating a sense of old school with its shooting style and tone (while being set in the early 70s in Rome) while also not pulling back and making the characters unbelievable. There is a certain texture of disbelief but writer/director Arkasha Stevenson knows how to make the film work and the story keys into a story that a female director with a sense of the macabre but also the mindset can accomplish.
Nell Tiger Free as Margaret fares much better than say Sydney Sweeney because,despite being in "Game Of Thrones" when she was younger, Free is more of a fresh face which allows the audience to invest in her path and journey without any pre-conceptions. In addition, the setting is exactly where you think it is, and takes into account the mythology of what is going on. It is in its right place...but how one gets there is nicely paced and built. Stevenson uses a great misdirect to propel this but also establishes the empathy needed. The body horror aspect is of course part of the element of dysmorphia that propels the endgame. The men are on the periphery but the conspiracy is pushed just as much by the women. The reasoning is sound though some of the details and motivations of certain characters don't connect. The build is what is important. It focuses more on Margaret's journey but doesn't go so far ("Immaculate" had a different trajectory) as to completely alienate the audience.
The balance of possibility of escape and the forces behind what is being done culminates in an interesting car chase but the reckoning (shot in a very interesting way and Tiger Free really sells it along with some digital help) harks back to the old horror movies of the late 70s. The music reflects this and the fact that it seems that this was shot (from what has been said and what is online) in 35mm definitely makes a difference in the depth of field and certain soft shots. The foreshadowing of course is there throughout the movie but because the movie allows it to build but not make it too short or too long, the film finds its right balance. Also having some interesting character actors like Bill Nighy and Sonia Braga in the circle sells the intent and pedigree. The final coda is quite intense but again moves well in the mythology without making it too overblown despite being dark. "The First Omen" does a lot right. It might be too much for most audiences for a mainstream movie but it does its job with pinache, style, old school storytelling and quite a bit of dread. A-
By Tim Wassberg
