The Omen
Release Date:
June 6, 2006
On the Big Board |
| Position |
Staff |
In Brief |
| 71/76 |
Dan Krovich |
Unnecessary remake a chore to sit through. |
| 108/159 |
David Mumpower |
Great casting cannot overcome a series of stolid movie cliches. |
It's been nearly a quarter-century since the "final conflict", but the Omen is returning to the big screen for another round nonetheless.
In the first film, Gregory Peck portrayed a U.S. ambassador whose wife gave birth to a stillborn child. Unbeknownst to her, he substitutes another child and their raise it as their own. After a few years pass, some horrible deaths begin to surround the family. The boy's nanny hangs herself, and a priest is speared to death in what seems to be a freak accident. Soon, the discovery is made that the child, Damien, is the son of Satan.
Seven years pass before the events of the second film, where a 13-year-old Damien is learning who he really is and uncovering his true destiny. Residing with his aunt, uncle and cousin in an affluent Chicago suburb, Damien is excited to inherit *everything*. As Ambassador Thorn learned that his son was the anti-Christ, he took it upon himself to try to kill the child. Now, Damien's uncle must try to "finish the job."
He's unsuccessful, of course, because the third (and supposedly final) film in the trilogy revolved around a 30-something Damien who is the CEO of a big multinational corporation and the ambassador of England. He wants much more, though - control of the entire world. The only possible obstacle in his quest for domination are seven monks who are sworn to destroy the anti-Christ with daggers created expressly for that reason. As they hunt him, Damien orders the systematic elimination of all recently born boys.
Dan McDermott has now been hired to write the screenplay for The Omen, which will update the events in the original film for a 21st century approach. John Moore (Behind Enemy Lines) directs the film. The movie is an update of the Gregory Peck portion of the tale, starring Liev Schreiber and Julia Stiles. Release has been cleverly scheduled for June 6, 2006 or 6/6/6. (Kim Hollis/BOP)
