Review: The Omen (2006)

A bleh remake.

★½

It's an unfaithful remake of the 1976 film. It adds little to the film and tells the story in the most boring way possible. The actors talk like they're a block of wood, nobody cares for each other, and the dialogue is bad. This is no way to honor the film for its 30th anniversary. Fox could've re-released the original and it would've done fine.

The pacing is sluggish, making the film feel much longer than its actual runtime. Even the action scenes lack intensity, failing to engage the audience meaningfully. The cinematography, despite some attempts at flair, often feels flat and uninspired. This is disappointing because the original had such a unique energy and depth. This remake seems entirely devoid of the charm and nuance that made the 1976 film memorable.

The original was scarier because it actually built tension. But here, these characters are so horrible that you will actually route for Damien. Which is bad cause he's literally the son of the devil.

The deaths and "spooky" scenes are fake and unrealistic. Watching them does not provide tension or a sense of horror. Did this director forget that this was a horror movie? Apparently so, but he didn't forget that this was going to be released in 2006. It's so painfully obvious that it's from 2006. The shaky came, the coloring, the art direction, the technology, Damien playing a video game, etc. That was more distracting than the actual film itself.

This film serves as a prime example of why we should avoid remaking great classics, especially since you can easily find copies in both physical and digital formats almost anywhere. If you’re one of those who refuses to watch classic movies simply because “they’re old,” then you might benefit from some psychological therapy.

I’m curious about Richard Donner’s opinion on this remake. He likely disliked it, as many others did.