Reply With Quotelooking forward to this ...hope i see my birthday on the 7th
Taking its premise directly from the Book of Revelation, The Omen tells the story of a couple raising a young boy who is apparently destined to grow up to destroy the world. With the original now widely regarded as a classic, this remake attempts to update the tale and set it in the twenty first century. The difficulty it faces is that the subject matter itself, and the manner of its presentation, are now distinctly old fashioned. In sticking so closely to the style of the original it is likely to appeal only to those people who would be happy to watch an older film anyway, and there’s no good reason for them to choose this version in preference. Whilst it is by no means a bad film, it's hard to see why anybody thought this remake necessary.
Despite a different interpretation of the signs presaging Armageddon (ironically highlighting just how many things have the potential to be interpreted that way) and a few ironic comments on modern American politics, there's little to make this film stand apart from the original; haircut aside, even the child in the central role looks much the same. The imagery which the original made famous seems to have become as indispensable and iconic as the ancient religious imagery on which the film depends. Younger viewers, however, may find the central couple more accessible as characters. Liev Schreiber, in particular, manages to convince as a confused modern man despite the limitations placed on him by the form of the narrative. David Thewlis is reliable as ever as the photojournalist who helps him, and the relationship between the two men is well played, vital as it becomes to the father's motivation. The casing of Mia Farrow as the Satanic nanny ("I have nearly forty years' experience looking after children") is a cute nod to Rosemary’s Baby, but she's a little too overtly creepy to make the role work—in this paranoid age it’s harder to see why a mother would risk leaving her child with someone she knows so little about. Though messages now arrive by email, nobody seems to be using the Internet for research, despite it being an obvious tool. Other technological changes, like mobile phones, are underexplored, and still nobody seems to have noticed that one of the methods of murder used in the film, neat though it is, wouldn’t actually work.
Despite these problems, there’s plenty about this film that is worth watching. The cinematography is beautiful, with wind- and rain-swept landscapes particularly impressive. The music works well without being overwhelming. Early on in the film, it’s easy to believe that nothing supernatural is going on, with the three leads providing a solid portrait of day-to-day family life which helps the viewer to understand the father’s crisis of conscience later on. Little hints that something disturbing is happening build up well, though the film never really grips the way it should. Too many of its scares are of the bursting-a-paper-bag variety and at one point it descends into a pitiful reliance on prosthetic gore. Nevertheless, it is quite effective in presenting the supernatural to a cynical modern audience. It would be a very impressive piece of work if somebody else hadn’t done it better already.
The Omen is released on 06/06/06, rated 15
First published on IOFilm.
Last edited by Potatojunkie; 8th June 2006 at 8:34pm.
looking forward to this ...hope i see my birthday on the 7th
that's the reason, just for the release date.. rather bad reason..Originally Posted by Jennie_Kermode
Recently Mr. T considered becoming Emo, he then realized the folly of this, as he would in fact have to pity himself.
www.myspace.com/cursivehearts
Agreed.
I have a choice to see this or This Is Spinal Tap (which I have seen so many times I can pretty much quote the film line for line) on Tuesday (6/6/06) at my local Cineworld.
Despite 18 years of watching Spinal Tap far too regularly I will still be seeing this over The Omen remake on Tuesday. I may watch this at some point though.
I want to teach the world, but not a song.
I need to tell them where they're going wrong:
To trust to serendipity not fate:
To just believe your heart and conjugate.
I think it was date first, idea after.
It just wont be the same without Patrick Troughton!
Says who? I suspect a site that wasn't built to deal with films that come out on days that aren't Fridays.
edit: so sorry, Slovenia. No soup for you.
looking forward to seeing this.
definately seeing
already got a date for it
I quite fancy this, but will probably be a solo trip as I've been hit with a big "naw" from the majority of my friends.
yeah my friends to, finally got my friend tom to say hed go with me taking i him cause anything scares him shitless and i love to see him squrim!
going tomorrow night for my birthday
Final Destination.
That's what this was, with lots of red, a micro-scooter, a dog, and a father who can't act.
It wasn't even scary, at all.
The fact we had to go to Parkhead to watch it was scarier than the actual movie.
That's not to mention the fact that the woman had her mobiel phone on in hospital, the dad was allowed on a plane carrying a bagfull of knives, and he was drining with no lights on...I could go on.
You just lost The Game
If animal trapped call 844-6286
well this sucks i have plans for seeing this tonight!
Eek, a bit too hyped then. Will still probably go and see it. Watching the channel 4 programme about how the first one was supposedly cursed. Not that scary either!
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