Nuns and horror films, an interesting – and recurring – phenomenon.
The most recent addition in the nun sub-genre is “The First Omen,” a film about a nun who faces supernatural forces and demonic presence. This film was similar to “Immaculate,” another religious horror released last month.
This being the most recent installment in the six-part series, “The First Omen” tells the story of sister Margaret after arriving in Rome during 1971. She begins to experience creepy (demonic, even) activity around her new convent. The weird happenings around Margaret challenge her faith, and eventually lead her to rather misfortunate circumstances (circumstances similar to the child-rearing and corrupt church officials also seen in “Immaculate”).
“The First Omen” was released in theaters on April 5; as of April 6, Rotten Tomatoes rated it 80% on the Tomatometer scale. It was directed by Arkasha Stevenson, who previously directed the short film “Vessels.” 20th Century Studios distributed the film; “The First Omen” is a prequel to “The Omen,” a 1976 film also distributed by 20th Century Studios.
There were many shockingly disturbing moments throughout the film, and there were many scenes throughout that felt heavily inspired by other horror classics. Certain camera shots seemed reminiscent of “The Exorcist,” and one scene felt like a rendition of Isabelle Adjani’s iconic performance in “Possession.”
It seems like there’s been a recent influx of supernatural horror films surrounding religion. According to film theory, horror films are reflections of prevalent societal fears. Without giving too much away about films like “The Last Omen” or “Immaculate,” current horror film producers are drawn to fears surrounding pregnancy and corrupt higher-ups. This can be interpreted many different ways, but I see these films as relevant to current political and social climates.
I enjoy horror films about nuns and paranormal activity, such as “The Nun” series, but I did not love this film. Especially after watching “Immaculate,” just last week, I found Sydney Sweeney’s portrayal of a distressed nun to be much better and more entertaining than the works in “The First Omen.” I’d give this film two out of five stars (compared to four stars for “Immaculate”).
Walking out of the theater I thought there would be a sequel based on the cliffhanger-like ending. However, after realizing it was a prequel, there may not be any new installments in the series for a long while – I hope. Plus, spring is here! “The First Omen” would be a better fit for the Halloween season.