Movies News Talk
The First Omen's rising popularity is highlighting a more general double standard in the Horror genre as it begins to find fresh life following its original theatrical run. Already under pressure to live up to the legend of the original film, The original Omen was a prequel to one of the most watched horror movies of all time. Thanks mostly to its fresh new viewpoint, the film pushed the franchise in creative new areas even while it maintained mostly loyal to the tone and narrative of the 1976 horror classic.
The First Oven can nevertheless be regarded as a success despite its rather disappointing box office performance (only $53.7 million against a $30 million budget). Not only was it well-received by critics (registering 81% good reviews according to Rotten Tomatoes – the second-highest in the series), but the general audience gave it a 69% score, so underscoring its popularity all around. This reception makes the addition to The Omen series welcome. Beyond this, though, the first numbers and release background of The First Omen expose an intriguing hypocrisy at the core of Horror.
Unlike other series, The First Omen brings visceral Body Horror to the concept while also concentrating on the female viewpoint - focusing around Margaret Nell Tiger Free. The Omen films used to depend on random flashes of startling violence following a lengthy build-up of tension. Though they are frightening, events like Father Troughton's unforgettable decapitation and the nanny's hanging death should not cause one to obsess about the degree of the injuries or savor physical suffering. The First Omen adopts a different strategy by contrast.
Although the original Omen also addressed themes of motherhood, The First Omen presents the issue in a totally uncompromising manner, concentrating on the bodily involved. Rather, for the first time, the film presents Cronenbergian body terror to the series, vividly during its two terrible birth scenes. Margaret has an involuntary cesarean to deliver the antichrist in one; another witnesses a devilish hand show up from a vagina. Although the original Omen also addressed themes of motherhood, The First Omen presents the issue in a totally uncompromising manner, concentrating on the bodily involved. Margaret's centering in the movie makes The First Omen a legitimately female-led Body Horror, offering a somewhat distinct viewpoint for the franchise.
Under female supervision and with female characters, the First Omen's approach stands out as quite different from many of the most unforgettable events from body horror history. Under male directors, male heroes often take front stage in iconic body horror films as Videodrome, Re-Animator, The Fly, and Society. Though there are several notable exceptions—especially in the modern canon owing to directors like Julia Ducournau—it is still somewhat rare to find a body horror tale both made by and starring women.
This mix, together with the graphic material of The First Omen, makes for an intriguing case study on how body horror is more frequently seen. It also draws attention to a possible disparity in opinions regarding initiatives run under male and female leadership. For many male-centric body horrors, for instance, even the most graphic violence hardly ever yields more than an R-rating. By comparison, although none of The First Omen's delivery scenes is particularly violent, the film had to deal with an NC-17 rating without significant changes – specifically to the vaginal hand sequence.
Director Arkasha Stevenson said in an interview with Fangoria how she spent a year and a half "fighting for that shot with censors – despite it being central to the theme of the film." The First Omen's producer, David S. Goyer, emphasized the hypocrisy even further when he told Fangoria: "I do think there's a Double Standard; the movie deals with female body horror by nature. That was quite fascinating while we were bargaining with the ratings board. Dealing with masculine heroes, especially in body horror, I believe there is more permissibility.
Perhaps this explains why viewers and critics responded differently to The First Omen: it explores the gloom of the human condition and addresses delicate issues. Though the movie had negative reviews, Rotten Tomatoes gave it a 69% audience score, suggesting that many people liked it. Watching the movie is interesting and a daring investigation of the ideas of parenting and faith.
The fact that directors may fight such a struggle to include disturbing images of birth, contrasting to more permissive elements allowed elsewhere, simultaneously exposes an ugly truth inside the business and shows what makes The First Omen effective. The Omen is, on first look, a tale about religion. But in highlighting the female viewpoint, The First Omen blends this main idea with a more general message about parenting and the female experience. This makes watching it far more rich and fulfilling.
Stevenson herself has underlined how fundamental this idea is. She said in her Fangoria interview: "That's the idea behind our movie. It is the feminine body assaulted from the inside outwards. Should we discuss female body horror, we would discuss forced reproduction and must be able to present the female body in a non-sexualized perspective. For many body horror films, this is unusual ground and could help to explain why The First Omen lacked a sizable theater audience. Still, regardless of its box office performance, investigating these provocative concepts clearly helped The First Omen transcend conventional prequel territory.
Examining challenging issues and the sinister side of religion, the First Omen is an intriguing movie. Long after you have watched it, this movie will stick with you. Should you enjoy the horror subgenre, The First Omen is absolutely must-see movie.