Evil (Re)Incarnate

In the late-70s, the "Omen" franchise was the "Final Destination" of its day, fulfilling the need for audiences to see characters dispatched with Rube Goldbergian flair. The original 1976 "Omen", directed by then-TV-director Richard Donner, offered the requisite chills that come from having the Antichrist embodied in a small boy. But the sequels degenerated into schlock, culminating in 1981's "The Final Conflict" which gave us Sam Neill in the role of a grown-up Damien. With the exception of Gregory Peck in the lead role, there's little to hold dear about the original "Omen" so I don't have a problem with the idea of remaking it. But "The Omen 666", as this new version has been playfully nicknamed, does little to justify its existence.

Like the original, "The Omen 666" is written by David Seltzer who, in between Antichrist movies took a significant detour to write and direct 1986's "Lucas" (draw whatever parallels you will). His new script hits the same familiar notes: boy adopted by rich family begins to show signs of being pure evil. Nanny's suicide, check; growling Rottweiler, check; "666" birthmark wisely hidden from view, check. However, Mr. Seltzer has done little to spice up the proceedings which, if you remember the original, weren't particularly fast-paced to begin with. Perhaps recognizing the lethargic pace of the first film, Mr. Seltzer has seen fit to throw in the occasional dream sequence, accompanied by the requisite ear-splitting sound effects, to jolt the audience back to life.

Mr. Seltzer again leaves the rules of being the Antichrist awfully vague. Strange deaths surround the boy, but he seems to have no real power. Sure, black dogs love him and he can make monkeys go ape, but really what's the point of being Satan's spawn if you can't enjoy it? Harvey Stephens, who played Damien in 1976, appears as a tabloid reporter in the remake (again, draw what parallels you will). The new Damien (Seamus Davey-Fitzpatrick) does an adequate job of being smirkingly evil, but no more so than a majority of tots you'd see in any American mall.

Mia Farrow is put to interesting use as Damien's minion of a nanny, Mrs. Baylock. A quiet scene of Mrs. Baylock feeding Damien strawberries evokes more chills than a handful of cheap soundtrack shocks. David Thewlis makes the most out of the ill-fated photographer originally, and memorably, played by David Warner. But it's the casting of Julia Stiles as Damien's mother that's a real problem. A likeable actress, Ms. Stiles is far too young to be believable in the role originated by Lee Remick (who was nearly twenty years older when she took on the role). Ms. Stiles' maternal breakdowns come across more like the tantrums of Satan's big sister, not his adopted mom.

Liev Schreiber always turns in solid, if understated, performances (outside of the "Scream" series, that is), which makes him an understandable choice to fill the role of Robert Thorn, the US Ambassador to England and adopted father of the Antichrist. Mr. Schreiber does an admirable job filling Gregory Peck's shoes while adding his own energy to the role as he sees everything he holds dear turned upside down.

Director John Moore ("Behind Enemy Lines") may have an over-developed sense of reverence for his material, recreating some original scenes almost shot for shot. And that is more or less the problem with the film. I'm not a huge fan of the term "re-imagining", but if you're going to remake "The Omen", at least do something new with it. With the exception of some gratuitous news footage used to backup the Second Coming, and one very fine decapitation, there's very little to recommend about this "Omen" over the original. It's clear that the filmmakers wanted to hit a 6/6/06 release date and in that regard, at least, they succeeded.