Thenew horror film The First Omenisnt the first Omen.

But that doesnt matter.

She spends her days in an orphanage there and soon realizes all is not what it seems.

Nell Tiger Free in The First Omen.

Nell Tiger Free in The First Omen.Image: Fox

Margaret keys in on a child named Carlita (Nicole Sorace) who has many scary, evil tendencies.

Tendencies that Margaret knows she had as a child too.

As an audience member, The First Omen makes something clear very early on.

Tiger Free and Nicole Sorace in a very Omen-looking shot.

Tiger Free and Nicole Sorace in a very Omen-looking shot.Image: Fox

One of these characters is the child of Satan and is going to give birth to the Antichrist.

And the movie delights in red herrings and clues as to which one itll be.

Ultimately though, the reveal isnt a huge shocker, but it is an important throughline to the film.

Add another franchise to the Ineson list.

Add another franchise to the Ineson list.Image: Fox

As Margaret learns more about the happenings at the orphanage, she begins to encounter increasingly scary situations.

Others push the envelope in terms of gore and taste even for modern audiences.

Youll know it when you see it and you wont soon forget it.

Screenshot: 20th Century Studios

Thats just the tip of the iceberg too.

Thats the biggest issue with The First Omen.

It rarely can keep up the tension and energy because the highs are so incredibly high.

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As a result, it never feels like a completely cohesive experience.

Even those sections are watchable though thanks in large part to Tiger Free.

The Servant stars dynamic turn sprinkles a veil of innocence over something much more complex and potentially sinister.

Image: Magnet Releasing

Its terrifying, shocking, and crucial to the story.

In the end though, The First Omen is the Nell Tiger Free and Arkasha Stevenson show.

And The First Omen accomplishes all of that.

Landscape

Could its mystery have been a little less telegraphed?

Could the tone have been a bit more even?

The First Omen is now in theaters.

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