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The Omen

Play trailer 2:16 Poster for The Omen R 1976 1h 51m Horror Mystery & Thriller Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
82% Tomatometer 65 Reviews 81% Popcornmeter 100,000+ Ratings
American diplomat Robert (Gregory Peck) adopts Damien (Harvey Stephens) when his wife, Katherine (Lee Remick), delivers a stillborn child. After Damien's first nanny hangs herself, Father Brennan (Patrick Troughton) warns Robert that Damien will kill Katherine's unborn child. Shortly thereafter, Brennan dies and Katherine miscarries when Damien pushes her off a balcony. As more people around Damien die, Robert investigates Damien's background and realizes his adopted son may be the Antichrist.

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The Omen

The Omen

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Critics Consensus

The Omen eschews an excess of gore in favor of ramping up the suspense -- and creates an enduring, dread-soaked horror classic along the way.

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Critics Reviews

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Colin Bennett The Age (Australia) 1d
But however persuasive these scenes may be, however dauntlessly the film displays the courage of its own silly conventions, by far the greatest reliance is still placed on the same old accelerating round of violent deaths... Go to Full Review
Louise Sweet Financial Times 1d
But, predictable in script and simple-minded in conception, The Omen's greatest contemporary significance is undoubtedly its commercial success with crowds of the curious in need of ever more lurid Armageddon. Go to Full Review
Richard Schickel TIME Magazine 1d
Farfetched in subject matter, but not far out in its handling of it, The Omen speaks well of the Devil —and of the virtues of solid commercial craftsmanship Go to Full Review
John Strahinich Boston Phoenix 1d
The Omen is too intent on rendering its own bizarre and ultimately banal Biblical exegesis. Unfortunately, exegesis doesn’t save. Go to Full Review
Donald McLean Bay Area Reporter 1d
If director Richard Donner had edited about 15 minutes off "The Omen," it would probably be a dandy visual thriller. As it is, the meandering plot and abundance of stale dialogue make you long for smoker gruesome death faster and faster. Go to Full Review
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Audience Reviews

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John K @WQCMI May 24 It was going well for the first half, but the 2nd half of the film was very disappointing. Although, I like Gregory Peck and Patrick Troughton. See more Bret M. @BretM-3 Apr 20 SPOILER ALERT I quite enjoyed this movie. It has the same dark, moody aesthetic of the movie The Changeling, but this movie didn’t feel as slow to me. Very early on, we’re already starting to see paranormal happenings. I also think this movie has some great kills. The priest kill is great and so is the Photographer’s. I also just love the premise of the film. The creepy demon child has been done before, but it still felt unique in a way I can’t describe. I also liked the ending. Not only the twist reveal that Damien lived, but also ending on a Bible Verse that is, essentially, what the whole movie is based on. So yeah, I like this movie quite a bit. Like previously stated, I REALLY enjoyed the dark, moody, gothic tone that the movie carries. Definitely worth watching!! See more matthias S @Thescreenasvor Apr 2 Glad I finally checked out The Omen, one of those horror classics everyone talks about. The soundtrack is absolutely insane and does so much heavy lifting—super haunting and memorable. The imagery and atmosphere never lose you, and as a fan of Richard Donner, it’s no surprise he delivers something this polished. Sure, it’s pretty predictable by today’s standards, but that doesn’t take away from how well it’s made. It’s pure craftsmanship, from the pacing to the performances. Not the scariest anymore, but still deeply effective and iconic. Definitely worth the watch if you’re into classic horror with style and substance. See more Andrew J @andrewjun10r Jan 4 "The Omen" is a masterclass in slow-burn horror, building dread through atmosphere, score, and religious paranoia rather than cheap scares. Gregory Peck delivers a restrained yet powerful performance, while the film’s ominous tone and iconic music elevate its unsettling themes. Decades later, it remains a chilling and influential classic that proves true horror lies in what you fear, not what you see. See more Mania I. @TheMania510 Nov 2 Expertly directed by Richard Donner this is a very suspenseful and clever film. Wonderfully acted and well written this movie kept me on edge and gave me an eerie feeling from start to finish. I first saw this movie when I was 9 years old and it stayed with me a lifetime. Now that I am 60 years old it's even scarier. Watch it with the lights off if you dare. The best movie in the franchise in my opinion. It was remade in 2006 and spawned three sequels and then a legacy sequel a couple years back. This is by far the best of them all. See more Zeferino P. @Z6fP6ral6s Nov 2 I don’t see what others are seeing in this movie It definitely didn’t age well Totally my opinion though Im sure someone believes this belongs on a top list but not me See more Read all reviews
The Omen

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Movie Info

Synopsis American diplomat Robert (Gregory Peck) adopts Damien (Harvey Stephens) when his wife, Katherine (Lee Remick), delivers a stillborn child. After Damien's first nanny hangs herself, Father Brennan (Patrick Troughton) warns Robert that Damien will kill Katherine's unborn child. Shortly thereafter, Brennan dies and Katherine miscarries when Damien pushes her off a balcony. As more people around Damien die, Robert investigates Damien's background and realizes his adopted son may be the Antichrist.
Director
Richard Donner
Producer
Harvey Bernhard
Screenwriter
David Seltzer
Distributor
20th Century Fox Home Entertainment, 20th Century Fox, CBS/Fox, Fox
Production Co
20th Century Fox
Rating
R
Genre
Horror, Mystery & Thriller
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Jun 25, 1976, Original
Release Date (Streaming)
Mar 1, 2017
Runtime
1h 51m
Sound Mix
Mono
Aspect Ratio
Scope (2.35:1)