Director John Moore doesn’t deviate much from the original movie, at times even matching the predecessor shot for shot. His only major deviation is in his casting of the young, upwardly mobile couple. Fans of the 1976 version will likely find the Thornes’ youth disconcerting, but 25-year-old Stiles is actually a much more believable choice for the mother of a kindergartner than the 40-year-old Lee Remick was. And 39-year-old Schrieber comes off as far more age-appropriate than Gregory Peck, who was 60 when he played Robert Thorne.
Certainly the actors’ performances don’t suffer for their lack of years. Shrieber gives Robert a profound depth that belies the absurdity of his situation. In Townhall’s interview with him, Shrieber revealed that a pivotal moment for his character, when Robert collapses on the altar and begs Christ for forgiveness, was an improvisation on his part. Stiles doesn’t quite match his intensity, but she acquits herself at least as well as Remick did.
Moore also picks up the pace of his predecessor by adding more arresting visual images and tweaking the character of the literal nanny-from-hell, Mrs. Baylock (Mia Farrow). In all, The Omen is a far sight more engaging and disturbing than the slice and dice fests that frequently pass for horror these days.
So what’s my beef? Only the complaints I outlined in the opening paragraphs…and the story’s unfortunate tendency to stray from its source material.
In the film, Robert, his wife, and several collaborators plot to defeat the designs of evil and postpone the end of the world. In other words, when it comes to defeating all the powers of Hell, man has only himself to rely on. Even if Robert and his cohorts succeed (and no spoilers here, I’m not saying whether they do or don’t), their efforts seem pretty pitiful.
But in the first draft, the plot plays out quite a bit differently. Man has no part to play in the great battle of Armageddon other than to surrender his soul to the good guy. No intrepid journalists, haunted priests, or tortured parents are necessary, only Christ descending from the clouds, squired by angels to declare victory. I know, I know, I’m being a little nitpicky. But what can I say? I’ve always been one for sticking to the script.