Summary
AsThe First Omenbegins to find a new lease of life after its initial theatrical run, the movie’s growing reputation is helping to highlight a wider double standard within the horror genre. As a prequel to one of the most celebrated horror movies of all time,The First Omenwas already under pressure to live up to the first movie’s legacy. However, while the movie largely stayed true to the tone and narrative of the 1976 horror classic, it also pushed the franchise in bold new directions, thanks largely to its fresh new perspective.
Despite its somewhat underwhelming box office performance (generating just $53.7 million against a $30 million budget),The First Omencan still be considered a success. Not only was it well-received by critics (registering 81% positive reviews according toRotten Tomatoes– the second-highest in the series), but it has also received a 69% score from the general public, highlighting its popularity across the board. This reception makes it a welcome addition toThe Omenfranchise. Beyond this, however,The First Omen’s initial numbers and release backstory reveal an interesting hypocrisy at the heart of horror.
The First Omen Ending Explained
The First Omen’s ending introduces some unexpected retcons to the lore of the original horror film, all while teasing future directions for sequels.
The First Omen Brings A Female Perspective To Body Horror
It’s A Departure From The Rest Of The Series
Unlike previous iterations in the series,The First Omenfocuses not just on the female perspective – revolving aroundNell Tiger Free’s Margaret– but brings visceral body horror to the franchise. Previously,The Omenmovies relied on sporadic moments of shocking violenceafter a slow build-up of tension. Moments like Father Troughton’s memorable decapitation and the nanny’s death by hanging are certainly alarming, but do not dwell on the extent of the injuries, nor revel in physical trauma. By contrast,The First Omentakes a different approach.
While the originalOmenalso dealt with ideas of motherhood,The First Omenpresents the theme in a completely uncompromising way, focusing on the physicality involved.
Instead, the movie introduces Cronenbergian body horror to the franchise for the first time, memorably during its two horrific birth sequences. In one, Margaret undergoes an involuntary cesarean to birth the antichrist, while another sees a satanic hand emerge from a vagina. While the originalOmenalso dealt with ideas of motherhood,The First Omenpresents the theme in a completely uncompromising way, focusing on the physicality involved. Combined with the film’s centering of Margaret,this makesThe First Omenan authentically female-led body horror, bringing a very different perspective to the series.
The First Omen’s Birth Scene Highlighted A “Double Standard” In Horror
It Was Highlighted By The Producer
The First Omen’s approach, under female direction and with female protagonists, is in stark contrast to many of the most memorable moments from body horror history. Inclassic body horror movieslikeVideodrome,Re-Animator,The Fly, andSociety,it is often male protagonists that take center stage under male directors. While there are many notable exceptions (especially in the modern canon thanks to directors like Julia Ducournau), it is nonetheless still relatively uncommon to see a body horror story both directed by and starring women.
Such a combination, coupled withThe First Omen’s graphic content, makes it an interesting case study for how body horror is more generally perceived. It alsohighlights a potential discrepancy between attitudes to male-led and female-led projects. In many male-centric body horrors, for example, even the most gruesome violence rarely results in more than an R-rating. By contrast, even though neither ofThe First Omen’s birth scenesis particularly bloody, the movie had to contend with an NC-17 rating without substantial cuts – specifically to the vagina hand sequence.
In an interview withFangoria, director Arkasha Stevenson explained how she spent a year and a half “fighting for that shotwith censors – despite it being central to the theme of the film. The hypocrisy was highlighted further byThe First Omen’s producer, David S. Goyer, who toldFangoria:
“The movie, by its nature, deals with female body horror, and I do think there’s a double standard. That was really interesting when we were negotiating with the ratings board. I think there is more permissiveness when dealing with male protagonists, particularly in body horror.”
Where To Watch The First Omen
The Omen horror movie franchise has returned, and there are different options for where to watch The First Omen at home on streaming or digitally.
The First Omen’s Female Perspective Is Central To Its Success
It Brings Home The Film’s Key Themes
The fact that filmmakers can face such a battle to include unsettling depictions of birth, compared to more permissive details allowed elsewhere, simultaneously highlights an uncomfortable truth within the industry and demonstrates what makesThe First Omensuccessful. On the surface,The Omenis a story about religion. However, in centering the female perspective,The First Omencombines this primary theme with a message about motherhoodand the female experience more broadly. This makes it a much richer and more rewarding viewing experience.
Stevenson herself has underscored the centrality of this theme. In herFangoriainterview, she explained:
“It’s the theme of our film. It’s the female body being violated from the inside outwards. If we were going to talk about female body horror, we were going to talk about forced reproduction, and we have to be able to show the female body in a non-sexualized light.”
This is unconventional territory for many body horror movies and may go some way towards explaining whyThe First Omenfailed to find a massive audience in theaters. However, irrespective of its box office, there’s no doubt that exploring these provocative ideas helped elevateThe First Omenabove ordinary prequel territory.
