If I were a religious man, I would say that I be leaving for
church right now after seeing A&E’s new show Damien which is based off the classic horror franchise, The Omen. I can remember seeing the
horror trilogy when I was in my teens and being absolutely terrified by several
elements; the demonic theme music, the dark settings, and the supernatural
killings that took place. With a strong fan base, this series is a breath of
fresh air for a franchise that was feared dead after the bomb of the 2006
remake. Damien completely erases that
and is a spinoff of the classic 1976 version directed by Richard Donner and
stars Gregory Peck. If you’ve never seen any of the films then here’s a quick
summary.
Gregory Peck plays an American ambassador who decides to
adopt a son with his wife and they both soon figure out there’s something wrong
with the child. Through a series of unfortunate events, they soon find out he
has arguably one of the darkest destinies ever prophesized. It’s a saga full of
biblical horrors and disturbing scenes that supposedly ended with The Omen 3: The Final Conflict starring
Sam Neil in 1981. Like all good things however in Hollywood, someone didn’t
have the good sense to leave it alone and tried to reboot the franchise in 1991
with The Omen 4: The Awakening. The
film was so bad that instead of reigniting the inferno, it just sent the saga
into the 9th circle of Hollywood.
But last night at 10 p.m. eastern time on A&E, The Omen was reborn by bringing back familiar
elements from the 1976. The show starts off with introducing Damien Thorn
played by Bradley James (IZombie, Homeland), who is now 30 and apparently a
simple photographer for a media outlet in New York. Oblivious to his childhood
past, he continues to live his life almost in solitude out of fear for the safety
of others. When an incident revives his memories; he begins to investigate what
he forgot only to realize that some things were best left forgotten, especially
numbers. When it becomes clear that Damien has a destiny he doesn’t want a part
of, he does everything in his power to deny his throne.
Now the problem that stands out is Damien is thirty and in
present day. The film came out in 1976 so the age is off but then again, they
never addressed the dates so it slightly passes. The other problem is that the
episode is filled with relics that dedicate this series to the classic version
so fans will catch them instantly and be excited but would be fans will ignore
them completely. The introduction music closely resembles the original opening
theme that still gives goosebumps and the ending gave a chilling cliffhanger
along with a preview of what to expect this season. The preview promises the
first season to be just as terrifying and suspenseful as the first three films with
Damien fighting his destiny.
While the series is original, it’s basically a remake of the
second film Damien: The Omen 2 and
using the same plot to bring it into modern times. It’s more than likely this
will be picked up for a second season but will it go on, possible if the show
can keep the momentum going. Damien gets
a 7 out of 10 for creating an original story around a classic and bringing it
into modern times. I may not be a religious man but I am a fan of true horror
films like The Omen and this series
brings back a feeling that’s almost nostalgic. Much like Bates Motel, Damien is a hit that will attract new fans while bringing
back the old ones loyal to the franchise, so hats off to A&E.
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