Movie Review

The Omen
Starring Liev Schrieber, Julia Stiles, and Mia Farrow

You're thinking: 'Um, WHY???' and it wasn't my first choice of activities on a nice Wednesday evening, but i had to mystery shop the movie theater where it was playing and it was either this or R.V. So.
No mystery about the plot here: the Thornes unwittingly adopt the spawn of Satan, borne of a jackal, after their child 'dies' in delivery. Five years later: crazy/scary shizzle hits the proverbial fan, Armageddon close behind.
i can handle, and even revel in, all the creepy thrillers thrown my way, provided the antagonists are humans do human things. Love the Hannibal Lecters, hate the Damien Thornes. i expected this movie to mess me up big time, but i was spared from too many disturbing images of devils and the like. Mostly because i'm an expert at watching through my fingers. Not to say i didn't let out a scream or two or decide to never own a black dog- at one point i screamed and jumped so suddenly and violently i actually came out of my shoe!
Anyway, i decided that at least a film like this would be interestingly shot, costumed, and acted, so it might be worth it. Lots of contrasting red and white and subtle and not-so-subtle religious symbolism, costumed to be relatively timeless. The acting was a little bit of a let down: Liev Schreiber delivered as usual, but Julia Stiles ... i dunno. She's never struck me as a particularly good actress. She has an interesting face, so she holds your attention, but her delivery is never natural enough. i think it really showed in this movie because she was surrounded by compelling actors like Schreiber and Mia Farrow. Speaking of Satan's original baby mama, she was WAY underused here. She rocked. Damien, played by Seamus Davey-Fitzpatrick (i wonder if he's Irish) had maybe 3 lines total, so all he got to do was utilize the creepy 'dark-haired-kid-with-light-blue-eyes' staring thing for two hours. Not scary enough. The pbj scene, however, FREAK. Y. And the scooter: vaguely reminiscent of the tricycle in The Shining, so props for that. Oh yeah, and David Thewlis is good as the doomed reporter.
Overall, i'd say it was interesting, and while i'm glad i'm not going to be shivering in the fetal position all night long (speaking of The Shining...) i'm kinda bummed it wasn't scarier. Worth a look, and it stays very true to the original. 3.5 out 5 crazy nannies.