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The Omen reviewed: 86 this 666 remake

Published Tuesday, June 06, 2006 by seanlmccarthy | E-mail this post

Those of you who read my Sunday interview with Paul Bisson, the 35-year-old from Salem who launched The Omen Chronicles, already might have surmised my feelings about this remake. I saw it last week. And Bisson's quote to me about the original rings oh so true: “You feel for Damien in the original. You’re heartbroken that this kid is who he is.” The remake, out today because it's 06/06/06 on both the American and European calendars (but not the Jewish or Chinese calendars -- discuss!), doesn't ever make you feel sympathetic for new Damien. It's almost as if the director kept telling the kid, "OK. Can you look even creepier?" Ugh. And how can you have a suspenseful movie without any suspense? Mia Farrow camps and vamps it up, but otherwise, the movie provoked laughs -- not shrieks -- at our press screening last week. I imagine a lot of people will go see this movie, anyhow. But I'd rather you didn't. If you want a good scare, rent the original (or buy the 30th anniversary special DVD when it comes out later this month).

RELATED: Jim's review in the Herald. Jim gave it a C+, I'd say C- or D+ is more like it.