Omen IV: The Awakening (1991 TV Movie) User Reviews

Last sequel for television with average actors and weak direction

[ma-cortes · 4/10 · 9 September 2008]

This inferior sequel based by the characters created by David Selzer and Harvey Bernhard(also producer) concern on a matrimony named Gene(Michael Woods) and Karen York(Faye Grant). They adopt a little girl named Delia from a convent. Gene York about re-elect for congressman and he presides the financing committee. Meanwhile, Delia seems to be around when inexplicable deaths happen. She creates wreak havoc when goes a metaphysical fair, as stores of numerology, therapy, counselling heal,yoga, tarots, among others are destroyed. Karen York hires an eye private(Michael Lerner) to investigate the weird and bizarre events.

This TV sequel displays thrills, chills, creepy events and gory killing. Delia such as Damien seems to dispatch new eerie murder every few minutes of film, happening horrible killings . The chief excitement lies in watching what new and innocent victim can be made by the middling special effects. Furthermore, mediocre protagonists, Faye Grant and Michael Woods, however nice cast secondary, such as Michael Lerner,Madison Mason, Duncan Fraser and the recently deceased Don S Davis, he was an Army captain turned into acting. As always , excellent musical score taken from Omen I and III by the great Jerry Goldsmith. The movie is exclusively for hardcore followers Omen saga. The motion picture is badly directed by Jorge Montesi and Dominique Othenin Girard. Previous and much better versions are the following : The immensely superior original 'Omen'(Gregory Peck, Lee Remick)by Richard Donner; 'Damien'(William Holden, Lee Grant) by Don Taylor; 'Final conflict'(Sam Neil and Tisa Harrow) by Grahame Baker. Rating : Below average.

A very bad movie...in a good way.

[Plan-9 · 4/10 · 3 May 2004]

The fact that I watched this entire movie says something about it...or me. It is not a good movie. Terrible in fact. But terrible in the way that kept my attention in that perverse manner that is akin to watching a tragedy and not being able to look away. It would have made a great MST3K subject!

Most of the things that make a terrible movie enjoyable are here: bad dialogue, inappropriate music, contrived plot sequences, ridiculous pseudoscience. You'll thrill to slo-mo death sequences, the poor victims with mouths agape and waaaaaaaay too much time to contemplate their impending doom, facing the outrageously contrived deliverer of their deaths. Your heart will be warmed by old action scene cliches like when two women struggle for a gun and it goes off, but WHO'S SHOT? Both look at themselves, then the other, then themselves, then (seemingly 15 minutes later), one finally goes down. You'll sing along (in latin of course) with the street carolers that turn into a ghastly death's-choir that, for a moment, threatened to turn the movie into a twisted musical.

So if you believe like I do that as movies get worse they get better, then this might be a decent choice for you. It's not as funny as my current sci-fi schlock favorite, "They Live" featuring Rowdy Roddy Piper, but it's more fun to watch than luke-warm movies like Omen II or III.

I give it 4 out of 10.

By far the weakest entry in the series.

[gridoon · 4/10 · 2 October 1999]

After the already disappointing "Final Conflict", the series hits rock-bottom with this very weak fourth entry. At least the third film tried (unsuccessfully) to continue the story of Damien, while this one simply rehashes and copies ideas from the "Omen" (animals are afraid of the Antichrist, the death of one man is very similar to the death of the photographer in the first film). But what looked exciting and creative there looks just dumb here. And the little girl looks simply like a spoiled kid.

Hellacious

[aaron-239 · 1/10 · 18 September 2004]

Only the Antichrist could have been behind such a disaster. One only hopes that this irony was the motivating force behind the "film"! This movie was so bad, it forced me to register with IMDb, finally, just so I could trash it. What makes this movie all the more tragic is that it had such GREAT source material! I have never seen a movie where all the elements were so grotesquely mediocre as to render the result less than the sum of its parts.

It may seem insignificant, but I'd like to start with the score. As the proud owner of a music degree, I must register my indignation! I was torn between laughter and dry heaves as I listened to what John Scheffer did to Goldsmith's brilliant score; it was far more gruesome than any of the burlesque death scenes, and almost as inadvertently comedic. It was by far the most inappropriate score I've heard since, well, I really can't think of a worse one. Maybe JAWS 4?

As for the plot... I'm sorry. New Age mysticism??? What ever happened to the gritty realism of the original trilogy? In those films (more so in the first two than the third, but still!!) the supernatural was for the most part implied, and it was this subtlety that made the movies so eerily believable. Here we have crystals going black (calling all Skeksis and Mystics!!) and inverted crucifixes galore, even though in certain scenes the crucifux would be perfectly normal but for the camera angle. Gone is the refined psychlogical manipulation tapping the malaise inherent in our collective psyche: in its place a boorish "slap in the face" of recycled cliché and transparent incompetence. Add to that a lead "actress" so unbelievably ANNOYING that you fervently thank the director for those scenes from which she is absent. Never have I seen a little girl so fundamentally irritating since little Stephanie ruined ALL IN THE FAMILY.

Other than that, I have no strong feelings on the subject ;-) Luckily the first three films are sufficiently adroit as to render this train-wreck of wasted celluloid inconsequential or, at the very most, a study in how NOT to make a film. Viewer beware! May induce vomiting if you're lucky.

Oh, Man! IV the Critics...

[Gluck-3 · 9 December 2001]

Ho-hum. Isn't it tiresome when viewers just totally blast a film like there are no redeeming qualities in it whatsoever. To read many of the other user comments, you'd think this was the worst film ever made.

Yes... this TV-movie is certainly not very inspired. Yes, it's a rehash, featuring much of what we've seen before in previous OMEN movies. And, yes, the film isn't above giving us our share of cliches... the hound from hell becomes the kid's protector, after saving her life. The new nanny may not be as innocent as she appears.

However... one has to take such a film in perspective. The series pretty much ran its course with the third one, where Damien had grown and become the U.S. president. So, of course old ground is going to be retread... it's a TV-movie for goodness' sake. (Not that all TV-movies are necessarily junk... DUEL jump-started Steven Spielberg's career... but, chances are, you're not going to get an auteur at the wheel of a TV-movie.)

What you do with a film like this is get in the mood for old, rehashed OMEN-like "thrills." The concept is still strong... a couple has a "Rosemary's Baby," building up one evil incident after another; slowly one or both parents become aware that something's not quite right. Then the terrible and profound conflict of choosing to protect humanity or your own "flesh and blood" (figuratively speaking.... here, the kid was adopted) comes into play. (Reminds me of the television series "Xena" where the same conflict arose with one of the main characters.) Then you just sit back, relax, and see how the film makers went about presenting such watchable drama.

Being a TV-movie, the gore quotient was low, minimizing the impact of the horrible deaths we are accustomed to in this series. Not that gore necessarily translates to chills, but you can't expect to be genuinely scared, generally, especially with a TV-movie. (Very, very few films are genuinely scary; even under the hands of a master, Stanley Kubrick... THE SHINING wasn't all that scary.) However, there were some jarring moments, like the detective (Michael Lerner... a highlight, here) getting into a "CARNIVAL OF SOULS" state of mind where appearances go from normal to the bizarre. (For example, the choir on the street, singing Christmas songs, suddenly becoming something else.) And the acting..? What was wrong with the acting? It's not like the actors weren't competent. The mother played by Faye Grant, for example, came across well enough. Maybe she's not the most extremely talented performer in the world, but she delivered satisfactorily. I found the kid to be a little disappointing, not convincingly menacing enough. However, she was much better than the Skywalker kid in THE PHANTOM MENACE. Sometimes you gotta make allowances for kids. Child actors who are knockouts are rare.

Now, don't get me wrong... I'm not saying low expectations should translate to the enjoyment of any movie. For example, there are entries in the FRIDAY THE 13th that I've found hard to watch, simply because some were totally uninspired. Even though nothing really knocked my socks off with this latest installment of THE OMEN, I wasn't bored, and was entertained overall. There were even some nice touches, like the inverted cross reflection on the dying former nun's hospital room wall, and the wonderfully subtle last shot, utilizing the crosswalks of the graveyard. Too many viewers love to be unfairly critical.

Total crap

[ecwmang · 1/10 · 2 August 2003]

This movie is unworthy of the Omen title. It is so bad that it has actually damaged the classic nature of the first three. It never should have been made, they ought to change the title.

They don't even spell Damien Thorn's NAME correctly!!!! And there are no daggers, the most important element of all the Omen films. Pull it from the shelves and burn it.

i laughed, i cried

[msoliday · 1/10 · 28 May 2005]

honestly, i don't know what's funnier, this horrific remake, or the comments on this board. Masterpiece's review had me in tears, that's so funny. Anyway, this movie is the among the worst movies ever, and certainly the bottom of the barrel for sequels. The "Omen" name on the title made me stop and watch it this morning on HBO, but it's a slap in the face to the other three, especially the original. There are so many classically bad moments, but my favorite is the guy catching fire from the juggler at the psychic fair!! good times ! This movie is to the Omen series what "Scary Movie" is to the entire genre. Avoid unless you're looking for a good laugh.

An abomination worthy of the Devil himself!

[jonathan.e · 1/10 · 14 September 2000]

This is a truly wretched little film. Admittedly the original (un)holy trinity was governed by the law of diminishing returns with the third, "The Final Conflict" degenerating into a ridiculous sub-plot about half-way through the film apparently merely to provide the requisite needlessly convoluted deaths that had by now become the whole raison d'etre for the "Omen" series. But then to foist this jumped-up TV movie (beware purchasers of the Omen box set on DVD - don't be fooled by the widescreen ratio of the transfer, this was and is strictly small-screen stuff) on the back of a series of generally fine demonic chillers was unforgivable, particularly, endorsed as it was, by the exec.producer and producer of the first three movies Mace Neufeld and Harvey Bernhard. I'd give-away the plot if there was any, besides the usual death scenes (hopelessly toned down for TV sensibilities) and some of the worst acting I've seen. All involved in this project down to the catering people should be ashamed this travesty ever made it to the screen, let alone masquerading under the Omen name. If one person is convinced by my review to avoid this mess, I'll feel better for it.

Not part of the series; not a good movie.

[FiendishDramaturgy · 1/10 · 9 September 2004]

As with many other pop-culture franchise series, this line just didn't know when to quit. Instead of leaving things as they were perfectly ended, they went on to generate this; the first installment of this franchise to fall sorely short of the mark.

This movie should never have happened. It was not intended for there to have been a fourth movie in this line, and it sure shows. The premise is idiotic and the portrayals were the same.

After the wonderful experience which was The Omen, this was a major disappointment which stank of 70's cheese and horrible acting. It was reminiscent of the Amityville Horror in those aspects, and left a terrible, lingering stench long after it was over.

It rates a 1.4/10 from...

the Fiend :.

A total Insult

[filmbuff1970 · 5/10 · 29 May 2002]

I saw the omen when i was 11 on tv. I enjoyed the Trilogy. So when the chance to finally see one at the cinema came around i didnt pass it up. I went in to the cinema knowing that what i was about to see wasnt a cinema release but a made for TV film. However being a fan i couldnt resist. But this Omen movie which i saw at a midnight screening didnt bring chills it brought laughter. Risible Dialogue such as "it is written that if a baby cries during baptism they reject there god". What nonsense.No decent set pieces. Faye Grant so Good in V is wasted with this script from hell. No suprises and no fun. However i did laugh out loud several times at our bad it was.Truly Pathetic.1 out of 10

So Bad I HAD To Register On IMDb To Review It.

[fattoler · 1/10 · 14 February 2012]

I could go into various details as to why this film is absolutely terrible; I could talk about the acting (or lack thereof). The stupidity of the Anti-Christ being opposed to new-age mystics (Because as we all know Satan has a particular dislike for Mystic Meg and her vague portents). The sloppy and rushed pacing and editing which leads to about zero tension throughout the film and killing any hope of creating a creepy atmosphere because scenes come and go in an instant (this is especially egregious at the start of the film where the Antichrist's first kill feels especially feeble because there is virtually no build-up at all). The addition of various sub-plots and scenes which add nothing of significance to the story and serve only to provide chills (which due to the rushed editing are very weak). And the overall fact that there is very little in the way of a goal for our heroine, she suspects that her daughter is evil but rather investigate herself she gives the task to a P.I. making her character very insignificant (couldn't they have told the whole story from the P.I.'s point-of-view?), which in turn leads to a very rushed ending with a feeble twist and a very undramatic confrontation.

All of these things condemn the film on it's own. However what really damns it is the fact that it is part of the Omen series, more to the point a sequel to Part 3, which besmirching aside, MAKES NO SENSE. The reason why it makes no sense is pretty simple; for at the ending of The Omen 3: The Final Conflict, Christ RISES AND RETURNS TO EARTH AS KING OF KINGS and Damien Thorn fails to stop him, it's not just implied, it bloody well written on the screen before the credits. Now I don't know about you but I think the literal Second Coming would be it, over, finito, THE END, the conclusion of not just the story of Damien Thorn but the end of this reality and the start of God's new reign Etc. Etc. (Pretty much as the title "The FINAL Conflict" suggests). However here apparently none of that happened, Damien just died or something and Christ had nothing to do with it. It's a complete retconing the end of the Trilogy and such leaves a sour taste in the mouth. I am aware that this is a odd nitpick but for me this film was simply a dross remake of the original until the doctor (who looks remarkably like Rob Brydon) blurted out Damien Thorn's name and cemented this films awfulness. I.e. bad as a standalone film and a HORRIBLE, nonsensical way to conclude the franchise.

Damien Thorn is dead, but the prophecy continues

[antipas2000 · 9/10 · 4 June 2007]

The terror continues in a new descendant of hell...

Most people say that Omen IV The Awakening should not really be included in the Omen Trilogy. We had one, two and three and that was good enough. Then we had this film and then a bad attempt at doing another Omen film in 2006, which was basically a copycat of what had already been done. Just shows that all the good ideas have been used.

What I liked about Omen IV The Awakening, is that the Omen story had spawned in to a new type of evil. I am not disputing that this film was better than the others. On the contrary, i found the first Omen to be a classic. In Omen IV The Awakening, the evil is now in the form of a young girl named Delia, and her connection with Damien and her part in the Omen story is quite a chilling and a creepy revelation. I love this film, but have seen and know many people who do not. Basically for the one reason that they say it ruins the Omen legend and the horror that was created years and years ago. But it is people's own damn fault if they cannot look beyond that.

I find it very refreshing seeing the female as the evil, even if she is a little girl. Delia (played Asia Viera), has a certain darkness behind her anyway. I think it is the actress's face that just makes her look powerful. As if her facial expression is saying to you: "I am unstoppable and superior to you all". And it is true, the evil is unstoppable.

In the first 3, we saw a young boy grow into a powerful man - the omen - the Antichrist. Now, we have his daughter who will reign in the new omen, the new king. "One man, and one religion".

Faye Grant plays the character of Karen York very well. Being a fan of the beautiful actress makes me like this film even more than i do. I love the arc of the story, how it surfaces the evil that is contained in Biblical references in to a new light. This film runs around the start and the beginning of Armageddon - the final confrontation between the forces of good and evil. Damien Thorn fell, but Delia will not be stopped and in the end, you see how evil overcomes what good there is left in the world. Politics rules supreme, and the new Omen is here....

MILD SPOILERS - Delia the Magnificent

[scottiejarrett7 · 6/10 · 20 May 2015]

Sure, the hidden secret of the story was far-fetched, but little Asia Viera as Delia was magnificent. Such expressive, spiteful eyes. She didn't say anything as she wreaked havoc on detractors. Her venom was justly spent on some wretched characters. I felt sorry for her - she didn't ask to be born that way. Unlike Damien (Omen II and III) she didn't attract a following of flatterers who choose to side with evil. A little coven of "Delians" would have been tasty. There is a strange attraction to evil that few films successfully exploit. When Delia came to enjoy her powers, the film missed out on fully illuminating them. I'd like to see a grown-up Delia taking care of her little brother the Antichrist. Maybe some juicy sibling rivalry...

Why hast thou forsaken us?

[BA_Harrison · 2/10 · 21 July 2011]

I was fully expecting this made for TV sequel to suck, and in that respect, I was not disappointed: this cheaply made, badly written, poorly acted piece of excrement is tantamount to blasphemy for fans of the Omen series, being devoid of the foreboding atmosphere of the other films, totally bereft of creative kills, and completely lacking in scares. Instead, we get silly shenanigans with new age mystics, an ugly kid sorely in need of a good orthodontist, a score that sounds like it should be accompanying a troupe of circus clowns, as-subtle-as-a-brick images of inverted crosses ad nauseum, and, worst of all, Satanic carol singers.

I have seen it suggested that The Awakening might be an intentionally awful film in an attempt to parody the solemnity of the original trilogy; I highly doubt this, but if this should somehow prove to be be true, then shame on everyone involved for treating the franchise and its fans with such disrespect.

If there is a Hell, then the makers of this rot will certainly have a special place reserved for them somewhere between the eighth and ninth circles (where the fraudulent and treacherous are punished): a sulphuric screening room in which they will be forced to watch their own abomination for all eternity (whilst having broken copies of the DVD roughly inserted up their rectum). Yes.... Omen IV: The Awakening really is that bad.

Ridiculous Territory.

[tfrizzell · 30 October 2002]

"The Omen" series was a one-hit wonder for the most part and finally hit the brick wall completely with this terrible fourth installment. Damien is dead, but he had a child (Satan's grand-child). After she (the young Asia Vieira) is adopted by two attorneys, the typical odd deaths take place and it appears that the child is the reason for the happenings. A really sorry production that got no studio backing and went directly to video rental shelves and cable television stations. Turkey (0 stars out of 5).

Pathetic

[CharltonBoy · 1/10 · 18 January 2002]

The first question that springs to mind after watching this rubbish is who on earth gave these idiots the right to use the Omen name on this movie? It is a shambolic , embarrassing, pathetic atempt to carry on the Omen franchise. When the film starts the backing music sounds like it has been lifted straight from a Bugs Bunny Cartoon and from then on the film gets worse! I dont know who wrote the script but i bet they got a E - for it when they took it back to show their teacher! It is difficult after a while to tell if this is a comedy because what happens is so funny and so un true to the original Omen it beggers belief. The acting is laughable , especially from the leading lady Faye Grant. she keeps pulling silly faces or is she finding it difficult not to laugh? It's hard to tell. THE worst sequal i have ever had the misfortune to witness. 1 out of 10.

Eh, its Okay....

[Horrorible_Horror_Films · 4/10 · 22 June 2009]

This sequel is a total rehash of the first film. A completely pointless movie. It basically just took every single sceanrio of the first film and they redid it in Omen IV except with a female antichrist this time. It even ends the same way as the first one! The music is too busy and interfering, and because its pretty much a copy of Omen I, it's extremely predictable. It's not a horrible movie, it's not terribly made, there is much worse movies out there, this just had absolutely no point in being made. The Omen remake from 2006 is much worse, even more pointless than this, so I guess it has that. If you someone pointed a gun to your head and you had to choose to watch this sequel or the 2006 reamke, I guess I'd choose this.

He's Baaaaaaack but this time he's a She!

[sol-kay · 3/10 · 23 March 2006]

***SPOILERS*** Like some evil Tinkers-to-Evers-to-Chance double-play combination we have in "Omen IV" the evil seed of the deceased AntiChrist Damien Thorn come back. Terrorizing his parents his schoolmates his neighbors and finally the entire world as a she named Delia York, Asia Vieila. After being given to a "deserving" couple the Yorks Karen & Gene, Fay Grant & Michael Woods,by the Catholic Church's St. Francis orphanage.

Little Delia didn't waste any time making her peasants felt by scratching her mom at a house party. Later Delia almost get killed by a runaway truck only to have herself saved by this "Devil Dog" named Ryder. Going to school Delia takes care of the local bully by getting the big guy to wet himself in front of all his classmates. Later when his father threatens the Yorks with a law suit she has his head sliced off in a self-induced traffic accident! Delia is someone that you never mess with if you know what's good for you.

Meanwhile Dalia's dad Gene becomes a big man in town on his own, or so he thinks, by getting elected to the congress as a champion of the clean air and green trees crowd instead of letting the smog and concrete boys take over the neighborhood with his eye now on he White House itself! Did his bratty and strange daughter Delia have anything to do with Gene York's sudden good fortune?

It's only later when Jo, Ann Hearen, is hired as Delia's nanny that the truth's comes out about her strange and evil powers. Jo a New Age type realizes that Delia is a bit weird, after turning all her white crystals black, and calls her New Age Guru Noah, Jim Byrnes, to come over and check her out. Noah is so upset by what he sees in Delia Kirilian color vibrations ,all black and blue with a little pinch of red, that it flips him out so bad that he almost crashed into Delia's moms car.

Taken on a trip to a psychic festival by Jo Delia turns the entire event into an inferno setting the place, through mental telepathy, on fire and heaving everyone there run for cover including poor Noah who was at the festival and ended up with his leg broken. The and shaken and battered Guru was so shook up by the whole experience that he later checked out of the country to become a hermit in the Tibetan wilderness.

Jo herself is later thrown out, with the help of the sweet and cuddly family pet Ryder, of a second floor window to her death because she knew and talked too much. It's when Karen is again pregnant that she decides, finally, to find out the truth about the real parents of Delia. That's when she,and we in the audience, come face to face with the truth. She's not only the feared AntiChrist of Revelations she's his twin sister! Her brother the AntiChrist himself is about to come on the scene as her kid brother the sill unborn Alexander York!

Three times were more then enough for the AntiChrist coming back to earth to bring about Armageddon. The movie going public were already getting a little tired of of him and his evil adventures. With a fourth really not necessary since Daimen Thorn, the original AntiChrist, had been dead and buried for years. Were put through the usual ringer with no one believing that little Delia is "Thee" AntiChrist until it was almost too late to stop her in her deadly rounds of destroying the entire human race. The movie as bad as it is is also far too long, 97 minutes, for a horror flick that could well have told it's story is as little as 80 minutes.

Having a private eye Earl Knight, Mchael Learner,and later a former Catholic nun sister Yvonne,Megan Lehch,and now faith healer Felichy in the film only to be killed off didn't help the plot either. It only prolonged the suffering of those of us watching the movie. You could see the surprise ending coming almost as soon as the film "Omen IV" began with the bases being cleared for Delia's eventual takeover of the civilized as well as uncivilized world. What was a bit of a surprise was Delia doing it with a little help from friends.

Lame made-for-T.V. sequel. Should have stayed in the Fox studios vault.

[Captain_Couth · 1/10 · 29 June 2004]

Omen IV (1991) was a bad made-for-T.V. movie. Since the 80's were over, I guess the executives were experimenting in meth (the drug of choice during the 90's) because there is no other reason to explain this travesty. Why did they even bother making this? A t.v. movie? What were they mulling over when this one came up on the idea board? Did they even think for a second that this movie would catch on as. Perhaps they thought it could make it as a series? We'll never know. But I know one thing. This movie was the major reason why I never bought the Omen trilogy. They should have knocked off a couple of bucks instead of putting out this "extra" disc.

Omen IV is basically a average American family remake of the first film. Instead of a snot nosed punk kid, we get the spooky girl who's a total brat to everyone around her. If the family had stronger parenting skills, then none of the demonic events that have transpired in the past films would have never occurred. These parents need to put their foot down and do some real discipline!

Not recommended, best to avoid at all cost!

You're One of Them, Too?!

[rhiron · 4/10 · 8 November 2013]

Although I have given this the same rating as I did for 'Omen III: The Final Conflict' (1981), that is purely for two reasons: the use (or re- use, really) of Jerry Goldsmith's fine scores from both 'The Omen' (1976) and 'The Final Conflict', and one of the film's better death scenes, which closely recalls the runaway train of 'Damien: Omen II' (1978), reminding us that there is something left of the spirit of Damien Thorn.

And that is one of the problems here. Only one fleeting reference is made to the anti-hero of the previous 'Omen' films and the mother character, Karen York (played by Faye Grant) even dares to ask who he was! Wasn't Damien supposed to be a vital figure in both politics and business a mere ten years before? A man aiming for a seat in the Senate and, from there, the Presidency? A key captain of industry and, like his adoptive forefathers, a key adviser to the President of the United States? She is a lawyer, after all, and you'd think that a lawyer would do something like read a newspaper once in a while...

It is implied (although never confirmed) that the new Antichrist, a girl named Delia York (played quite well by Asia Vieira) is the daughter that Damien had with that pesky journalist, Kate Reynolds (Lisa Harrow) from the previous film, and it would, at least, have mildly improved things somewhat to have Harrow reappear or at least get something of a mention. It might even have been a bit of a fun turn-around for the actress to get a Joan Hart-style role here, even if she did ultimately bite the dust!

Dominique Othenin-Girard started work on this film, having recently directed the unoriginal, but still okay 'Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers' (1989). He left the film during production (again, probably because of artistic differences) and was hurriedly replaced by Jorge Montesi. Being a TV movie at a time when TV movies weren't really anything to shout about anyway, you can't really tell the difference between the work done by the directors. The action sequences (such as the aforementioned death scene) were directed by the so-called 'Devil's Godfather' and 'Omen' producer, Harvey Bernhard.

Basically, this is a remake of the original film, albeit with a few twists and turns along the way. Mainly, the major change is that, while the mother in the original film (Lee Remick) was treated like she would fall apart at any moment, Faye Grant is the investigator here. The idiotic husband, Gene York (Michael Woods), whilst constantly busy on Capitol Hill, has little to do other than give her and Delia the occasional hug and berate Karen for being neurotic. But, in places, Faye Grant's acting is very wooden and obvious, such as when she tells Delia that "That's just not true!" But Damien's lackeys demean her just as much as Damien himself mistreated Lisa Harrow in the previous film.

Well known TV actors Michael Lerner, Don S. Davis and Madison Mason get quite good roles, with Lerner holding the true charisma here as a former crooked cop turned shady private investigator who is hired by Karen York to dig deeper into Delia's history. The film even gets a brief, but reasonably effective version of both Holly and Mrs. Baylock from the original film but, as said, they appear far too briefly and too weirdly to make any true impact on the audience. Other performances are very overdone, especially the nun who gives the Yorks their new baby (Megan Leitch).

One good scene is an early sequence in which Karen and Delia are playing and run across a 'heroic' Rottweiler -- a more plausible introduction for man's best friend into the Yorks' household than in the original 'Omen'! Quite simply, Robert Thorn (Gregory Peck) should have fired the Baylock woman (Billie Whitelaw) on the spot for constantly dragging that demonic mutt back into the house!

Die-hard fans of the 'Omen' franchise may want to give this one a go, but it literally is a film for a rainy day when there is nothing better to do!

Harvey Bernhard and Stanley Mann had penned an adaptation of Gordon McGill's 'Omen IV: Armageddon 2000' back in 1983, but it was rejected for this trashy, uninspired TV movie. In comparison, Bernhard's and Mann's script is godly and suspenseful, with a great look back over the 'Omen' films, and attempts to repair the damage done to the running plot of the franchise in 'The Final Conflict'.

Inverted crosses galore, the aforementioned retread of Goldsmith's score (shockingly mouthed by some demonic carol singers in one scene, ewww!!!), and that one death scene make this intermittently interesting but, if 'The Final Conflict' saw the 'Omen' series run out of steam, then this one left it dead and buried, with only other remakes left to make audiences remember the glory days of the original!

Better then The Omen remake

[atinder · 5/10 · 6 September 2009]

I look at Omen 4 think it a remake of the Omen (But a girl instead of a boy ) but just little different.

I kinda like it and watch it all the way to the end. This has some very good scenes which i really liked and the girl you played Delia was really good but not as good as Damien.

The plotDamien Thorn is dead, but his prophecy is reborn in a mysterious girl named Delia, who is adopted by two attorneys, Gene & Karen York. When Karen realizes her baby was born under suspicious circumstances, she hires a private investigator to find Delia's real parents. A series of bizarre accidents occur, and Karen begins to suspect everyone of conspiring against her as she unravels the truth about her baby

I really like the ending, it was really good ending i say and for A TV movie it worth watching.

Out of all the the five Omens movies The Omen 1 and 2 are are outstanding both 10/10 Omen 3 it was let down but still good 8/10

The omen 4 is good a movie, did have the some of same kill from the first movie that the only down side for me but i like omen 4 better the Remake

give this movie 5/10

The Omen is one of the classic Horror film-series. You owe it to yourselves as Horror fans to give it a try!

[nitzanhavoc · 2/10 · 4 December 2012]

After watching The Omen III, I really thought things could only get better from there on. I was also very happy that there even was an Omen IV, for I didn't want to end the series with number 3 (a movie that will forever be remembered as "Religious Masturbation").

Well congratulation, directors and screenwriters who have done too lousy a job for me to even bother checking their names. You have truly managed to outdo yourselves, The Omen IV is by far worse than III, which makes it the worst part of the worst Horror film series I've ever had the dis- pleasure of watching. Nothing original, almost an exact remake of the first film, only this time Antichrist is a girl, how very feminist and modern! Instead of a priest trying to warn the family, there's a new-age healer! How very pluralistic and religiously-tolerant! The politician father is this time a senator, not an ambassador, how clever! And to top it all - instead of a nanny who's devoted to protect the Antichrist, we've got a nanny who's devoted to protect the Antichrist! I'm blown away!!! As usual, the child is not the least scary. Seriously, Children of the Corn is from a near time, so is Village of the Damned! How come the children there are so much creepier? If at the first film the child was actually cute, in the 2nd - a tragic hero almost likable, and in the third simply a child - in the fourth we get a brat. Nothing more than an annoying, spiteful princess-brat. The only value this film had was that it followed the "rules" set by the first one, therefore giving the audience a sense of familiarity with the events (a cheap consolation reward if you ask me).

I apologize for not being able to be more impartial, but I'm frustrated and disappointed. I've heard so much about "The Omen", so many recommendations and complements for it being groundbreaking when it comes to the Occult-Horror sub-genre. Well great! So it was groundbreaking back at 1976, bravo! Watching it today was still a very unrewarding experience. Sorry for not being born 30 years earlier!

However, as one of the classics, we who value ourselves as Horror fans should give it a try. I did, and it was an unrewarding experience for me personally. For you - it may be different, so don't judge according to this review. My recommendation? When it comes to classics - listen to no one and try them, you owe it to yourselves.

EXCELLENT SEQUEL! Don't believe those lies!

[huntleydevonte · 10/10 · 22 July 2007]

This is the best movie throughout the entire series. Don't believe what the you were just told about it on the other comments believe ME! This movie was fantastic! Sure, it didn't need to be made but it was still a great movie! The only reason why the others hate it so much is not only did it ruined the so-called ending of the Final Conflict, but it didn't involve Damien Thorn. That's why they hate it so much! There is absolutely nothing wrong with the plot and the acting is VERY GOOD! Don't believe those other comments. Believe me PLEASE! Get this movie, watch it, and you'll like it. And trust me, you'll like it a lot! And I mean A lot!

Solid TV Movie Sequel

[Reviews_of_the_Dead · 7/10 · 5 May 2020]

This was a film that I know I saw in college when I picked it up on DVD, but hadn't seen it in years. I don't even really remember seeing this one. It is fun that one of my favorite podcasts, 22 Shots of Moodz and Horror, covered this franchise and I know another person on social media just watched this as well. The synopsis here is two attorneys adopt a mysterious orphan girl as their daughter, unaware she is the new Antichrist.

Now I did alter the synopsis just a bit as it has a spoiler in it that I didn't want to include just yet. We start this at an orphanage where we have Mother Superior (Susan Chapple) and Sister Yvonne (Megan Leitch). Something feels off, but they meet with Karen (Faye Grant) and Gene York (Michael Woods). Karen is asking a million questions about the baby they're looking to adopt. Her fears at put to ease and they take home Delia. We then see an odd interaction between the two nuns that causes Sister Yvonne to leave as she doesn't agree with Mother Superior.

They then have a party where Karen shows off her new daughter to her friends. We get a scene though where she believes the baby scratched her face and Dr. Hastings (Madison Mason), a friend who is at the party checks on her. They try to say that it is caused by a safety pin.

We get a little growing up for Delia to be in kindergarten and she is portrayed by Asia Vieira. We see that she has a bit of an attitude as she takes it out on Jerome (James Sherry), a boy who is bullying her. She is calculating and showing the signs of being an early sociopath for sure. This causes the boy's parents to get involved as well.

Her parents decide to help the little girl. A nanny is hired, Jo Thueson (Ann Hearn). She's really into crystals as well as mystical healing. She can feel the negative energy surrounding Delia and does what she can to help. This includes trying to turn Karen on to this type of healing and getting her mystical friends involved as well.

As time goes on, Karen really believes there's something not right about Delia. Gene thinks she is acting crazy. He's becoming more and more prominent in the political field, so even if he did agree, it is becoming more and more problematic. Karen eventually seeks out Earl Knight (Michael Lerner), a private investigator, to look into their daughter's past. What he finds, it isn't quite what she was expecting. She also seeks out a Father Mattson (Duncan Fraser) for his expertise in religion.

Having now gave this a rewatch, this is much better than I remembered. We have an interesting concept here. We know there's something up when Delia is adopted and this film actually mirrors the original movie very much. What I like here though is that we do some different things to play with that. Everything is pushing for this family to adopt this little girl. Karen is struggling to get pregnant, so she's a bit desperate. To flip that film and make it more like the sequel, the mother is the one that is distrustful, but it is a gradual thing. This is also something we get in the pervious films and it works to stay in that vein. I like that it doesn't play its hand too quickly there.

Going from this, we have a private investigator that is looking into Delia's past. There are mysterious deaths that are going on. An issue I did have though is this does take the supernatural aspects back to the first two films. Delia seems to be semi in control of who is being targeted. We also get some deaths that are somewhat of a mimic to previous films in the series.

I do like as well that they incorporate things that are found in the bible. Karen starts to look at things along with Father Mattson and she really wants to believe when things start to make to sense to her. There's an odd scene with Sister Yvonne, but at that point has changed her name to Felicity. I don't know why we get the scene that we do aside from getting Earl away from the city he's in and wanting to use the effect that they do. This doesn't ruin anything, but just a bit of convenience. I also didn't care for the misogynistic twist that happens later in the movie, I would have preferred to remove that and go a bit more mean-spirited for me.

That will take me to the pacing of this movie, which I thought was on point. I never got bored. We could probably have trimmed it to 90 minutes, but the extra 7 we got in the movie were fine with me. As I said, I like how the story built. It doesn't feel as fresh as it really does feel like an updated version of the original with some tweaks, but being that it came out in the 90's, I'm forgiving of that. It feels like it needs to start over and if this would have done better, I could see it adding more films to the canon. The ending is quite reminiscent of the original. I was glad about a reveal late in the movie to tie this all back in as I worried it wouldn't.

The acting I thought was pretty solid as well. I really liked Grant in this role as the parent that is swayed by the evidence she is seeing. It is interesting as it brings into question the motherly instinct and how it is there in the beginning, but the more she learns, the more that wanes, especially with her becoming pregnant. Woods though is a good counterpoint as the rock who doesn't buy into this supernatural. It really makes you feel for Karen with what we're seeing, but the rational part of you agrees with Gene. Lerner is solid in his secondary role along with Mason, Hearn and the rest. I thought Vieira is fine. As a child I don't have many gripes, but there's a bit lacking in the creepy factor that we got in the first and second Omen.

Another bright spot would be the effects. I'm glad that they didn't go overtop. They're pretty subdued to be honest. I would say that even though the deaths are not as iconic, they look pretty solid. You can see the budget isn't necessarily there so they really leaned into it and hide some things. I don't really have any issues. I would also say I liked the little things they put in the movie as well. We get to see a lot of upside crosses that are just naturally done. I thought it was a decent little tie-in. The cinematography was also pretty solid in my book.

The last thing to cover would be the soundtrack. I do have to take some points as they reused the main theme from the original and the third movie. Incorporating the chorus music that is sung in Latin though really hits a spot with me. It is an eerie feel and helps to not only build the tension in the scenes, but also give that religious vibe. I will slightly take away points for reusing, but not much if I'm honest.

Now with that said, this isn't as bad a sequel as I remembered it. I'm really glad I gave it a viewing with a more critical eye. Is it a lesser film in the series? Of course it is and it really is just rehashing a lot we got in the original. Since we're introducing a new character though, I don't hate it. I thought the acting was good, it is paced in a way where I never got bored and I think this re-working of the story is fine. I like that they brought back the music that we heard in previous films and the effects aren't as iconic, still looked good to me. I would say that this is an above average movie to be honest and I feel this is worthy of a viewing. You can watch this alone, but it is the worst of the series in my opinion. It does give you all you need to understand. I feel it is interesting to watch all four though to see the progression of the story.

6.5/10

So bad it's hilarious :)

[jordantolman · 4/10 · 13 August 2019]

I decided I wanted to finally see all four omen movies. I loved the original, enjoyed for second, and thought the third was not well made, but ok. Omen 4 the awakening was honestly funny! I completely enjoyed it and laughed at several scenes intended to be scary :) it almost feels like it was a spoof off the original.