Omen IV: The Awakening (1991)

Two attorneys adopt a mysterious orphan girl as their daughter, unaware she is the new Antichrist, next in line from Damien Thorn.

Directors:

Jorge Montesi, Dominique Othenin-Girard

Writers:

Brian Taggert (teleplay), Harvey Bernhard (story)

Stars:

Faye Grant, Michael Woods, Michael Lerner

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Faye Grant	...	Karen York
Michael Woods	...	Gene York
Michael Lerner	...	Earl
Madison Mason	...	Dr. Hastings
Ann Hearn	...	Jo Thueson
Jim Byrnes	...	Noah
Don S. Davis	...	Jake Madison
Asia Vieira	...	Delia
Megan Leitch	...	Sister Yvonne / Felicity
Joy Coghill	...	Sister Francesca
David Cameron	...	Father Hayes
Duncan Fraser	...	Father Mattson
Susan Chapple	...	Mother Superior
Dana Still	...	Revival Preacher
Andrea Mann	...	Miss Roselli

Storyline

Damien 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.

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Plot Keywords:

evil girl | antichrist | psychotronic film | supernatural | sequel by name only | 

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Taglines:

The terror continues.

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Genres:

Horror

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Certificate:

TV-PG

Did You Know?

Trivia

Faye Grant is no relation to Lee Grant who starred as Ann Thorn in Damien: Omen II (1978).

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Goofs

Near the end, when Karen arrives at the house, the cameraman is reflected in the car's side window.

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Quotes

Karen York: Can he be stopped? Is there hope?
Father Mattson: If there wasn't, I'd pack it in right now.

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Connections

Featured in The Omen Legacy (2001)

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Soundtracks

Hark! The Herald Angels Sing
(uncredited)
Written by Charles Wesley and Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy

User Reviews

Oh, Man! IV the Critics...

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.

Details

Country:

Canada USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

20 May 1991 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Omen IV

Filming Locations:

Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

Company Credits

Production Co:

FNM Films, Harvey Bernhard Productions, Mace Neufeld Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

97 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1