In the first two Omen films, we were presented with a boy learning to adjust to his unusual personality and his future position in the destiny of the cosmos, but in this last film, Damien is in complete control as he prepares mankind for a " paradise of pain. " Sam Neill exudes a aura of amoral humanity, befriending a female reporter and her son while he seeks to defeat God; One very good sequence has Damien describing man as being naturally evil, claiming that God seeks to keep man from becoming truly innocent. Even though the atmosphere bounces from materialistic to spiritual, the film still gets a powerful message about corporations and their link to politics to the audience. Again, Sam Neill shows us a flawed, but arrogant man-beast, who pushes his way through without a backward glance. With such a performance, it is no wonder that Sam Neill is a great actor.
145 Reviews
I wasn't expecting this to be great, but I was hoping it would be more fun
AlsExGal30 July 2017
Firstly, it has a seemingly fool-proof concept: the Antichrist, now a successful corporate CEO, is appointed U.S. Ambassador to England, AND president of the UN youth council. It practically writes itself. But, no, social commentary isn't brought into it; he doesn't kill his way into the U.S. Presidency, and the country is never thrown into a third world war. And to think I believed in him! You think this might also present a good chance for some overacting- but, once again, only missed opportunities. It was quite talky; Damien plays it cool, and Sam Neill's performance mostly involved making sinister expressions (at which he's a natural, granted,) and, frankly, the big lines he delivers come out kind of funny-sounding when modulated through his fake American accent (he has one of these in Jurassic Park, too, but at least that role didn't call for any serious acting.) I blame the director more than my man Sam, but I've seen some pretty terrible movies salvaged by one good performance.
Why, this film even let down my bloodlusting side. It opens with a nice, gruesome death, but subsequent killings are either too silly to even guffaw at, or just plain uninspired- especially the climax.
Why, this film even let down my bloodlusting side. It opens with a nice, gruesome death, but subsequent killings are either too silly to even guffaw at, or just plain uninspired- especially the climax.
Worth watching mainly for Sam Neill's Damien
whatch-1793128 November 2020
Neill is very good here. Neill would go on to be one of those few actors with such a range that he can convincingly play the hero to literally the devil incarnate.
Neill has some ear popping monologues with a statue of Jesus. It's so obnoxious that I'm half amazed it wasn't cut. It all strikes me as rather career threatening for an actor and I wonder if any American actor would have done it.
But those scenes do help give this movie a bit of depth.
The first Omen was great because the Thorns weren't sure if crazy supernatural things were occurring, or if they were just crazy. Unfortunately, this one, like Omen II mostly boil down to crazy death scenes.
There's one major annoyance here... why does Damien believe the second coming will be a child*? He literally reads from the Bible. And the producers were well aware that was wrong, considering the display the relevant passages of the Bible.
It's certainly not terrible, and has some effective horror scenes. Looked at simply as a horror movie, it's kind of an oddball, but it works. But considering the seemingly end of time apocalyptic stakes, not to mention closure of the three movie arc, it's lacking, and the world surrounding Damien seems surprisingly small.
* I think the reason Damien decides to kill babies is obvious: the production wanted to do the baby killing thing.
Neill has some ear popping monologues with a statue of Jesus. It's so obnoxious that I'm half amazed it wasn't cut. It all strikes me as rather career threatening for an actor and I wonder if any American actor would have done it.
But those scenes do help give this movie a bit of depth.
The first Omen was great because the Thorns weren't sure if crazy supernatural things were occurring, or if they were just crazy. Unfortunately, this one, like Omen II mostly boil down to crazy death scenes.
There's one major annoyance here... why does Damien believe the second coming will be a child*? He literally reads from the Bible. And the producers were well aware that was wrong, considering the display the relevant passages of the Bible.
It's certainly not terrible, and has some effective horror scenes. Looked at simply as a horror movie, it's kind of an oddball, but it works. But considering the seemingly end of time apocalyptic stakes, not to mention closure of the three movie arc, it's lacking, and the world surrounding Damien seems surprisingly small.
* I think the reason Damien decides to kill babies is obvious: the production wanted to do the baby killing thing.
If you don't like the film, listen to the score.
lampton20 June 1999
A fairly good end to the trilogy, although it's a shame the threatened armaggeddon never comes off (as in the later novels). Sam Neill puts in a good performance as the Devil's son and is surrounded by decent character actors. However, how Jerry Goldsmith didn't win an Oscar for the score, I will never know. It's absolutely amazing and proves music really can improve a film (just imagine a score-less Psycho, for example).
Sam Neill but not much else
SnoopyStyle25 October 2013
Damien Thorn (Sam Neill) is now 32 years old and powerfully wealthy. He is appointed US Ambassador to Great Britain like his father. A celestial alignment proclaims the second coming of Christ. Damien organizes to kill all the baby boys born at the alignment. In the meanwhile, a group of priests attempt to kill Damien with the only weapon capable of the task: the 7 knives of Megiddo.
This is the third movie of the series and guess what, the style isn't there anymore. There isn't one memorable scene in this movie. The biggest draw is the acting skills of Sam Neill. He shows that he has power and the presence to be the antichrist. Other than him, there isn't anything there. He's very compelling as the evil Damien, but there is a lot of unreasonableness going on here. It seems that the cops would notice something is going on. And it seems that the priests should be better armed. I know only the knives can kill Damien but having guns would be very useful.
This is the third movie of the series and guess what, the style isn't there anymore. There isn't one memorable scene in this movie. The biggest draw is the acting skills of Sam Neill. He shows that he has power and the presence to be the antichrist. Other than him, there isn't anything there. He's very compelling as the evil Damien, but there is a lot of unreasonableness going on here. It seems that the cops would notice something is going on. And it seems that the priests should be better armed. I know only the knives can kill Damien but having guns would be very useful.
Good solid horror film
Horrorible_Horror_Films18 August 2006
As far as horror films go, I believe The Final Conflict has gotten a bad rap. Now, this is obviously not some all time greatest movie of all time or anything like that, but it really is a well made film, and a good horror film. Considering that I only watch horror movies, and every review I've done on IMDb has been extremely negative of really horrible horror films (hence my name) this being the first positive review I've given is really saying something, at least for me anyway :) In The Final Conflict, our hero (or rather not I guess, since he IS the anti-Christ) Damien is all grown up and using his demonic ways to basically take over the world for Satan. The one melodramatic scene where he gives his little speech to his father Satan is pretty stupid and could have done without (although the scuptlure of Christ in that scnece is actually a pretty amazing work of art), but other than that this is a fine horror film. The atmosphere is great, decent performances. His scene with the president (played by Mason Adams) makes you chuckle and ties in so well how all politicians (as well as everything to do with politics) are so deeply in league with Satan.
A couple shocking violent scenes, really creepy atmosphere, great cinematogrpahy - this film is clearly from an analogue age, before digital anything was in use. Perhaps this is part of the reason many don't like this movie, today's horror films are a lot easier to make due to digital advances (which is a good thing) so they appear to have high production quality, but are really terrible made, written and directed. The final conflict is well made, and of course the score by Jerry Goldsmith is excellent and adds much to the film, definitely would have been a worse movie without his score, I can't say enough how good it is. The mix of very old musical ideas with modern ones, (as well as a few tritones of course) really makes the movie in many ways for me.
So see The Final Conflict if your a horror fan.
A couple shocking violent scenes, really creepy atmosphere, great cinematogrpahy - this film is clearly from an analogue age, before digital anything was in use. Perhaps this is part of the reason many don't like this movie, today's horror films are a lot easier to make due to digital advances (which is a good thing) so they appear to have high production quality, but are really terrible made, written and directed. The final conflict is well made, and of course the score by Jerry Goldsmith is excellent and adds much to the film, definitely would have been a worse movie without his score, I can't say enough how good it is. The mix of very old musical ideas with modern ones, (as well as a few tritones of course) really makes the movie in many ways for me.
So see The Final Conflict if your a horror fan.
Fitting conclusion to the trilogy, aside from the rubbish ending
Leofwine_draca8 September 2016
Warning: Spoilers
The last and least of the OMEN trilogy. What this film offers is a fairly complex and widespread plot that draws in biblical allusions, Damien and his legion of followers, a female journalist and her son who get drawn into the battle, a squad of vigilante monks who act as assassins, plus the widespread murder of babies. If that's not an impressive selection, then go find another movie.
There's a kind of 'epic' feel to this movie, which recreates Armageddon and relocates it to the UK. As so many diverse characters are involved and the film goes on for a fair length, it certainly feels like an epic and more than your average horror film. While the characters may not be more than pawns in the game, the cast is a great one, with all actors and actresses doing their bit. Sam Neill is excellently cast as Damien, and brings just the right air of evil about him in the role. Rossano Brazzi, who plays the chief monk out to get him, is also fine, although sadly his character doesn't figure in the (disappointing) finale. Don Gordon is good as Damien's misguided follower, while Lisa Harrow brings life to her clichéd role as a female journalist, who isn't just out for herself like journalists are in most films.
This is a film with a nasty edge to it as well, more so than both previous films. Here, we see Damien rape his lover, we see multiple murders of young babies - a long-held taboo - and lots of grisly violence and gore. I don't understand those who say this isn't a gory film, as the version I saw certainly is. It may not be very bloody but the death scenes are really nasty, leaving your imagination to do the work. We see a shotgun suicide, people getting repeatedly stabbed, a man getting an iron in his face (that's gotta hurt...), another falling to his death, a priest gets torn apart by dogs, and in the film's spectacular "highlight", a priest's assassination attempt goes disastrously wrong, leaving him hanging from a rope, covered in a plastic sheet and burning alive.
There are two main flaws with this film, as far as I can see. The first is the running time - it seems to go on forever. The second is the terribly disappointing ending, which feels rushed and is up there with TO THE DEVIL A DAUGHTER in terms of anti-climatic moments. Hardly a fitting ending to the trilogy, which has basically been just one big build up to this confrontation. It's over within five minutes, and leaves you feeling cheated. Aside from this major flaw, OMEN III: THE FINAL CONFLICT isn't bad at all.
There's a kind of 'epic' feel to this movie, which recreates Armageddon and relocates it to the UK. As so many diverse characters are involved and the film goes on for a fair length, it certainly feels like an epic and more than your average horror film. While the characters may not be more than pawns in the game, the cast is a great one, with all actors and actresses doing their bit. Sam Neill is excellently cast as Damien, and brings just the right air of evil about him in the role. Rossano Brazzi, who plays the chief monk out to get him, is also fine, although sadly his character doesn't figure in the (disappointing) finale. Don Gordon is good as Damien's misguided follower, while Lisa Harrow brings life to her clichéd role as a female journalist, who isn't just out for herself like journalists are in most films.
This is a film with a nasty edge to it as well, more so than both previous films. Here, we see Damien rape his lover, we see multiple murders of young babies - a long-held taboo - and lots of grisly violence and gore. I don't understand those who say this isn't a gory film, as the version I saw certainly is. It may not be very bloody but the death scenes are really nasty, leaving your imagination to do the work. We see a shotgun suicide, people getting repeatedly stabbed, a man getting an iron in his face (that's gotta hurt...), another falling to his death, a priest gets torn apart by dogs, and in the film's spectacular "highlight", a priest's assassination attempt goes disastrously wrong, leaving him hanging from a rope, covered in a plastic sheet and burning alive.
There are two main flaws with this film, as far as I can see. The first is the running time - it seems to go on forever. The second is the terribly disappointing ending, which feels rushed and is up there with TO THE DEVIL A DAUGHTER in terms of anti-climatic moments. Hardly a fitting ending to the trilogy, which has basically been just one big build up to this confrontation. It's over within five minutes, and leaves you feeling cheated. Aside from this major flaw, OMEN III: THE FINAL CONFLICT isn't bad at all.
Banana Peel Humor and Grown Up Romance
Dan1863Sickles16 January 2004
The horror in this movie is so bad it's funny! Every time a monk gets anywhere near Damien the poor guy falls off a bridge or drops down a hole or just slips on a banana peel or something.
On the other hand, the smart and pretty lady reporter gets her hands on Damien right away, without any trouble. It's said that Sam Neill who plays Damien and Lisa Harrow who plays Kate Reynolds were actually falling in love for real as this movie was being made. It really shows! Aside from being just gorgeous, Lisa Harrow was a good actress. You can see that her character has at least three sides to her. As a reporter, she's intrigued by Damien's vast wealth and growing political power. As a mother, she's frightened of his influence over her troubled teenage son. And as a woman, she can't help responding to the sheer excitement of his darkly sexual charisma. But what makes this interesting is that the story line always treats her character with respect. Her sexual feelings don't cancel out her heart or her intelligence, they just make her more mature and sympathetic.
Why is it that major stars like Julia Roberts and Meg Ryan never play anyone half as interesting as this?
On the other hand, the smart and pretty lady reporter gets her hands on Damien right away, without any trouble. It's said that Sam Neill who plays Damien and Lisa Harrow who plays Kate Reynolds were actually falling in love for real as this movie was being made. It really shows! Aside from being just gorgeous, Lisa Harrow was a good actress. You can see that her character has at least three sides to her. As a reporter, she's intrigued by Damien's vast wealth and growing political power. As a mother, she's frightened of his influence over her troubled teenage son. And as a woman, she can't help responding to the sheer excitement of his darkly sexual charisma. But what makes this interesting is that the story line always treats her character with respect. Her sexual feelings don't cancel out her heart or her intelligence, they just make her more mature and sympathetic.
Why is it that major stars like Julia Roberts and Meg Ryan never play anyone half as interesting as this?
A Shameful Waste
aazell1-853-6955254 October 2010
Warning: Spoilers
Recently Film4 in the UK ran all three Omen films on three consecutive nights. Having re-watched and enjoyed Omen 1 and 2, from which the combination of Jerry Goldsmiths score and creepy camera work left me pretty disturbed, I was looking forward to the third and final instalment which I hadn't seen before.
What a massive disappointment.
This film is a complete and total waste of so many good talents.
Sam Neill is pretty good as Damian Thorne. Sly, authoritative when necessary and pretty twisted in certain scenes. Check out the first scene in his satanic chapel as a perfect example of how the character should be played. Excellently done.
The problem here is that the basic premise of the Omen films has been thrown out of the window. I'll admit the writers here did have a challenge. They had to fulfil the prophecy elements stated in the earlier versions and somehow tie all that together with some sort of satisfying conclusion.
So many story points are present but have no bearing on the rest of the plot. Damian becomes the US ambassador to the UK like his (adopted) father before him. This seems to have been required in the story because it's stated in the earlier films that he will rise through the world of politics. Damian also becomes the head of the UN's children's program and this point is given a fair amount of attention at the beginning of the film but once again this comes to nothing in the story.
The prior two films set this story up and it's quite clear to me how the story was intended to progress. Why on earth didn't they follow this? The story as intended by Damian Omen 2 should run as follows...
Damian as head of Thorn Industries has bought up huge amounts of the worlds agricultural land and holds power over food distribution creating famine wherever he pleases. It's through this that he is able to bring the world into conflict and bring about the end of days.
Once again this plot point is mentioned at the beginning of the 3rd film but nothing ever comes of it. Such a frustrating waste.
The staple of The Omen films is the bizarre, random (sometimes overly complex) death scenes to those characters who threaten the antichrists ascension but once again this core element of the films is abandoned. This was the coolest signature of the films inspiring a feeling of dread in the viewer. You know they're screwed but you don't know when it's coming. The idea was taken forward by the Final Destination films with good effect. That's the fun part... and unfortunately it's missing.
Instead we have Rotweilers with hypo abilities (seen in the first film when the nanny hangs herself) and this is massively overused. The whole thing feels like a particularly bad episode of tales of the unexpected.
There is also a bizarre scene where Damian addresses his followers. The location is never disclosed and the followers appear to be a collection of Monty Python caricatures. Perhaps the most silly of these are the two boy scouts...
I found myself laughing out loud at some of the supposedly terrifying death scenes (especially the one at the BBC which is so silly you can't help but laugh).
In my opinion this film needs to be re-made to service the overall story with the ending it deserves. I want to watch each of the various strands of Damian Thorn's devilish plans slot into place perfectly as age of Satan draws closer by his design. Whether he fails or succeeds is irrelevant... We deserved a better ending than this!
What a massive disappointment.
This film is a complete and total waste of so many good talents.
Sam Neill is pretty good as Damian Thorne. Sly, authoritative when necessary and pretty twisted in certain scenes. Check out the first scene in his satanic chapel as a perfect example of how the character should be played. Excellently done.
The problem here is that the basic premise of the Omen films has been thrown out of the window. I'll admit the writers here did have a challenge. They had to fulfil the prophecy elements stated in the earlier versions and somehow tie all that together with some sort of satisfying conclusion.
So many story points are present but have no bearing on the rest of the plot. Damian becomes the US ambassador to the UK like his (adopted) father before him. This seems to have been required in the story because it's stated in the earlier films that he will rise through the world of politics. Damian also becomes the head of the UN's children's program and this point is given a fair amount of attention at the beginning of the film but once again this comes to nothing in the story.
The prior two films set this story up and it's quite clear to me how the story was intended to progress. Why on earth didn't they follow this? The story as intended by Damian Omen 2 should run as follows...
Damian as head of Thorn Industries has bought up huge amounts of the worlds agricultural land and holds power over food distribution creating famine wherever he pleases. It's through this that he is able to bring the world into conflict and bring about the end of days.
Once again this plot point is mentioned at the beginning of the 3rd film but nothing ever comes of it. Such a frustrating waste.
The staple of The Omen films is the bizarre, random (sometimes overly complex) death scenes to those characters who threaten the antichrists ascension but once again this core element of the films is abandoned. This was the coolest signature of the films inspiring a feeling of dread in the viewer. You know they're screwed but you don't know when it's coming. The idea was taken forward by the Final Destination films with good effect. That's the fun part... and unfortunately it's missing.
Instead we have Rotweilers with hypo abilities (seen in the first film when the nanny hangs herself) and this is massively overused. The whole thing feels like a particularly bad episode of tales of the unexpected.
There is also a bizarre scene where Damian addresses his followers. The location is never disclosed and the followers appear to be a collection of Monty Python caricatures. Perhaps the most silly of these are the two boy scouts...
I found myself laughing out loud at some of the supposedly terrifying death scenes (especially the one at the BBC which is so silly you can't help but laugh).
In my opinion this film needs to be re-made to service the overall story with the ending it deserves. I want to watch each of the various strands of Damian Thorn's devilish plans slot into place perfectly as age of Satan draws closer by his design. Whether he fails or succeeds is irrelevant... We deserved a better ending than this!
Third part of the 'Omen trilogy' with an excellent Sam Neill as Damien
ma-cortes14 January 2009
This second sequel to huge hit 'Richard Donner's Omen (Gregory Peck, Lee Remick)' centres on anti-Christ personified by Damien (Sam Neill) . Now grown-up Damien (as a teen was incarnated by Jonathan Taylor) is the only proprietary of Thorn industries , one time deceased his forested parents (William Holden , Lee Grant from Omen 2 by Don Taylor) . Damien is named American Ambassador to London by the US President (Mason Adams). A group of monks (Rossano Brazzi , Tony Voguel , among others) get the seven daggers , as Damien Thorn can now only be murdered by one of the daggers . In England Damien is helped by an assistant (Don Gordon) and he falls in love with a TV journalist (Lisa Howard) . The film talks, fundamentally, about the rebirth of Christ and confrontation to anti-Christ Damien . The devilish Damien is poised for ruling over earth supported by his underlings .
This exciting follow-up contains thrills , chills , suspense ,tension and grisly killings . The chief excitement resides in seeing what amazing and creepy murders happen every few minutes of picture . The eerie scenes range from the genuinely fantastic to the bizarre and horrifying images . The movie is quite predictable but we have seen the previous chapters but also its predictability is redeemed in part by the charismatic acting by Sam Neill , the New Zealand-born player , and an effective secondary casting . Colorful and adequate cinematography by Phil Meheux (The Zorro) . Again evocative musical score by the great Jerry Goldsmith (Planet of apes) with soundtrack-alike first entry , winner a deserved Oscar . The motion picture was professionally directed by Graham Baker (Beowulf , Alien Nation) . Followed by an inferior television movie , Omen IV (2001) , and for genre addicts only , directed by Jorge Montesi with Faye Grant and Michael Woods .
This exciting follow-up contains thrills , chills , suspense ,tension and grisly killings . The chief excitement resides in seeing what amazing and creepy murders happen every few minutes of picture . The eerie scenes range from the genuinely fantastic to the bizarre and horrifying images . The movie is quite predictable but we have seen the previous chapters but also its predictability is redeemed in part by the charismatic acting by Sam Neill , the New Zealand-born player , and an effective secondary casting . Colorful and adequate cinematography by Phil Meheux (The Zorro) . Again evocative musical score by the great Jerry Goldsmith (Planet of apes) with soundtrack-alike first entry , winner a deserved Oscar . The motion picture was professionally directed by Graham Baker (Beowulf , Alien Nation) . Followed by an inferior television movie , Omen IV (2001) , and for genre addicts only , directed by Jorge Montesi with Faye Grant and Michael Woods .
Howlingly bad!
Maciste_Brother22 July 2003
There are good "So Bad It's Good" movies. And then there are "So bad, well, they're BAD" movies and THE FINAL CONFLICT belongs in the latter category. I saw this at the movies and what a disappointment it was. I was too young to have seen the other two OMEN flicks in theaters (but saw them on TV) and when FINAL CONFLICT was released, I was old enough to see it. Well, what a freaking letdown that was. Everything about it was bad: script, direction, acting, fx. You name it, it's bad. Only the ever reliable Jerry Goldsmith comes up with a good score for this dreck.
The thing that made me angry is that the movie doesn't even follow the plot points the two previous movies set-up years ago. Like the fact that Damien has to be killed with the six knives all at once. In FC, every knife is given to six monks, who try to kill Damien with their single individual knives. What? The story was supposed to take place in the near future and yet everything looked "late 70s/early 80s". And then there's the "alignment" scene, which is too stupid for words. Everyone in the audience laughed out loud during these scenes, certainly during the scenes when the (very stupid) monks tried to kill Damien and they died in goofy ways. All in all, one of the worst film experience I've ever had.
The thing that made me angry is that the movie doesn't even follow the plot points the two previous movies set-up years ago. Like the fact that Damien has to be killed with the six knives all at once. In FC, every knife is given to six monks, who try to kill Damien with their single individual knives. What? The story was supposed to take place in the near future and yet everything looked "late 70s/early 80s". And then there's the "alignment" scene, which is too stupid for words. Everyone in the audience laughed out loud during these scenes, certainly during the scenes when the (very stupid) monks tried to kill Damien and they died in goofy ways. All in all, one of the worst film experience I've ever had.
Damien pt.3
kairingler16 June 2008
This was great i think,, you have Damien all grown up,, not a kid anymore,, this is pretty cool i think,, now you have all that evil in an adult, which by the way is very scary, Sam Neill does a wonderful job in this, and is very creepy evil at the same time. Add to the fact that the plot was very good too,, you have the monks trying to kill Damien for one,, then you have Damien trying to kill all of the male babies born of the 24th of March,, makes for a very interesting race against time for Damien. If you follow the trilogy though the timeline is quite off, but i guess when they made the first one, they didn't realize it would become a franchise,, but nonetheless, over the past week i have watched all 3 of the Omen's and have seen the new one in the Theatre's when it came out,, i think the trilogy is very good with the story tied together the way it is, overall i give this part 3 a definite thumbs up.
Six Six Six: Some genuinely scary moments
safenoe8 December 2020
Warning: Spoilers
Sam Neill and Lisa Harrow, both New Zealanders star in Omen 3, and soon afterwards they got married in real-life. There are some scary moments in this, but really the first two Omen movies really set up the fear factor for sure.
I wonder how Sam Neil, a New Zealander, would have pronounced Six Six Six, the number of the beast.
One scene that is so memorable is when the monks got trapped underground to a deathly fate. How did they eventually die? Starvation?
I wonder how Sam Neil, a New Zealander, would have pronounced Six Six Six, the number of the beast.
One scene that is so memorable is when the monks got trapped underground to a deathly fate. How did they eventually die? Starvation?
The Final Conflict? Not much of anything, much less a conflict.
Emchick2 April 2002
Warning: Spoilers
I liked the first film, The Omen. I loved the second film, Damien: Omen II. But the third film, The Final Conflict, there really wasn't anything happening in the movie, so that's probably why I didn't like it. Damien in the third installment isn't really doing anything but telling Jesus how he's going to beat him. The Final Conflict didn't have any of the blood or horror like in the first two movies. So if you liked The Omen and Damien: Omen II, do not even bother with trying to see this one. Actually, the only good thing about the film is that is dies in it, but even that is a big let down.
What is evil?
Gary-16112 October 2000
Warning: Spoilers
*SPOILERS*
I keep saying non-secular when I mean secular so I'm going to have to be especially careful when talking about this final in the trilogy which has been shown on telly for consecutive weekends on the graveyard shift. The other two were made in the seventies thus bestowing coolness upon them. At the start of the film Damien is sitting in a viewing theatre and is somewhat miffed. "Trite, cliched, inane" he complains. But enough about 'The Final Conflict' Damien, what about the advert you just watched? The eighties are truly upon us and are apocalyptic. Poor Sam Neill was described as a 'hacktor' after appearing in this but just how do you go about playing the Anti-Christ? Dracula disappears for most of Bram Stoker's novel to great effect and the best move would have been to do a 'Dead Zone' type plot with one man having visions after shaking his hand and trying to off him for the duration with Damien very much in the background. Instead, Neill goes for a hilarious pantomime turn of twitches, eyeball rolling, furtive glances and failed charm. All that is missing are the cape, mustache and tall black hat. His speech is mannered. "The daggers are the only thing on EARTH...(pause)...that can kill me." DAN-DAN! Not the only thing, script starvation is another. This portentousness extends to the incomprehensible Father DeCarlo. "The mark, 66.....(long pause)...6!" Did he forget? It's not like a long zip code, is it? What you also don't want to do is hire a British tv director (Graham Baker) to direct a genre he is unfamiliar with. The action mostly revolves around people coming in and going out through doors and the set-ups are flat. Hey, Graham, horror films have lightening, don't they? So bung them in too in a highly risible manner, knocking a man off his feet in Keystone Cops fashion. Another problem is Jerry Goldsmith's score which makes an old style Ben Hur epic sound like a mere tap on the door. It's deafening appearances during the staid proceedings is laughably incongruous.
The devil changes his modus operandi in this film. Why the change from crow to dog? Well, in a recent London stand up comedy act, a comedian found that the duck he hired cost £250 a day, £100 more than the Equity standard actor's pay for a WEEKS work. So he hired an actor in a duck's costume, I kid you not. So the change to a dog is not just satanic, it's smart. This dog is unusual though, it's point of view shot when stalking the American Ambassador in Hyde Park appears to be floating at least a foot off the ground and doesn't disturb twigs. Damien later explains that the breed once marched with the imperial Roman army. Must have been a sight, a load of soldiers with a row of dogs floating in the air. Keeps the sand off their paws, I guess. But a man's best friend is not his dog but his personal secretary. Harvey Dean (for it is he) reminds me of the hilariously inept personal secretary played by Barry Foster in the 'Sweeney!' Film, only going one better and adding baby killing to his CV. The none-too-bright Dean happily twitters on to Damien about family life seemingly unaware, unlike the rest of us, that the devil has a propensity towards nihilism. But unlike Barry Foster, Dean's assassins are competent and it's the God Squad's (on a sacred mission) that are inept. And don't say they're not used to that sort of thing, have you forgotten the Spanish Inquisition? Anyway, one of DeCarlo's priests goes to kill Damien in a tv studio. From, ahem, a gantry. What was he planning to do, jump down, break both his legs then crawl over to Damien and try and stab his toes? Embarrassed by this incompetence, Father DeCarlo tells the other priests that this time they're going to plan things down to the finest detail. So two of them wait in some ruins while another priest lures Damien to his demise. Sadly they get stuck in a hole, doomed to starvation. But hang on, doesn't planning down to the finest detail entail everyone knowing where they were heading thus ensuring a search party? But it's only me who thinks of these little things, such as Damien moaning to Dean that Christians like sticking to the letter of their prophecies. But do they? Killing Damien on consecrated ground and crucifying him with all seven daggers seems to have gone out of the window. Also 'Revelations' states that Christ will do battle with the Anti-Christ but he doesn't. Probably because he's a little short. In fact, he's a baby, a salient point lost on our Damien who stalks through an Abbey yelling, "come out and face me, Nazarene!" Er, Damien, he's a baby. He can't even walk yet. Do you expect one of the priests to run out and try and nut you with him? Instead, Damien is stabbed in the back by a journalist. Honestly, as the son of Satan he really should have seen THAT one coming.
This film bludgeons you with pious scriptures and pompous choirs but is hypocritically exploitative. The series was silly but tapped into superstitions supposedly forgotten in this secular (yes, made it!) age, so it's a shame they went for easy sleazy rather than something thoughtful. What if, as a recent song writer posed, you had to believe in Jesus and the saints? If it was all true? The theological, moral and historical implications would have made for some philosophically interesting films. 'The Final Conflict' throws away the really big philosophical question of history, "what is evil?" Damien says that true evil is as pure as innocence and that people confuse it with their own lusts and perversions. The trouble is Damien has a statue of Christ crucified the wrong way to a cross and also sodomises his girlfriend Kate Reynolds telling her, "birth is pain, life is pain, beauty is pain", which suggests he's a bit confused as well. But Satan, being the father of lies, is bound to produce a hypocrite. The other problem with this film is Damien isn't really, well, evil enough. He's big on hyperbole: "Grandeur of melancholy, divinity of loneliness, God doesn't lift a finger to do any housework" etc, but he's only managed the death of a few relatives himself. What's shocking about being the head of a multi-national corporation nowadays? Thorn produces everything from Nuclear weapons to Soya Beans, but if you've ever been to supper at my mother-in-laws you'll know which is more lethal. Damien involves himself with a coup in Botswana to gain financially for Thorn industries and set himself favourably up with the president, while blithely missing the fact that with a bit more effort he could have stirred some real trouble up in the middle East between two of the worlds oldest religions, thus precipitating armageddon well ahead of schedule. It does at least prove however, that although the devil may have all the best tunes, don't hold your breath for the CD; he's a real slacker. In fact, the most shocking moments in the whole film come when Kate Reynolds (a BBC journalist, no less!) Seems to approve of her son fox hunting and being traditionally blooded and also let's a complete stranger into her house late at night just because he tells her he's a priest. A sobering thought for our non-secular times. Oh, ****!
I keep saying non-secular when I mean secular so I'm going to have to be especially careful when talking about this final in the trilogy which has been shown on telly for consecutive weekends on the graveyard shift. The other two were made in the seventies thus bestowing coolness upon them. At the start of the film Damien is sitting in a viewing theatre and is somewhat miffed. "Trite, cliched, inane" he complains. But enough about 'The Final Conflict' Damien, what about the advert you just watched? The eighties are truly upon us and are apocalyptic. Poor Sam Neill was described as a 'hacktor' after appearing in this but just how do you go about playing the Anti-Christ? Dracula disappears for most of Bram Stoker's novel to great effect and the best move would have been to do a 'Dead Zone' type plot with one man having visions after shaking his hand and trying to off him for the duration with Damien very much in the background. Instead, Neill goes for a hilarious pantomime turn of twitches, eyeball rolling, furtive glances and failed charm. All that is missing are the cape, mustache and tall black hat. His speech is mannered. "The daggers are the only thing on EARTH...(pause)...that can kill me." DAN-DAN! Not the only thing, script starvation is another. This portentousness extends to the incomprehensible Father DeCarlo. "The mark, 66.....(long pause)...6!" Did he forget? It's not like a long zip code, is it? What you also don't want to do is hire a British tv director (Graham Baker) to direct a genre he is unfamiliar with. The action mostly revolves around people coming in and going out through doors and the set-ups are flat. Hey, Graham, horror films have lightening, don't they? So bung them in too in a highly risible manner, knocking a man off his feet in Keystone Cops fashion. Another problem is Jerry Goldsmith's score which makes an old style Ben Hur epic sound like a mere tap on the door. It's deafening appearances during the staid proceedings is laughably incongruous.
The devil changes his modus operandi in this film. Why the change from crow to dog? Well, in a recent London stand up comedy act, a comedian found that the duck he hired cost £250 a day, £100 more than the Equity standard actor's pay for a WEEKS work. So he hired an actor in a duck's costume, I kid you not. So the change to a dog is not just satanic, it's smart. This dog is unusual though, it's point of view shot when stalking the American Ambassador in Hyde Park appears to be floating at least a foot off the ground and doesn't disturb twigs. Damien later explains that the breed once marched with the imperial Roman army. Must have been a sight, a load of soldiers with a row of dogs floating in the air. Keeps the sand off their paws, I guess. But a man's best friend is not his dog but his personal secretary. Harvey Dean (for it is he) reminds me of the hilariously inept personal secretary played by Barry Foster in the 'Sweeney!' Film, only going one better and adding baby killing to his CV. The none-too-bright Dean happily twitters on to Damien about family life seemingly unaware, unlike the rest of us, that the devil has a propensity towards nihilism. But unlike Barry Foster, Dean's assassins are competent and it's the God Squad's (on a sacred mission) that are inept. And don't say they're not used to that sort of thing, have you forgotten the Spanish Inquisition? Anyway, one of DeCarlo's priests goes to kill Damien in a tv studio. From, ahem, a gantry. What was he planning to do, jump down, break both his legs then crawl over to Damien and try and stab his toes? Embarrassed by this incompetence, Father DeCarlo tells the other priests that this time they're going to plan things down to the finest detail. So two of them wait in some ruins while another priest lures Damien to his demise. Sadly they get stuck in a hole, doomed to starvation. But hang on, doesn't planning down to the finest detail entail everyone knowing where they were heading thus ensuring a search party? But it's only me who thinks of these little things, such as Damien moaning to Dean that Christians like sticking to the letter of their prophecies. But do they? Killing Damien on consecrated ground and crucifying him with all seven daggers seems to have gone out of the window. Also 'Revelations' states that Christ will do battle with the Anti-Christ but he doesn't. Probably because he's a little short. In fact, he's a baby, a salient point lost on our Damien who stalks through an Abbey yelling, "come out and face me, Nazarene!" Er, Damien, he's a baby. He can't even walk yet. Do you expect one of the priests to run out and try and nut you with him? Instead, Damien is stabbed in the back by a journalist. Honestly, as the son of Satan he really should have seen THAT one coming.
This film bludgeons you with pious scriptures and pompous choirs but is hypocritically exploitative. The series was silly but tapped into superstitions supposedly forgotten in this secular (yes, made it!) age, so it's a shame they went for easy sleazy rather than something thoughtful. What if, as a recent song writer posed, you had to believe in Jesus and the saints? If it was all true? The theological, moral and historical implications would have made for some philosophically interesting films. 'The Final Conflict' throws away the really big philosophical question of history, "what is evil?" Damien says that true evil is as pure as innocence and that people confuse it with their own lusts and perversions. The trouble is Damien has a statue of Christ crucified the wrong way to a cross and also sodomises his girlfriend Kate Reynolds telling her, "birth is pain, life is pain, beauty is pain", which suggests he's a bit confused as well. But Satan, being the father of lies, is bound to produce a hypocrite. The other problem with this film is Damien isn't really, well, evil enough. He's big on hyperbole: "Grandeur of melancholy, divinity of loneliness, God doesn't lift a finger to do any housework" etc, but he's only managed the death of a few relatives himself. What's shocking about being the head of a multi-national corporation nowadays? Thorn produces everything from Nuclear weapons to Soya Beans, but if you've ever been to supper at my mother-in-laws you'll know which is more lethal. Damien involves himself with a coup in Botswana to gain financially for Thorn industries and set himself favourably up with the president, while blithely missing the fact that with a bit more effort he could have stirred some real trouble up in the middle East between two of the worlds oldest religions, thus precipitating armageddon well ahead of schedule. It does at least prove however, that although the devil may have all the best tunes, don't hold your breath for the CD; he's a real slacker. In fact, the most shocking moments in the whole film come when Kate Reynolds (a BBC journalist, no less!) Seems to approve of her son fox hunting and being traditionally blooded and also let's a complete stranger into her house late at night just because he tells her he's a priest. A sobering thought for our non-secular times. Oh, ****!
The Last Film of the Omen Trilogy
Uriah4327 February 2023
This film begins with a construction project uncovering some ancient daggers which were buried many years earlier. It is then revealed that these 7 daggers are known as the "Daggers of Megiddo" and they were made for only one purpose--to kill the Antichrist when he finally appears on Earth. The scene then shifts to a corporate CEO by the name of "Damien Thorn" (Sam Neill) negotiating with the "President of the United States" (played by Mason Adams) on his conditions for accepting the ambassadorship to Great Britain. For purely political reasons, the President gives Damien everything he wants. In the process, however, he unwittingly fulfills an ancient prophecy that the Antichrist would begin his rise to power in the British Isles. Not long afterward, a special astronomical event occurs which is interpreted by certain monks in an Italian monastery that Jesus is about to be reborn. Not only that, but in order to facilitate this event, they are now obligated to use the Daggers of Megiddo to kill the person they know to be the Antichrist--Damien Thorne. What they don't realize, however, is that Damien is fully aware of their intentions--and he is willing to do whatever it takes to ensure his claim to world power. Now, rather than reveal any more, I will just say that this turned out to be a satisfactory final installment of the Omen Trilogy as it contained some decent suspense along with solid performances by both Sam Neill and Lisa Harrow (as "Kate Reynolds"). Admittedly, I didn't much care for the rather phony religious mumbo-jumbo thrown in at various times, but even so, the film still managed to pass the time well enough, and I have rated it accordingly. Average.
An Excellent Sequel
gavin69424 June 2013
The now adult Antichrist (Sam Neill) plots to eliminate his future divine opponent while a cabal of monks plot to stop him.
This movie has the distinction of being Sam Neill's first American film, as well as Hazel Court's final film appearance (albeit a cameo and uncredited). While I wish Court had more screen time, what better debut than as the son of the Devil?
If I am not mistaken, this movie sort of brought the idea of horror sequels into the modern age. Universal had plenty of secrets to its films, but there was never a "Dracula II" or "Mummy III". While "Friday the 13th" and "Nightmare on Elm Street" are now past ten sequels, "Omen" was the first to get a third film. And a very, very good one at that, with the same feel as the original and the important plot point of the return of Christ.
(We will just ignore the fourth film in the series...)
This movie has the distinction of being Sam Neill's first American film, as well as Hazel Court's final film appearance (albeit a cameo and uncredited). While I wish Court had more screen time, what better debut than as the son of the Devil?
If I am not mistaken, this movie sort of brought the idea of horror sequels into the modern age. Universal had plenty of secrets to its films, but there was never a "Dracula II" or "Mummy III". While "Friday the 13th" and "Nightmare on Elm Street" are now past ten sequels, "Omen" was the first to get a third film. And a very, very good one at that, with the same feel as the original and the important plot point of the return of Christ.
(We will just ignore the fourth film in the series...)
Omen III - Not So Final.
AaronCapenBanner11 September 2013
Sam Neil takes over the role of Damien, who is now an adult in charge of Thorn industries, and eying a political career running for president the following year, and also preparing the way for himself and his followers for the return of his father to power - Satan. However, a secret order of priests are in place to stop him, no matter how many of their number have to die in the process...
Poor sequel is terribly misconceived(jumps too far ahead in time) and utterly ineffectual(no suspense and inept shock value) Sam Neil is the only successful thing here, making Damien a sinister and ruthless foe, but is swamped further by bad continuity, since the first two "Omens", were more or less contemporary(cars, fashions, technology are clearly modern, whereas this film would put them in the 1950's & early '60's! Huh?) Climax is so turgid, and plot so crass, that this is a most ignoble way to end the "trilogy".
Poor sequel is terribly misconceived(jumps too far ahead in time) and utterly ineffectual(no suspense and inept shock value) Sam Neil is the only successful thing here, making Damien a sinister and ruthless foe, but is swamped further by bad continuity, since the first two "Omens", were more or less contemporary(cars, fashions, technology are clearly modern, whereas this film would put them in the 1950's & early '60's! Huh?) Climax is so turgid, and plot so crass, that this is a most ignoble way to end the "trilogy".
The Antichrist Ups The Ante, OR, Getting His Kicks On Route 666
ferbs5414 October 2014
Warning: Spoilers
By the end of the 1976 megahit "The Omen"--one of the most successful films of that year, returning $60 million in domestic box office receipts on its $3 million budget--the foster parents of 5-year-old Damien Thorn both lay dead...as well as most of the personages who had had anything to do with the kindergarten-age Antichrist. His mother, Katherine (Lee Remick), had been offed by the (literal) nanny from hell, Mrs. Baylock (a remarkable performance from Billie Whitelaw), while his ambassador father Robert (played with classy gravitas by the great Gregory Peck) had been killed by the cops while in the act of attempting to slay his adopted Satan spawn with one of the Daggers of Megiddo. By the conclusion of the film's sequel, 1978's "Damien: Omen II," the guardians of 12-year-old Damien also lay dead: Uncle Richard (William Holden) had been knifed by wife Ann (Lee Grant), while Ann herself had perished in a conflagration. Viewers would have to wait another three years to see what deviltry young Damien would be up to next, but were well repaid for their patience when part three of the trilogy, "The Final Conflict," was released in March 1981. The film performed only 1/3 as well at the box office as compared to the original "Omen" installment and does not seem to be highly regarded today, which surprises me. The picture certainly does up the ante of the previous two films, and while necessarily not as original or fresh in conception, more than makes up for that with some truly shocking developments.
In the film, the viewer learns that Damien has graduated from both Yale and Oxford, is now in his early 30s and, as portrayed remarkably well by Sam Neill, is not only the supremely wealthy head of the Thorn business empire, but, in consequence of the Satanically induced suicide of the U.S. ambassador to Britain, is next in line for that august position as well. The film basically consists of two running, parallel plots. In the first, Father De Carlo (the great Italian actor Rossano Brazzi, giving the film's most likable performance), head of the San Benedetto monastery in Subiaco, Italy (which featured prominently in the original film), along with six select priests, each armed with one of the seven Daggers of Megiddo, go out into the world to slay the Antichrist. In the second, Damien searches throughout London to find the newly born Christ child, and to slay him before his own powers are greatly diminished. He is abetted by his personal assistant Harvey Dean (some nice work here by Don Gordon), whose own newly born son may or may not be the Christ child himself, while British investigative reporter Kate Reynolds (Lisa Harrow) interviews the new ambassador and learns a little too much about him. And so, a genuine conflict arises: Can Damien kill the newborn Christ before the seven priests kill him?
Unlike the previous two films, here, we have a Damien in full knowledge and acceptance of his Satanic lineage. For the first time, the Antichrist doesn't just slay the pesky meddlers surrounding him, but actively goes after Jesus Christ himself! THAT'S what I call upping the ante! As in the previous films, Damien's and his Pops' slayings make for memorable set pieces, and the deaths of the Subiaco priests are brought about most impressively (by fire, knifing, lightning, dog attack and so on). Surprisingly, however, these infernal homicides are not the film's most gripping scenes. Rather--at least, for this viewer--it is the pair of speeches that Damien makes that manages to impress the most. In the first, he addresses a Jesus crucifix with the most shockingly abusive language, calling Christianity a "grubby, mundane creed," and declaring "...2,000 years have been enough...Nazarene charlatan, since the hour you vomited forth from a gaping wound of a woman you've done nothing but drown Man's soaring desires in a deluge of sanctimonious morality...I will drive deeper the thorns into your rancid carcass, you profaner of vices...." After which Damien Thorn, a genuine thorn in mankind's backside, does indeed drive the thorn crown on the Christ effigy deeper into Jesus' head, remarkably making the image cry bloody tears! It is a flabbergasting sequence, supremely well performed by Neill. And in his other great speech, Damien exhorts his heterogeneous minions to track down and slay the new Christ child with these words: "...Slay the Nazarene, and you will know the violent raptures of my father's kingdom. Fail, and you will be condemned to a numbing eternity in the flaccid bosom of Christ." For the first time, thus, the viewer is witness to a genuinely evil Damien, one who is not only fully aware of his devilish ancestry, but reveling in it. "The Final Conflict," besides showcasing some shocking violence and speechifying, is perhaps most startling in its willingness to feature infanticide as a subplot; indeed, by the film's end, no less than a dozen male infants have been exterminated throughout England in Damien's quest to eliminate the Christ child! Screenwriter Andrew Birkin's script certainly does not flinch from taking risks here, and he is ably complemented by some nice work from director Graham Barker and still another fine score from Jerry Goldsmith. Oh...and for all the gals out there who are attracted to so-called "bad boys," in this film, they will get to see what a bout of lovemaking with the ultimate bad boy might be like. And for once, we have an "Omen" film that ends on a happy note--even Damien himself smiles as one of those blessed daggers plunges into his back! Damien may finally be vanquished here, but for those viewers who are interested in seeing what kind of mischief his demon daughter Delia is capable of spreading, there is always the TV sequel "Omen IV: The Awakening"....
In the film, the viewer learns that Damien has graduated from both Yale and Oxford, is now in his early 30s and, as portrayed remarkably well by Sam Neill, is not only the supremely wealthy head of the Thorn business empire, but, in consequence of the Satanically induced suicide of the U.S. ambassador to Britain, is next in line for that august position as well. The film basically consists of two running, parallel plots. In the first, Father De Carlo (the great Italian actor Rossano Brazzi, giving the film's most likable performance), head of the San Benedetto monastery in Subiaco, Italy (which featured prominently in the original film), along with six select priests, each armed with one of the seven Daggers of Megiddo, go out into the world to slay the Antichrist. In the second, Damien searches throughout London to find the newly born Christ child, and to slay him before his own powers are greatly diminished. He is abetted by his personal assistant Harvey Dean (some nice work here by Don Gordon), whose own newly born son may or may not be the Christ child himself, while British investigative reporter Kate Reynolds (Lisa Harrow) interviews the new ambassador and learns a little too much about him. And so, a genuine conflict arises: Can Damien kill the newborn Christ before the seven priests kill him?
Unlike the previous two films, here, we have a Damien in full knowledge and acceptance of his Satanic lineage. For the first time, the Antichrist doesn't just slay the pesky meddlers surrounding him, but actively goes after Jesus Christ himself! THAT'S what I call upping the ante! As in the previous films, Damien's and his Pops' slayings make for memorable set pieces, and the deaths of the Subiaco priests are brought about most impressively (by fire, knifing, lightning, dog attack and so on). Surprisingly, however, these infernal homicides are not the film's most gripping scenes. Rather--at least, for this viewer--it is the pair of speeches that Damien makes that manages to impress the most. In the first, he addresses a Jesus crucifix with the most shockingly abusive language, calling Christianity a "grubby, mundane creed," and declaring "...2,000 years have been enough...Nazarene charlatan, since the hour you vomited forth from a gaping wound of a woman you've done nothing but drown Man's soaring desires in a deluge of sanctimonious morality...I will drive deeper the thorns into your rancid carcass, you profaner of vices...." After which Damien Thorn, a genuine thorn in mankind's backside, does indeed drive the thorn crown on the Christ effigy deeper into Jesus' head, remarkably making the image cry bloody tears! It is a flabbergasting sequence, supremely well performed by Neill. And in his other great speech, Damien exhorts his heterogeneous minions to track down and slay the new Christ child with these words: "...Slay the Nazarene, and you will know the violent raptures of my father's kingdom. Fail, and you will be condemned to a numbing eternity in the flaccid bosom of Christ." For the first time, thus, the viewer is witness to a genuinely evil Damien, one who is not only fully aware of his devilish ancestry, but reveling in it. "The Final Conflict," besides showcasing some shocking violence and speechifying, is perhaps most startling in its willingness to feature infanticide as a subplot; indeed, by the film's end, no less than a dozen male infants have been exterminated throughout England in Damien's quest to eliminate the Christ child! Screenwriter Andrew Birkin's script certainly does not flinch from taking risks here, and he is ably complemented by some nice work from director Graham Barker and still another fine score from Jerry Goldsmith. Oh...and for all the gals out there who are attracted to so-called "bad boys," in this film, they will get to see what a bout of lovemaking with the ultimate bad boy might be like. And for once, we have an "Omen" film that ends on a happy note--even Damien himself smiles as one of those blessed daggers plunges into his back! Damien may finally be vanquished here, but for those viewers who are interested in seeing what kind of mischief his demon daughter Delia is capable of spreading, there is always the TV sequel "Omen IV: The Awakening"....
"Conflict" of interest....
Mister-615 September 1999
Good beginning, I'll give it that.
This final installment of the "Omen" series, though trying its best to be cerebral, does have a very effective opening. In fact, anyone interested in wordless storytelling should watch "The Final Conflict" just to see it done.
As far as the rest, Neill has done worse but he's also done much better. The rest of the cast does no real damage, since the story is pretty much what you'd expect from the series, only less.
This is the only movie, though, where you'll see a pack of possessed fox hounds chase a priest.
Yeah, that's what I said.
One star. Not that the series was very good, but this one doesn't even try.
This final installment of the "Omen" series, though trying its best to be cerebral, does have a very effective opening. In fact, anyone interested in wordless storytelling should watch "The Final Conflict" just to see it done.
As far as the rest, Neill has done worse but he's also done much better. The rest of the cast does no real damage, since the story is pretty much what you'd expect from the series, only less.
This is the only movie, though, where you'll see a pack of possessed fox hounds chase a priest.
Yeah, that's what I said.
One star. Not that the series was very good, but this one doesn't even try.
"We might aspire to be good but our real fascination lies with evil." I thought it was decent.
poolandrews3 February 2007
Warning: Spoilers
The Final Conflict sees the Antichrist Damien Thorn (Sam Neill) now 32 years old & has him wanting to be the American ambassador to Britain, by a complete coincidence the current ambassador (Robert Arden) has an unfortunate incident which leaves him with his brains splattered on a wall & as a result the President (Mason Adams) does then indeed give Damien the job. Taking the position Damien moves to London & becomes romantically involved with a TV news-reporter named Kate Reynolds (Lisa Harrow), however he has bigger issues on his mind as a triangular star configuration signals the birth of the second coming of Christ somewhere in Britain so he orders his worshippers to kill every baby boy born on the same night. If that wasn't enough a group of seven priest's from Italy now possess the seven daggers of Meggido which are the only things on Earth which can kill Damien & are on a mission to do just that, an Antichrist's life is just never easy is it?
This English American co-production was directed by Graham Baker & I actually thought it was a decent horror film that passed the time harmlessly enough. The Final Conflict was the third entry in The Omen (1976) series of films & while probably not quite as good as the previous two films I don't think it deserves some of the stick it gets, I mean what about Omen IV: The Awakening (1991) for heavens sake? Anyway, the script by Andrew Birkin now has Damien the Antichrist as an adult who has to fend of killer priest's & the birth of the new Christ as well as continuing his quest to wipe out mankind. The one area where The Final Conflict disappoints is that it's not done on a grand enough scale, for a film that supposedly deals with the end of the World & ancient religious prophecy's it all feels very flat, empty & a bit too basic. For the majority of the film the script offers nothing more than a string of novelty supernatural set-piece deaths which are good to watch but they don't really drive the central story forward until the birth of the second Christ but even then this seems like just an excuse for more deaths & nothing significant becomes of it. Don't get me wrong because as a horror fan I love death, gore & mutilation but I must admit I expected something with a bit more resonance. The character's & dialogue are OK but apart from Damien they don't stand out, it moves along at a fair pace & has entertainment value although I did think it was a bit too long & the climax is a big let down.
Director Baker does a decent job & the film has a nice basic but quite stylish look about it. There isn't much continuity between The Final Conflict & the other Omen films, for instance according to the original Omen the Antichrist Damien was born on the 6th June 1966 yet here The Final Conflict is set in 1982 & he is said to be 32 years old, not that it really matters though. There's a decent atmosphere although I can't say it's particularly scary or tension filled & that ending is very weak which really hurts the film as a whole because you are then stuck with negative feelings as the end credits roll despite what has gone before being alright. There's some good gore here including a burnt corpse & a great scene where someone gorily has their brains blown out (I then love how his leg twitches!) which is one of those cool film moment bits that is definitely worth watching on DVD & slow-motioning it.
Technically The Final Conflict is well made & it obvious had a decent budget. Largely shot in England in London & Cornwall the scenery is nice enough although as a side note Fox hunting as shown in The Final Conflict has since been made illegal so you animal lovers out there needn't worry about such things anymore... The acting is OK but no one stood out apart from Sam Neill in his first starring role & he would obviously go on to achieve lots of success as an actor unlike anyone else in this film. I was surprised to see loud mouth TV show hostess for hire Ruby Wax had a small role in this film...
The Final Conflict isn't the greatest film in the World that's for sure but it ain't too bad when all said & done, not the ideal way to round the trilogy off but it could have been worse. I'd say it's worth a watch if nothing else. Also known as Omen III: The Final Conflict.
This English American co-production was directed by Graham Baker & I actually thought it was a decent horror film that passed the time harmlessly enough. The Final Conflict was the third entry in The Omen (1976) series of films & while probably not quite as good as the previous two films I don't think it deserves some of the stick it gets, I mean what about Omen IV: The Awakening (1991) for heavens sake? Anyway, the script by Andrew Birkin now has Damien the Antichrist as an adult who has to fend of killer priest's & the birth of the new Christ as well as continuing his quest to wipe out mankind. The one area where The Final Conflict disappoints is that it's not done on a grand enough scale, for a film that supposedly deals with the end of the World & ancient religious prophecy's it all feels very flat, empty & a bit too basic. For the majority of the film the script offers nothing more than a string of novelty supernatural set-piece deaths which are good to watch but they don't really drive the central story forward until the birth of the second Christ but even then this seems like just an excuse for more deaths & nothing significant becomes of it. Don't get me wrong because as a horror fan I love death, gore & mutilation but I must admit I expected something with a bit more resonance. The character's & dialogue are OK but apart from Damien they don't stand out, it moves along at a fair pace & has entertainment value although I did think it was a bit too long & the climax is a big let down.
Director Baker does a decent job & the film has a nice basic but quite stylish look about it. There isn't much continuity between The Final Conflict & the other Omen films, for instance according to the original Omen the Antichrist Damien was born on the 6th June 1966 yet here The Final Conflict is set in 1982 & he is said to be 32 years old, not that it really matters though. There's a decent atmosphere although I can't say it's particularly scary or tension filled & that ending is very weak which really hurts the film as a whole because you are then stuck with negative feelings as the end credits roll despite what has gone before being alright. There's some good gore here including a burnt corpse & a great scene where someone gorily has their brains blown out (I then love how his leg twitches!) which is one of those cool film moment bits that is definitely worth watching on DVD & slow-motioning it.
Technically The Final Conflict is well made & it obvious had a decent budget. Largely shot in England in London & Cornwall the scenery is nice enough although as a side note Fox hunting as shown in The Final Conflict has since been made illegal so you animal lovers out there needn't worry about such things anymore... The acting is OK but no one stood out apart from Sam Neill in his first starring role & he would obviously go on to achieve lots of success as an actor unlike anyone else in this film. I was surprised to see loud mouth TV show hostess for hire Ruby Wax had a small role in this film...
The Final Conflict isn't the greatest film in the World that's for sure but it ain't too bad when all said & done, not the ideal way to round the trilogy off but it could have been worse. I'd say it's worth a watch if nothing else. Also known as Omen III: The Final Conflict.
No wonder they change the name of the movie
atinder20 January 2010
I love the first horror Omen movie is one the best horror movies ever made and the second movie was really good and i even enjoyed The Omen 4 , yes The Omen 4.
The third film in the OMEN series. Damien the anti-Christ, (Sam Neill) is now a wealthy and powerful ambassador. When he sees a cosmic sign that may foretell the second coming of the Christ child, he sends out his minions to kill as many babies as possible. Meanwhile, a group of monks is trying to assassinate him with the seven sacred daggers of Megiddo. Will good or evil triumph? They tried to make this really scary but it was not scary at all and not creepy at all like the other movies.
The deaths scenes in this movie were really lame and not scary, i just didn't like the whole Kill the baby thing,i found whole thing silly and scene with baby face, what the hell was that about.
I just did not like this movie and it is forgettable
The third film in the OMEN series. Damien the anti-Christ, (Sam Neill) is now a wealthy and powerful ambassador. When he sees a cosmic sign that may foretell the second coming of the Christ child, he sends out his minions to kill as many babies as possible. Meanwhile, a group of monks is trying to assassinate him with the seven sacred daggers of Megiddo. Will good or evil triumph? They tried to make this really scary but it was not scary at all and not creepy at all like the other movies.
The deaths scenes in this movie were really lame and not scary, i just didn't like the whole Kill the baby thing,i found whole thing silly and scene with baby face, what the hell was that about.
I just did not like this movie and it is forgettable
Extremely well directed film is truly underrated sequel to the Omen series.
hu6751 March 2007
20 years later... Now Damien Thorn (Sam Neill) is becoming Ambassador of England to becoming President of the United States. Which Damien truly wants to be the ruler of the world. When the leader of the monks (Rossano Brazzi) has the seven diggers to destroy Damien. While the second coming of Christ is born. Damien gives order to his followers to kill all the new born babies that could destroy him. While Damien starts falling for an ambitious reporter (Lisa Horrow) and this reporter slowly finding out his true identity.
Directed by Graham Baker (Alien Nation, Beowulf, Impulse) made an interesting, strong sequel was supposed to be the last of the Omen films until Omen 4 was made for television. Which the character is mention in the T.V. movie. The third film didn't perform well at the box office but die hard fans of the series will certainly enjoy it. Neill gives an terrific performance, the supporting cast are good and another memorable score by the late Oscar-Winner:Jerry Goldsmith (Legend, Planet of the Apes, Poltergeist).
DVD has an fine anamorphic Widescreen (2.35:1) transfer and an good-Dolby 2.0 Surround Sound. DVD has an commentary track by the director but it has plenty of dead air and he gives some interesting comments. But not as informative as the first and second film commentaries. DVD also has the original theatrical trailer with trailers of the first and second movie. This is a satisfying picture that is certainly strong and different from the other two. Executive Produced by Richard Donner (The Lethal Weapon Series). Written by Andrew Birkin (The Messenger:The Story of Joan of Arc, The Name of the Rose, Perfume:The Story of a Murderer). Panavision. (****/*****).
Directed by Graham Baker (Alien Nation, Beowulf, Impulse) made an interesting, strong sequel was supposed to be the last of the Omen films until Omen 4 was made for television. Which the character is mention in the T.V. movie. The third film didn't perform well at the box office but die hard fans of the series will certainly enjoy it. Neill gives an terrific performance, the supporting cast are good and another memorable score by the late Oscar-Winner:Jerry Goldsmith (Legend, Planet of the Apes, Poltergeist).
DVD has an fine anamorphic Widescreen (2.35:1) transfer and an good-Dolby 2.0 Surround Sound. DVD has an commentary track by the director but it has plenty of dead air and he gives some interesting comments. But not as informative as the first and second film commentaries. DVD also has the original theatrical trailer with trailers of the first and second movie. This is a satisfying picture that is certainly strong and different from the other two. Executive Produced by Richard Donner (The Lethal Weapon Series). Written by Andrew Birkin (The Messenger:The Story of Joan of Arc, The Name of the Rose, Perfume:The Story of a Murderer). Panavision. (****/*****).
They should have stopped after the second one
Bored_Dragon3 July 2018
The movie is technically really well-made, but essentially, the franchise is dangerously on the edge of catastrophe. While "The Omen" is one of the best horror thrillers of all time, "Damien" also excellent but not nearly as strong as the first one, "The Final Conflict" is determined by good acting, lots of excellent cadres and complete lack of soul. I can not say that the story is bad, but after the first two films, it leaves a stale taste in the mouth. Simply, that's not it. And it's better not to even comment on the ridiculous ending. I do not know whether to watch further sequels at all.
6/10
6/10
This should have been called the Final Insult.
lovellcrown15 October 2019
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