A woman starts to question her own faith when she uncovers a terrifying conspiracy to bring about the birth of evil incarnate in Rome. A film by Arkasha Stevenson, starring Nell Tiger Free, Nicole Sorace, Tawfeek Barhom, Sônia Braga, Ralph Ineson, and Bill Nighy.

Father Brennan (Ralph Ineson) finds Father Harris (Charles Dance) in a small church, seeking an answer. Harris gives Brennan an old photograph of a baby girl. The back of the photo reads “Scianna.” However, Harris warns Brennan not to be fooled by her appearance as she was not conceived naturally. But before Brennan can get any more details, Harris abruptly leaves and is killed by a pipe falling from the construction above the church.

In 1971, American novitiate Margaret Daino (Nell Tiger Free) arrives at the Leonardo da Vinci airport in Rome, where she meets with Father Gabriel (Tawfeek Barhom) and Cardinal Lawrence Bill Nighy). Margaret knew Cardinal Lawrence from her orphanage years in the United States. And Cardinal Lawrence has invited her to take the veil in Vatican and join Vizzardeli Orphanage.

At the orphanage, Cardinal Lawrence introduces Margaret to Sister Silva (Sônia Braga), the Abbess who runs the orphanage for girls only. Silva then takes Margaret on a tour of the orphanage, telling her about its history and showing her where the children are studying and the babies are taken great care of. During their walk, they encounter Sister Anjelica (Ishtar Currie Wilson), who Silva suggests is mentally ill but very devoted.

Sister Silva leaves Margaret momentarily in the hallway to check on a matter requiring her attention. Margaret hears a humming voice from a room, so she decides to open the door and finds a girl painting with crayons. Margaret introduces herself in English, but the girl doesn’t reply, likely because the girl grew up in Italy and doesn’t understand English. Undeterred, Margaret continues speaking to the girl in English. The girl crawls towards Margaret and suddenly grabs her head, licking her face.

Sister Silva reappears and ushers Margaret to the courtyard. There, she explains it’s safer to keep the girl, Carlita Scianna (Nicole Sorace), away from others as she hurt another child just yesterday. Outside, Silva points out Luca (Michelangelo Dalisi) standing next to a car and tells her that Luca will be your driver since Rome has become a bit dangerous with the protests. Luca then drives Margaret to an apartment in town.

Margaret befriends her roommate Luz (Maria Caballero), an Italian young woman also preparing to take the veil. During the day, they help with errands and childcare at the orphanage. Later in the evening, as they send the girls to bed, Margaret notices Carlita missing from her crib. Alarmed, Margaret ventures out into the dark hallways to find Carlita, following a sobbing voice that leads her to a room. As she draws closer, she witnesses Carlita bound to a bed, presumably as punishment for another misbehaving.

That night, Luz takes Margaret to a bar, a glimpse into the life she’s giving up to become a nun. There, two Italian men, Alfonzo (Guido Quaglione) and Paolo (Andrea Arcangeli), approach them, offering to buy them drinks. Margaret gets intoxicated while dancing with Paolo, and they share a kiss. Everything then blacks out, and Margaret wakes up in her room the next day with no memory of what happened the night before. Luz reveals she brought Margaret back before things got out of hand.

Father Brennan follows Margaret and approaches her as she sits alone in Saint Peter’s Square. He introduces himself and tells her that he knows who she is and that she just started working at the orphanage. He then warns her about a particular girl named Carlita Scianna, saying she must be very careful as bad things will mysteriously happen around her. Frightened, Margaret attempts to leave, but Father Brennan implores her to meet him again, promising to reveal everything he knows about Carlita.

Ignoring Father Brennan’s warning, Margaret returns to the orphanage, compelled by a strange pull towards Carlita. Hoping to gain the girl’s trust, Margaret attempts to befriend her.This decision sets off a chain of terrifying events. One horrific episode sees her witness a childbirth gone horrifically wrong. Instead of a baby’s head, she sees a devil hand crawling its way out of the vaginal opening. Then, tragedy strikes again as Anjelica lights herself on fire and jumps from the balcony, wearing a robe tied around her neck.

Margaret ventures out in the middle of the night, meeting Father Brennan at Saint Rita cloister. Brennan presents her with an old photograph, claiming the baby is Carlita. He reveals a horrifying truth: there are two Churches. One follows Christ’s teachings, while the other commits murder in God’s name. This dark Church fears secularism and has been attempting to birth the Antichrist, believing they can control him. They aim to unleash his dark forces upon the world, just enough to drive non-believers back to the Church. Brennan believes Carlita, given her unnatural conception, is meant to be the Antichrist’s mother. However, lacking concrete proof, he needs Margaret’s help. He tasks her with finding Carlita’s birth record, hidden within the orphanage.

Directed by American filmmmaker Arkasha Stevenson in her directorial debut, The First OMEN is undeniably a feast for the senses. The film boasts stunning cinematography, transporting viewers to a richly detailed 1970s Rome. Complementing the visuals are visceral special effects that will have you squirming in your seat.

Nell Tiger Free delivers a stunning performance as the young American woman thrust into the heart of a terrifying conspiracy. Her portrayal is captivating, conveying a nuanced mix of unwavering faith and dawning horror as she uncovers the terrifying truth.

While the technical aspects are impressive, the film stumbles in its attempt to recreate 1970s Italy. Having convent nuns and children converse in flawless English takes viewers out of the immersive experience. This lack of authenticity is a missed opportunity for deeper world-building.

The film’s biggest weakness lies in its reliance on existing franchise lore. While Stevenson demonstrates a keen eye for horror, the narrative feels constrained by the need to fit into the established Omen timeline. There’s a sense of “been there, done that” as the film follows a familiar path.

I can’t help but be curious about her future projects, where she might have the freedom to fully unleash her creative vision and terrify us in entirely new ways.

The First OMEN was theatrically released in the United States on 5 April 2024.