Horror Extreme Movie Catalog

10-years after the 3rd Omen movie, The Omen IV was the movie to restart the franchise and keep it going. But its movies like this are why we have so many remakes. I wasn't expecting a masterpiece of filmmaking, but I was expecting a fairly decent movie; something that would serve as a decent time killer. But what I got was one really, really bad movie. Omen IV starts off weak, but watchable, but than it just goes down and becomes a complete waste of time.

The screenplay written by Brian Taggert wasn't very good, but not the worst I have come across. The script was weak and the biggest problem is it tries too hard to be like the original and it fails. The characters are fairly decent, but the script never really becomes much. The problem was the script just wasn't very interesting like I said the screenplay wasn't very good, but not the worst out there. But The Omen IV did have a weak script and there were more problems than just a weak script.

Originally Dominique Othenin- Girard was hired to direct and he's best known for Halloween 5. Dominique is an interesting director. He's not very good, but he does have some decent ideas. Halloween 5 is seen as one of the weaker installments and I agree, but it's a guilty pleasure of mine and the movie had some good ideas, but Dominique Othenin- Girard isn't a good enough director to execute them. Though I will stand by the final act of that movie being very well-done with some good suspense and tension; I don't think Halloween 5 though is the waste of a film it's made out to be, it's a decent slasher with some good moments, but in no way is Dominique Othenin- Girard a good director, but he does have some decent ideas.

Let's face it though Omen IV was made for cable TV and it's been 10-years since the last part Dominique is really the best you can get. Richard Donner who directed the original is out of the question and the odds of landing someone known for the horror genre or someone who is trying to make a name for themselves is also pretty much out of the question. Bottom line is you get what you pay for and Dominique Othenin- Girard is the best the franchise could do at this point.

Even though the script was weak Omen IV could have been fairly decent with the right director and Dominique Othenin- Girard was clearly not the right director. There is no suspense or tension and the scenes meant to entice suspense instead come out laughable. Omen IV has a lot of un-intentional comedy. During production it was clear Dominique wasn't the right person for the job and reports are he quit, but he was actually replaced in favor of Jorge Montesi. I don't know who shot what, but it seems he came in with a couple of weeks left to try and salvage the mess that was Omen IV.

Again I don't know who shot what, but too much blame cannot be put on Jorge Montesi; he didn't have time to really go over things there was no prep time and he can't reshoot any footage due to the movie would be going over schedule and over budget, which it was on it's way to begin with. Despite the weak script Omen IV could have been a decent flick, but the directing is so poor and also was poorly shot. There's no sense of pacing and again any of the scenes meant to be suspenseful come out really silly.

About the only saving grace were the actors. Some people say the acting was bad, but I have to disagree. While the acting here isn't brilliant none of the performances were really bad and they make this movie slightly better than it should be, but when you have a hack filmmaker it's kinda tough to give a top notch performance. Faye Grant as Karen York is the most interesting character, but overall just doesn't work. Asia Vieira as Delia York is actually pretty good, but she comes across more as a spoiled brat than the spawn of the anti-Christ. I think Asia Vieira does deliver a good performance, but again she seems more of a spoiled brat than evil.

After this movie the Omen franchise would be done until the remake was released in 2006. The Omen IV pretty much fails on every level, while the movie is never good it starts off watchable, but quickly becomes a total bore-fest. The cast is good, but very little else is. The Omen IV is poorly made and just not very interesting. The scenes with suspense and tension are laughable. Avoid this one and stick with the original. There's nothing worth watching here.

All this movie did was ruin a pretty good trilogy. The Omen was over. The Final Conflict resolved everything and there was no reason for this lackluster drivel called a sequel. Now I'll be fair and say this one wasn't totally bad. The new anti-christ was evil to the core and vicious. The complete opposite of Damiens innocence. But that's where the pros stop.

This movie didn't introduce anything new. It just felt like a rehash with an ending left open to repeat the last two before this. If you already own the first three, forget this one even exist. It can possibly ruin your memories of the last ones.