Common Sense Media Review
By Charles Cassady Jr.
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Suspenseful horror classic has violence, suicide.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 15+?
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The Omen (1976)
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 7 parent reviews
Based on 28 kid reviews
Kids say this film is a mix of horror and thriller elements, with a focus on psychological tension rather than excessive gore, although some scenes can be disturbing. Many viewers note the movie's slow pacing and psychological themes, making it suitable for older children and teens, but caution that it contains satanic imagery and significant plot twists involving a young boy who is the Antichrist.
- psychological tension
- not excessively gory
- slow pacing
- suitable for older kids
- satanic imagery
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
What's the Story?
In THE OMEN, United States ambassador to Britain Robert Thorn (Gregory Peck) spares his wife, Katherine (Lee Remick), from the tragic news that she's lost her first-born son in childbirth by substituting an orphaned baby. The boy is brought up in their wealthy household and named Damien (Harvey Stephens); he's a quiet kid around whom weird, scary things seem to happen. When a priest warns Ambassador Thorn that Damien is Satan's spawn, the diplomat shrugs it off as the ramblings of a madman. But as the creepy incidents pile up, Thorn, with the help of a reporter and a few other allies, starts investigating Damien's shadowy origins. Could his 5-year-old son be the incarnation of evil that will usher in the end of the world?
Is It Any Good?
This 1976 shocker is sturdily built but predictable in places, with its extravagant death scenes tending to stand out more than the finer points of the narrative. But the plot of The Omen is pretty compelling, and there's a very human aspect to a couple not wanting to believe the very worst of their child, grounding the movie's string of spectacular deaths (usually in horrendous accidents) in something at least vaguely believable. Much of the second half of the movie sees Thorn struggling to confirm/deny the omen-ous truth while Katherine has her own difficulties back home, which doesn't allow characterizations to go very deep. But fans will appreciate the new ground this film broke in bringing supernatural horror closer to the mainstream. It was nominated for two Oscars and won Best Music, Original Score for its now infamous tune.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how religion is portrayed in The Omen. How are the priests in the story depicted? What part do they play in the narrative? How do the Thorns' beliefs play their own role?
The movie is now part of a wider franchise. Have you seen any of the other films? How do they compare? What aspects of the movie do you think make it a good option for sequels and prequels? How does it compare to other horror franchises?
While the film isn't violent throughout, it involves some gory and memorable deaths. What did you think of the deaths? Why do you think filmmakers often strive to create particularly gory, sometimes campy, deaths? What purpose does this serve?
Movie Details
- In theaters : June 25, 1976
- On DVD or streaming : June 20, 2006
- Cast : Billie Whitelaw , David Warner , Gregory Peck , Harvey Stevens , Lee Remick
- Director : Richard Donner
- Studio : Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment
- Genre : Horror
- Run time : 111 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : restricted
- Last updated : October 9, 2025
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