Like its two predecessors, Omen III: The Final Conflict (1981) boasts a captivating performance by its lead actor, this time with Sam Neill starring as the Antichrist, Damien Thorn, who, having survived multiple assassination attempts, is now a successful businessman, a diplomat, a candidate for the Senate, a charitable giver, a cult leader, etc. This is a big problem with the film: there is too much to fit into one and a half hours.
When there is an opportunity for character development, it is squandered by a bad script. Damien is portrayed as a thoughtful character in great pain, as in the scene where he confronts a statue of Jesus in a dark prayer room, and yet the script makes him sound incoherent. What is the real nature of Satan? How is it in opposition to the nature of God? Why does Damien choose Satan? Does he even have free will? These questions, and many more, are never answered. Likewise left unexplored is his fatherly relationship with the son of another character. How did that happen? One minute the boy seems normal. The next, he looks like an “emo” and acts like a mob enforcer! And why are we being constantly told about the Second Coming of the Christ child but never shown?
Furthermore, the action scenes are lacking originality, compared to the unforgettably horrific scenes of the first two films.
It is watchable, one time only, for those of you who enjoy horror films and especially the first two Omen films.
*sb
