Rotten Tomatoes
Submit search Movies Tv shows RT App News Showtimes

The Omen

Play trailer 2:16 Poster for The Omen R 1976 1h 51m Horror Mystery & Thriller Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
80% Tomatometer 99 Reviews 81% Popcornmeter 100,000+ Ratings
American diplomat Robert (Gregory Peck) adopts Damien (Harvey Stephens) when his wife, Katherine (Lee Remick), delivers a stillborn child. After Damien's first nanny hangs herself, Father Brennan (Patrick Troughton) warns Robert that Damien will kill Katherine's unborn child. Shortly thereafter, Brennan dies and Katherine miscarries when Damien pushes her off a balcony. As more people around Damien die, Robert investigates Damien's background and realizes his adopted son may be the Antichrist.
Watch on Fandango at Home Stream Now

Where to Watch

The Omen

The Omen

What to Know

Critics Consensus

The Omen eschews an excess of gore in favor of ramping up the suspense -- and creates an enduring, dread-soaked horror classic along the way.

Read Critics Reviews

Critics Reviews

View More
John Stanley San Francisco Chronicle 7h
While theologians may nitpick that the film's interpretation of the prophecy is a loose one, this remains a whopper of a wild tale, excellently rendered in all departments... Go to Full Review
Desmond Ryan Philadelphia Inquirer 8h
"The Omen" is a movie that avoids every pitfall implied in the genre and exploits the opportunities with visceral effect. It inevitably invites comparison with "The Exorcist" and it is, in every regard I can think of, superior. Go to Full Review
Rex Reed New York Daily News 10h
The Omen is riveting, imaginative, and ultimately terrifying. Go to Full Review
Stanley Eichelbaum San Francisco Examiner 7h
Since occult thrillers have become the bread and butter of the movie industry, it's no surprise that this derivative, contrived, frequently laughable excursion into Satanism is a classy exploitationer... Go to Full Review
Charles Johnson Sacramento Bee 7h
All too often Donner and Seltzer use horribly exaggerated violence to pay off the suspense they have built up, but one must admit it works. Go to Full Review
Michael Walsh The Province (Vancouver) 8h
Like The Exorcist, The Omen confronts its audience with manifestations of an evil that most religiously inclined people believe in and fear. Like the earlier film, it exploits those fears in a solid, absorbing, thoroughly disquieting way. Go to Full Review
Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View More
John K @WQCMI May 24 It was going well for the first half, but the 2nd half of the film was very disappointing. Although, I like Gregory Peck and Patrick Troughton. See more Bret M. @BretM-3 Apr 20 SPOILER ALERT I quite enjoyed this movie. It has the same dark, moody aesthetic of the movie The Changeling, but this movie didn’t feel as slow to me. Very early on, we’re already starting to see paranormal happenings. I also think this movie has some great kills. The priest kill is great and so is the Photographer’s. I also just love the premise of the film. The creepy demon child has been done before, but it still felt unique in a way I can’t describe. I also liked the ending. Not only the twist reveal that Damien lived, but also ending on a Bible Verse that is, essentially, what the whole movie is based on. So yeah, I like this movie quite a bit. Like previously stated, I REALLY enjoyed the dark, moody, gothic tone that the movie carries. Definitely worth watching!! See more matthias S @Thescreenasvor Apr 2 Glad I finally checked out The Omen, one of those horror classics everyone talks about. The soundtrack is absolutely insane and does so much heavy lifting—super haunting and memorable. The imagery and atmosphere never lose you, and as a fan of Richard Donner, it’s no surprise he delivers something this polished. Sure, it’s pretty predictable by today’s standards, but that doesn’t take away from how well it’s made. It’s pure craftsmanship, from the pacing to the performances. Not the scariest anymore, but still deeply effective and iconic. Definitely worth the watch if you’re into classic horror with style and substance. See more Andrew J @andrewjun10r Jan 4 "The Omen" is a masterclass in slow-burn horror, building dread through atmosphere, score, and religious paranoia rather than cheap scares. Gregory Peck delivers a restrained yet powerful performance, while the film’s ominous tone and iconic music elevate its unsettling themes. Decades later, it remains a chilling and influential classic that proves true horror lies in what you fear, not what you see. See more Mania I. @TheMania510 Nov 2 Expertly directed by Richard Donner this is a very suspenseful and clever film. Wonderfully acted and well written this movie kept me on edge and gave me an eerie feeling from start to finish. I first saw this movie when I was 9 years old and it stayed with me a lifetime. Now that I am 60 years old it's even scarier. Watch it with the lights off if you dare. The best movie in the franchise in my opinion. It was remade in 2006 and spawned three sequels and then a legacy sequel a couple years back. This is by far the best of them all. See more Zeferino P. @Z6fP6ral6s Nov 2 I don’t see what others are seeing in this movie It definitely didn’t age well Totally my opinion though Im sure someone believes this belongs on a top list but not me See more Read all reviews
The Omen

My Rating

Read More Read Less WRITE A REVIEW EDIT REVIEW POST RATING
Inferno 65% 60% Inferno Watchlist Alice, Sweet Alice 71% 61% Alice, Sweet Alice Watchlist The Fury 79% 50% The Fury Watchlist The Texas Chain Saw Massacre 85% 82% The Texas Chain Saw Massacre Watchlist TRAILER for The Texas Chain Saw Massacre Deep Red 94% 85% Deep Red Watchlist Discover more movies and TV shows. View More

Movie Info

Synopsis American diplomat Robert (Gregory Peck) adopts Damien (Harvey Stephens) when his wife, Katherine (Lee Remick), delivers a stillborn child. After Damien's first nanny hangs herself, Father Brennan (Patrick Troughton) warns Robert that Damien will kill Katherine's unborn child. Shortly thereafter, Brennan dies and Katherine miscarries when Damien pushes her off a balcony. As more people around Damien die, Robert investigates Damien's background and realizes his adopted son may be the Antichrist.
Director
Richard Donner
Producer
Harvey Bernhard
Screenwriter
David Seltzer
Distributor
20th Century Fox Home Entertainment, 20th Century Fox, CBS/Fox, Fox
Production Co
20th Century Fox
Rating
R
Genre
Horror, Mystery & Thriller
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Jun 25, 1976, Original
Release Date (Streaming)
Mar 1, 2017
Runtime
1h 51m
Sound Mix
Mono
Aspect Ratio
Scope (2.35:1)