The Final Conflict
May 2nd 2007 03:15
In the third Omen film, The Final Conflict (1981), we have Damien in his early thirties now controlling his uncle’s massive multi-national corporation Thorn Industries. Damien is played by Kiwi actor Sam Neill, but the performance lacks any menace whatsoever. Harvey Stephens in The Omen movie commanded a more chilling presence!
This is one of the primary reasons why The Final Conflict doesn’t work. Damien should came across most wicked, cunning and invincible, yet there is no real substance to his master plan. From the get go you know he’s going down. It’s not to say Sam Neill couldn’t have done it better, but he hasn’t got a lot to work with. The absurd screenplay by Andrew Birkin has seven monks from Italy (the same monastery Thorn and Jennings visited in The Omen) each armed with one of the seven stiletto daggers from Megiddo, each dead set on ‘aving a go at killing the Antichrist.
The first monk to attempt an assassination makes a fine mess of things. He manages to sneak into the television studio where Damien is being interviewed by wide-eyed, well-spoken presenter Kate Reynolds (Lisa Harrow), then climbs the rafters above the stage and proceeds to trip, fall and ends up wrapped in burning plastic swinging and screaming back and forth in front of a bemused Damien who spots the prone dagger.
Rather oddly the movie was known in Hungary and Germany as Omen III: Barbara’s Baby (perhaps partly as a vague reference to Polanksi’s Satanist horror flick Rosemary’s Baby). Yes, the character of Barbara (Leueen Willoughby), wife of Damien’s personal secretary Dean (Don Gordon) does have an important scene involving their baby who Dean has insisted to a suspicious Damien was born the night of the 23rd and not the morning of the 24th. But to have the movie sub-titled Barbara’s Baby is incredibly tenuous.
WARNING! CONTAINS SPOILERS!
Director Graham Baker injects absolutely none of the eerie allure of The Omen or the effective callousness of Damien: Omen II. No, there is little style or atmosphere at work in The Final Conflict, instead it’s a hollow and holy, er, wholly unremarkable movie, a shame considering how potent the premise was for this horror trilogy (yes, notice how I completely disregard the fourth tele-movie). At least composer Jerry Goldsmith returned one final time to provide us with familiarly ominous relief.
Damien informs Kate emphatically that he hasn’t the time or inclination for a relationship (apart from owning the same Rottweiler who protected him during the first movie), yet he ends up bedding her with little reason. During this brief “love” scene Damien and Kate are doing it missionary position and Damien pauses. “Keep going, don’t stop!” whispers Kate, at which point Damien promptly turns Kate onto her stomach and starts aggressively taking her from behind, causing her to gasp.
There are too many incongruities and holes in the movie’s shroud for The Final Conflict to be taken as a serious End of Times contender. Still, it gave me a few ideas and a title for one of my own horror screenplays, so not all is lost. When they come round to remaking Omen III: The Final Conflict (as it has been re-titled for the current DVD release), it won’t be too difficult to improve upon.
“Behold, the Lion of Judah! The Messiah, who came first as a child, but returns not as a child, but now as King of Kings, to rule in power and glory forever!” … or until a new Antichrist movie is concocted; a biopic of George W. Bush, perhaps?
Here's the original theatrical trailer:
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Comment by katyzzz
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Comment by Bryn
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Comment by KylieW
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Comment by Bryn
Horrorphile
Yeah, Sam not good in Final Conflict, Sam still wooden, but Possession much much better. I'll review it soon methinks ....
Comment by Damo
For the Sake of Argument
My Apologetics
The concept of the sporn of Satan taking over the world by boring people to death is a terrible concept.
I sw a bit of it on Television years later and said 'Change the channel". Came back to watch the last 5 minutes and spent the rest of the night sleeping soundly knowing that if satans sporn did attack he can be defeated with sharp stick. Too easy.
Just like Godfather 3, I wish they never made it.
Comment by Nickoftime's Sanity Corner
I agree, Sam in Possession was a far better role for him...and far scarier...The final Conflict left much to be desired...
Great review though, as usual!
Take care,
Nick
Comment by Bryn
Horrorphile
Comment by Bryn
Horrorphile
cheers mate, good to hear you've seen Possession, a lot of fans of horror haven't heard of it ... I'll be posting a review in the coming fortnight ...