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With “Omen IV: The Awakening”, my Omen marathon—featuring the original film and its three direct sequels—comes to an end. It’s been a downhill journey, with each installment proving a step down from the last. Will “Omen IV: The Awakening” break this pattern and deliver something fresh? Of course not—this film is often regarded as the worst in the franchise.
“Omen IV: The Awakening” delves into the familiar sounding narrative of Delia, a seemingly ordinary young girl adopted by a wealthy couple, unaware of her true lineage as the daughter of Damien Thorn, the Antichrist. As Delia grows, her dark powers begin to manifest, unleashing a reign of terror that threatens to fulfill the prophecy of the apocalypse.
“Omen IV: The Awakening” was a made-for-TV movie released 10 years after “The Final Conflict“, continuing the story with a female version of Damien in the form of 10-year-old Delia. A defining trait of Damien, especially in the first two films, was his passivity—events revolved around him, but he didn’t actively drive the action. In contrast, Delia is more hands-on, resembling the characters in other killer-kid movies like “Mikey” and “The Good Son.” She manipulates those around her, lies effortlessly, and wreaks havoc wherever she goes. Her adoptive father constantly finds excuses to defend her behavior, much to the chagrin of his wife, who gradually realizes there’s more to Delia than meets the eye.
Delia, portrayed by Asia Vieira, lacks the charisma needed to carry her role effectively. Her character feels rather dull, and she doesn’t appear to have much fun with it. Delia’s primary expression is a “blank stare,” which might work for a five-year-old Damien, but doesn’t translate well for a 10-year-old who’s orchestrating a series of freak accidents. This monotone approach to the character makes it difficult for viewers to connect with her or feel the intended tension. As a result, the film suffers from a lack of intensity and engagement, turning what could have been a compelling female version of Damien into a forgettable and uninspiring protagonist.
“Omen IV: The Awakening,” owing to its made-for-TV origins, is a more sanitized experience compared to the previous three films. The accidents that do occur are less gruesome and often cut away just as things are about to get intense. This toned-down approach leaves much to the imagination, which could have worked to heighten suspense but instead tends to dilute the impact of the deaths. The lack of graphic visuals and suspenseful build-up reduces the film’s shock value, making it feel tame compared to its predecessors, which thrived on their ability to shock and unsettle.
As a dog owner, “Omen IV: The Awakening” struck a wrong chord with me. Dogs have always played a key role in the Omen movies, and this installment is no different. However, the way the family acquires their Rottweiler, Ryder, defies logic. In one scene, a 5- or 6-year-old Delia is in a park and runs toward a road where an oncoming truck is about to hit her. A passerby walking his dog sees the danger, and the dog instinctively rushes to push Delia out of harm’s way. The owner scolds his dog, but Delia’s mom explains how the dog, Ryder, saved her child’s life. In the very next scene, she’s telling her husband that they should keep Ryder because he’s a “good dog.” This sudden shift feels wildly unrealistic. No dog owner would just hand over their pet to random strangers because of a single incident, no matter how heroic the dog might have been. This contrived plot point weakens the story’s credibility and reflects a lack of understanding about the bond between dogs and their owners.
I could just picture this scenario in my own situation:
Honey, where’s the dog?
Oh, we ran into a mother and her child and he was just so playful with the kid. They asked if they could have him and I was like, “Sure, why not?”
I would not survive that, to be honest.
Given that the movie involves a ten-year-old and a newborn, the ending inevitably echoes the first two films, adhering to the unwritten rule that you can’t kill kids. I was hoping this movie would break that taboo, offering a more daring conclusion, but the producers decided to play it safe, ultimately taking the same route as the original. This cautious approach makes for a disappointing and predictable finale—a missed opportunity to take a bold risk and set the story apart from its predecessors.
For the first time, an Omen movie takes place in the US, resulting in a more vibrant and colorful visual style compared to the previous films, which were all set in the UK with a relatively drab color palette. However, brighter colors alone don’t make for a better movie, and “Omen IV: The Awakening” is, without a doubt, the weakest of the four. It rounds out the franchise’s perfect decline, with each movie rated half a star lower than the previous one. At least the franchise’s consistent downward trajectory brings a certain symmetry to the ratings, so that’s kind of nice.
