It’s never a surprise when the Hollywood machine announces it is going to remake a classic. There will always be detractors who say it is trashing the original. Sometimes they’re right, as was the case with the “Psycho” remake. Sometimes they’re wrong, as was the case with the remake of “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.”

When “The Omen” remake was announced, a lot of people groaned. While high-grossing horror remakes have been a big deal over the past few years, I also think the studio wanted to take advantage of a 6/6/06 release date. Can you blame them? After all, the remake of “The Omen” gave use the single biggest Tuesday opening, and it even delivered a gross that ended in the number 666.

When I saw the first teaser for the film, I have to admit I was hooked. The imagery achieved by a simple one-shot of a dog watching a boy on a swing was as good – if not better – than the original. I hoped they could keep it up for the actual film, and for the most part they did.

This new version of “The Omen” follows very closely to the original. It’s not so close that, like Gus Van Sant’s “Psycho,” it becomes a substandard imitation. Rather, it pays homage to the original but enhances the movie in terms of set design and cinematography that wasn’t available in the 1970s.

Overall, the spirit behind “The Omen” was maintained. There was an appropriate level of seriousness. It did not try to spoof itself. And with the exception of some bizarre dream sequences, it really didn’t fall prey to the modern power of editing.

The performances were well done. Even Liev Schreiber and Julia Stiles – two actors I really don’t care for – did a fine job with their roles. The supporting, Antichrist-fodder cast of Pete Postlethwaite and David Thewlis was also excellent, mirroring the performances of the original actors to play the roles. Of course, the lynchpin for the entire film was Seamus Davey-Fitzpatrick, the little boy who played Damien.

The date of 6/6/06 came and went, and Armageddon did not happen. The only appearances of the Antichrist were on the screens at the cineplex. However, it was a piece of marketing genius by 20th Century Fox, and I applaud them – for both coming up with the idea and for delivering a decent film.

The DVD comes with extended scenes as well as an alternate ending. These aren’t wildly different than the ending you saw in the theaters, but rather enhanced a bit with additional footage and more music, it seems.

Other special features available on this disc include a commentary by director John Moore and his producing team. There are also an interesting and revealing featurette about the meaning of the number 666, which put forth several theories I’ve heard and a few I had not.

However, the most intriguing piece on the DVD is the somewhat predictable but still interesting documentary on how the film seemed cursed. It shows us how the crew might pooh-pooh the idea of a cursed set, they becoming a little more superstitious when strange things happen like the loss of a day’s footage.

Whether you believe the hype, or even the religious significance of the subject matter, “The Omen” can be a fun ride – especially right before Halloween.



Specifications: Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound. Widescreen (2.35:1) – Enhanced for 16x9 televisions. French and Spanish language tracks. Spanish subtitles. English language subtitles for the hearing impaired.