"The First Omen" presents itself as a technically well-produced film, with a decent budget evident in its sets and successfully recreated atmosphere of the 1970s, providing a visually appealing experience. The soundtrack and sound effects also stand out, using characteristic sounds of the era to build the temporal setting of the work. The performances of the actors, especially Nell Tiger Free and Nicole Sorace, are convincing. Despite the plot about the Antichrist and diabolical pregnancy not bringing anything new to the horror genre, the film manages to entertain the viewer solidly and competently.

However, I found it difficult to fully engage with the narrative, unlike what happened with the film "Immaculate." And although "The First Omen" is competent, it doesn't stand out enough to distinguish itself from other works in the horror genre.

SPOILERS The explanation that the church is creating the Antichrist and the revelation that the protagonist is the daughter of the devil are aspects that do not fit cohesively into the plot, resulting in a confusing explanation that hampers the narrative development. Additionally, the revelation of the protagonist's origin ends up being predictable due to the clues left throughout the film, reducing the emotional impact of the revelation. For example: the lack of contextualization about the protagonist's past and the evident clues of her demonic origins contribute to a less impactful revelation.

...and they start brainstorming ideas on how to bring people in the church's bosom once again.

"I know! We start revolutionizing the church, be less conservative and more openminded!" says the first.

"How about splitting church and state, bringing more transparency and less scandals?" pitches in the second.

"I have the best idea ever, listen to this" shouts the third in delight. "We're gonna bring the antichrist to earth, terrifying everyone into believing again! We'll create a sect within the catholic church, convince ourselves that we do everything for a higher purpose that will eventually bring us closer to God! The antichrist figure is not at all volatile and uncontrollable by a bunch of clergy with dillusions of grandeur!".

"LET'S GO WITH THAT!" all of them shouted in unison.

Pros: Art-house film with great atmosphere, jumpscares counted in one hand, Myrcella does the best she can with what she's given and the rest deliver decent enough performances.

Cons: The story is laughable with more plot-holes that I can count (what's up with the Jackal? Is he satan in the flesh? Is he a lesser demon? If so, how can the son of the devil come from a mere paper pusher in hell? And why does he burn at the all-so MCU finale? )

Well, is a prequel not thoroughly thought, and a movie no-one needed. And with that script, the moment we learned the backstory of the cult, we lost all interest.