hammerheadshome
all i can say is do not waste your time. this movie is so so so pathetic from start to finish , rip offs from a multitude of other far better films. warning if you choose to watch it you might want to gauge out your eyes i know i did. i remember when the syfy channel put out very good movies all the time worthy of watching over and over again but no more it seems 90% of the time their movies are horrific.
Flow
Ding ding ding! We have a winner! A 2 stars movie! Can you imagine that? Well, lucky for you, you don't have to, you just need to watch Ominous!Worse special effects I've seen the past 5 years, truly bad, possibly made in Paint, quite a viable explanation. The plot is overused, the acting B movie all the way, the camera is nothing special, and making a full circle, returning to the CGI, cause if there is no room for horror, there sure is for laughter! If you see this with friends you will laugh and have a blast. I guarantee it!!All joke aside, I mean, Ominous aside, this is a movie you simply must not touch. Consider it being the haunted tape from The Ring. The effect might be similar. Stay away. Go somewhere else. Warn others. Cheers!
lavatch
In any formula film, the idea is to try to bring something new to the experience of the viewer, as opposed to recycling the same characters and situations. The formula of "Ominous" is the child-possessed-by-the-devil yarn. Unfortunately, there is nothing new or creative in reworking the demonic child motif.The premise of "Ominous" is that a Mephistopheles-like character called The Stranger preys upon parents who have lost a child. The Stranger promises to bring the child back to life in return for a promise to "protect" the youngster. Of course, the grieving parents agree to the bargain. But the replacement child is not the one they lost, but the devil in disguise.The one twist on the story that had potential was the incorporation of the Oedipus legend into the mix. The only way that the antichrist may die is for the father to kill the son. Such is the dilemma of the kind father in "Ominious," who is the first to recognize that the devil was swapped for his real son.Some credit should go to the filmmakers for interesting locations and camera angles. But the film as a whole is made-for-television fare with not much suspense. Somehow, even with the passing of over forty years, it is impossible to improve upon "The Exorcist."
Monica Kozlowski
Unexpected coming from the Syfy Channel, but "Ominous" actually manages to be one of the most intense horror films of the year. What could have been another retread of The Omen actually becomes something worth watching, thanks to good direction, a gripping script and solid production values on par with a Blumhouse movie. Things get off to a terrific start with a teaser depicting an untraditional exorcism and then quickly turn tragic with a heartbreaking few scenes where a couple lose their young son. However, apparently not having read any Stephen King books, they proceed to make a deal to get their son back. With the death of not one but two cuddly animals, you know this isn't going to be your ordinary TV movie, and sure enough, it delivers. Once the friendly neighborhood priest catches fire, daddy starts investigating his son's unusual behavior and finds out that someone's pulled a Rosemary's Baby on him. Things get even creepier when the dad realizes he's got to kill his demonic kid and tries to blow him up. The camera work is good and the movie looks suitably creepy. The performances are well above the usual Syfy standards with several standouts including Game of Thrones' Essie Bianco and Mark Chapman as the devil's creepy helper. Some of the cgi shots aren't great but there's a lot of great make up, especially when the kid finally transforms into Satan. This is a stand out film and definitely worth a look.
AD
