The thing with The Omen franchise for me is that I kind of like most of the movies equally. While most people feel that Damien Omen 2 is inferior to the first Omen, I actually think this is very close to that original and in some cases, I do like it a tad better. Hey, I get that I am in the minority here, but life would be pretty boring if we all just liked the same things.
How to Download Damien: Omen II
Damien: Omen II was released on June 9, 1978. You can download or stream the film from a digital platform. Click on the Download button at the end of this review and make your choice. Check out also our review of the more recent film The First Omen (2024).
The Movie Review
The thing with The Omen and Damien Omen 2 is that I do think the tone is a little different. That first movie is more creepy and tries to get under your skin, but Omen 2 is more of a straight up horror that tries to scare you more directly if that makes sense. I for one, like that this tries to be a little different with the way it scares the audience.
Plot Overview: Following the First Movie’s Events
Following on from the events of the first movie, Carl Bugenhagen finds out that Damien is still alive and tries to send those magical daggers to the Thorn’s with an explanation of what needs to be done and that Damien is in fact, the Antichrist. Well, this special package does not make it to the Thorn’s right away and Damien grows up several years and lives with his family, including his cousin Mark whom he is very close to.
Strange Occurrences and the Raven’s Role
Mark and Damien attend a military school and as you would expect, strange things start to happen. Damien ends up causing a few deaths, although not directly, I loved the whole thing with the Raven, and Damien’s what I am guessing is his subconscious. This is a great way to keep the kill count going without having our 13-year-old Damien getting his hands directly dirty during the first half of the movie.
The movie has a pretty quick pace to it and it kind of goes from Damien to feeling weird to fully embracing his role as the son of the Devil pretty quickly. I do love the scene with Damien trying to convince his cousin Mark to join him and I think that this scene does a great job of showing that Damien does have a human side, although, it may not last long.
Damien’s Character Development and Conflicts
There are some fun kills here and when Damien does start to really embrace his dark side and the gloves are off, I do think they could have gone more insane with this stuff. Still, the jump scares and the in-your-face horror elements here clicked with me big time. However, I get why those who liked the slower and more spine-tingling fear of the original Omen may not like this more direct way of horror as much.
Reflecting on the Series and Damien: Omen II’s Standing
I have been on a real Omen kick thanks to the release of The First Omen and having watched all the older movies, I have to say that I feel Damien Omen 2 is far better than people give it credit for. I had a great time with this and I would say that it really is neck and neck for which one I like best out of this and the original Omen. Although the two movies that came after this are nowhere near as good as the first two, but I do not think they are horrible.
