If you havenât seen Omen III: The Final Conflict, Iâll state upfront that the following contains spoilers.
Originally, the film was simply titled The Final Conflict, and it wasnât until later home video releases that it was rebranded Omen III with âThe Final Conflict" relegated to a subtitle. I suppose that was out of necessity, since this one is probably the least-remembered (and arguably the least loved) chapter in the original trilogyâŠat least until the 1991 made-for-TV turd, Omen IV: The Awakening, came along.
The Final Conflict isnât actually all that bad. Like most sequels, it doesnât hold a candle to the original film, but features more of the memorable death scenes the franchise was known for, another evocative Jerry Goldsmith score and Americaâs introduction to Sam Neill (whoâs quite menacing here). Additionally, itâs the only Omen chapter that can also be enjoyed as a Christmas movie. It might even be the ultimate Christmas movie.
For those unaware, the Omen series chronicles the rise of Damien Thorn, the Antichrist as foretold in the Book of Revelations. The Omen featured him as a young boy adopted by American ambassador Robert Thorn and protected by Satanâs disciples. In Damien: Omen II, he's a teenager beginning to discover his powers and accept his destiny. By the time of The Final Conflict, heâs in his thirties and head of Thorn Industries.
Handsome, charismatic and powerful, Damien is viewed as a philanthropist and trusted by politicians around the world, enough that the President offers him an ambassadorship. But privately, heâs not a happy man because the Bible has also foretold the second coming of Christ, which threatens his rise to power. As three stars align on March 24, Jesus is born in England, but Damien doesnât know where. His solution is to order disciples to kill every male child born that day, thus depriving the world of two Christmases. In reality, would that plan really be so bad? I canât speak for everyone else, but I spend a good portion of every year paying-off one ChristmasâŠtwo of âem would fucking bankrupt me.
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The reality of two Christmases. |
Rest assured, Damien ultimately fails to prevent the second coming and is killed by his girlfriend with one of the daggers. The final shot of The Final Conflict looks like it was lifted straight from a religious Christmas cardâŠthat of the Messiah, bathed in heavenly light and accompanied by Goldsmithâs swelling choral score, along with the kind of âJesus wins!â Bible quote you might read when you open the card.
If one believes the true meaning of Christmas is not to make Jeff Bezos richer, but to celebrate the birth of their lord and savior, then it stands to reason Jesusâ re-birth would be celebrated with another holiday (in this case, March 24th). My family isnât remotely religious, but the kids would certainly love another day off so late in the school year, especially one that is celebrated with gifts.
âYay! Two Christmases! And Mom & Dad didnât have to divorce for us to get them!â
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"I must stop Christmas from coming...but how?" |
Conversely, The Final Conflict doesnât trifle with ambiguities. The Grinch is defeated! Jesus is back! Just like we were promised! Bring on the new Christmas! Itâs a message even the dumbest evangelical can wrap their tiny, pointed head around. In that respect, it could be argued that The Final Conflict is one of the most faith-based Christmas movies ever madeâŠeven with the booming baby body count.
Is The Final Conflict a great horror film? No, but it ultimately evokes the true spirit of the holiday season. Besides, if people can still call Die Hard a Christmas movie (like that joke hasnât been beaten to death), then why not this one? And if it were retitled yet-again to something more relevant, like âThe Christmas Conflict,â maybe it could appeal to the same Christian gorehounds who flock every Easter to watch The Passion of the Christ.
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