Damien: Omen II (1978)

Satan's son comes of age in this horror sequel. Shortly after the events of The Omen, a pair of anthropologists uncovers an ancient crypt that depicts the face of the Antichrist -- that of Damien Thorn (Jonathan Scott-Taylor), recently orphaned scion of a wealthy industrialist. Before they can warn the world of the child's evil lineage, both men are buried under tons of rubble. Seven years later, 13-year-old Damien attends military school alongside his cousin, Mark (Lucas Donat), and spends lots of time with his adoptive parents, Uncle Richard (William Holden) and Aunt Ann (Lee Grant). After the boy's Great Aunt Marion (Sylvia Sidney) tries to convince the Thorns that Damien is a malevolent influence on Mark, she dies suddenly, and, unbeknownst to the family, horrifically. Ravens, it seems, are the harbingers of Damien's power, and in addition to Aunt Marion, they visit a long procession of characters who get too close to Damien's true identity. The most horrible death is suffered by Joan Hart (Elizabeth Shepherd), an investigative reporter who's digging into the boy's life; she gets flattened by a truck after having her eyes devoured by those menacing birds. Meanwhile, executive Paul Buher (Robert Foxworth) climbs the corporate ladder at Thorn Industries and takes young Damien under his devil-worshiping wings. Sgt. Neff (Lance Henriksen), one of the boy's instructors, also helps initiate Damien. As the pile of bodies gets bigger -- and closer -- Uncle Richard begins to suspect the truth, and, like his brother before him, plot the death of Damien. The existence of another sequel, 1981's The Final Conflict, gives a good indication of the outcome. Although Damien: Omen II is his only Hollywood feature credit, Scott-Taylor appeared frequently in the theater and on television; he once even portrayed Damien's arch-nemesis, Jesus, on-stage.

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Review By Brian J. Dillard

Although it's a high-concept, big-budget Hollywood outing, Damien: Omen II follows the rules of all watchable horror sequels: the deaths are more frequent, more inventive, and more explicit. That's good, because the film has very little to recommend it in terms of plot; it repeats the structure of its predecessor practically scene for scene. Nevertheless, angel-faced, towheaded Jonathan Scott-Taylor makes an effectively creepy little Satan-in-training; like Eddie Haskell with a 666 birthmark, he alternates between unctuous politesse and precocious depravity. Lee Grant and William Holden are there basically to provide A-list credentials, but old pro Sylvia Sidney and genre perennial Lance Henriksen make strong impressions in small roles. The real stars, of course, are the special effects and the gore, and from a gruesome gloss on The Birds to a deliciously nasty elevator catastrophe, Damien: Omen II delivers in spades. There isn't much in the way of suspense or atmosphere, but the glossy, Grand Guignol production design is pretty to look at, as are several scenes shot on-location in Israel. A step below "pretty good," a step above perfunctory, this is a workmanlike effort elevated by strong production values.