Newly appointed United States Ambassador to England, Robert Thorn (Liev Schreiber) gets his post due to the unfortunate death of his boss, and his close personal and political connections to the President. Based upon a current religious prediction by the Vatican, the Anti-Christ will soon be born, in human form. According to the Book of Revelation, he will have the objective and means to make Armageddon a near-term reality.

In the hospital, Thorn’s wife Katherine (Julia Stiles) gives birth, and he’s told there are complications. Thorn is relieved to hear she is doing okay but distressed to learn that their baby has died. When he tells the priest that is delivering this grave news that the child "meant everything" to Katherine, Thorn sets a trap for himself and his wife by accepting another baby, whose mother has died he is told. He does not share this fact with Katherine.

The Thorn family lives a privileged life, until at Damien’s (Seamus Davey-Fitzpatrick) fifth birthday party his nanny commits suicide by hanging, saying to the large gathering, "Damien, I did it for you," with a bright smile on her face just before she perishes. Later, when on a trip to the zoo, the animals seem to be afraid of him, and we see that Damien is starting to spread his evil spirit.

Katherine’s efforts to find a new nanny are not going well, until Mrs. Baylock (Mia Farrow) arrives. She’s perfect, perhaps too perfect. We hear her whisper in Damien’s ear that she is here to protect him. Even from his parents, if necessary. Mrs. Baylock brings what can be described as a huge snarling hound from hell into the house without checking with the family, and the dog barely misses attacking Thorn when he comes in to kiss Damien goodnight.

Damien has an acute aversion to churches, naturally, and when the family is to attend a ceremony in a cathedral¾ let’s just say that all hell breaks loose as the Thorn’s car approaches. Dark clouds are indeed forming.

Meanwhile, Father Brennan (Pete Postlethwaite) urges Thorn to listen seriously to his warnings of doom related to Damien. Father Brennan has a dire prediction of what Damien will do regarding his mother and father.

Keith (David Thewlis) is a press photographer, who over time notices strange phenomena regarding the first nanny and Father Brennan, that serves as a predictor of death. Thorn is leery of both Keith and Father Brennan yet something about what they say and why they are so persistent manages to get his attention.

This remake from 1976 has many of the same thrills and chills as the original. The special effects when victims die are similar to the "Final Destination" movies, in that the drama is not in who will be killed, but how fate will bring it to pass. The movie does a nice job of taking religious mumbo jumbo and making it sound logical as it explains why certain cataclysmic events are linked to passages in the bible.

The way incidences play out among the film’s characters has a ring of truth to it that exceeds "The Da Vinci Code." Although we were never fully comfortable with Julia Stiles in her role, Liev Schreiber, Mia Farrow (possessing a sweet creepiness that turns virulent), Postlethwaite and Thewlis more than made up for her.

There are a few very good jump-out-of-your-seat moments (making this a good date pic) that along with the story make the unbelievable sort of believable. As with the original ‘Omen,’ we see a sequel coming. Robert and Katherine Thorn are pawns, novitiates in the ultimate religious game for the power to rule the earthly kingdom. Satan’s son will be positioned to ascend the throne when he is ready. Besides, with a film that opens on June 6^th of 2006 (666), it seems to be preordained.