Sick Sick Six

Director John Moore-as heard on a panel after a press screening-is perfectly happy to concede that The Omen is a true remake. The only interesting part of the new film is an impressive title sequence. Sadly, that's followed by a new scene in which the Vatican staff is briefed on things they should already know. Among the signs of the coming Apocalypse is actual footage of the burning World Trade Center. You could see the audience stiffen when that footage ran at Lincoln Center. Fortunately, the film was banal enough that the disturbing imagery was soon forgotten. Except, that is, by one angry audience member who hung around to ask the director why he exploited a national disaster. Moore-who seemed far more pleasant than his repulsive reputation-made the mistake of trying to defend his 9/11 gag as artistic expression. That only prompted this critical insight from one attendee: "It's a good thing that the movie is such a piece of shit that nobody is going to see it!" That prompted Moore to call the audience member a "thug," which is pretty thin-skinned. That wasn't the saddest part of the panel, though. Moore then went out of his way to explain that he didn't consider his Omen-which, again, is about the Antichrist and the 666 and the end of days-to be any kind of religious movie. In fact, Moore wants you to know that "you could argue that there's no religion in The Omen." How's that for creepy? A director can't even remake The Omen without having to cover his ass in Hollywood by adding that it's not like he believes in something as simplistic as, you know, Evil. There went his only possible rationalization for using the 9/11 imagery. Oh, well. I wasn't the guy confronting the director, but The Omen truly is a piece of shit. Maybe you can find a work of art like United 93 at the $1 theater.