Following Koffi’s return to his birthplace after he has been ostracized by his family, ‘Omen’ explores the weight of beliefs on one’s destiny through four characters accused of being witches and sorcerers, all of them intertwined and guiding each other into the phantasmagoria of Africa.

For in-depth thoughts on Omen, please see my colleague Cody Allen’s review from its theatrical debut here.

Video Quality

Omen comes to Blu-Ray in a truly wonderful 1080p presentation. This story takes place in a visually dynamic locale that this transfer renders with the aesthetic brilliance it deserves. The environments are replete with an incredible amount of detail in the natural landscapes and the production design. The transfer delivers strong textures when it comes to the makeup applied during ceremonies. There is a significant depth to the picture when scanning the planes such as the areas around the mine. Skin tones are detailed, consistent, and natural all around. Some very bold colors capture the nuances within the frame with the necessary finesse. There is nothing artificially boosted beyond the creative needs in certain dreamy sequences. Highlights are handled well with no instances of blooming, and the blacks are deep and do not stumble with crush or compression artifacts. Utopia has done a superb job with this release.

Audio Quality

The Blu-Ray disc debuts with a DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio track in the original mixture of languages that captures the sonic dexterity of this story. The film utilizes music in a propulsive way that saturates the room in a way that is appropriately overwhelming. This film is not particularly action-heavy in a traditional sense, but activity starts to dig deep when characters are in tense situations. The low end adds some textures when it calls for it. Dialogue comes through crisp and clear without ever being lost to sound effects. Environmental effects flesh out the bustling soundscape of the city making it feel more immersive and tactile. The sound design is surprisingly complex and pulled off well in this presentation. This is a favorable release for the feature. Optional English subtitles are provided.

Special Features

Infinite Trolling: A nearly 19-minute short film that replicates the short attention span of the digital age as we flip through various images paired with songs that work in tandem with the feature film.

Zombies: A nearly 16-minute short film that once again tackles the perils of modern technology in hair salons, nightclubs, and beyond filled with interesting dance numbers and other rewarding imagery.

Peau de Chagrin: A ten-minute short film that looks at wedding traditions in a similar manner as explored in Zombies.

Still Gallery: A four-minute collection of stills from the film is provided.

Booklet: A multi-page booklet is provided featuring the essay “You Can Go Home, But Do You Really Want To?” by Andrew Crump which provides some nice insights into the narrative.

Final Thoughts

Omen is a terrific look at the intersection of modern independence and tradition, and all of the heightened emotions that come up when values are put to the test. The film succeeds in capturing the hopeless feeling of being an outsider in the place where you should feel most at home. There are some dreamy, mystical elements injected into the narrative, but the grounded emotions allow this to feel relatable in some way. With an effortless visual style and an engaging storyline, this one is not to miss. Utopia has released a Blu-Ray featuring a really good A/V presentation and some cool short films. Don’t let the title fool you, there is more than one great Omen film out this year. Recommended

Omen is currently available to purchase on Standard Edition Blu-Ray or with a Limited Edition Slipcover exclusively through Vinegar Syndrome/OCN Distribution.

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.

Disclaimer: Utopia & OCN Distribution have supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.