Omen III: The Final Conflict (sometimes known as simply The Final Conflict) is a 1981 American horror film directed by Graham Baker and the third installment in The Omen series. Starring Sam Neill, Lisa Harrow and Rossano Brazzi, the film tells the progression of the now adult Damien Thorn to position of earthly power, set against the countdown to the Second Coming and attempts of a group of priests to kill the Antichrist. The film was released in theatres on March 20, 1981.
Plot[edit][]
Following the grisly suicide of the U.S. Ambassador to Great Britain (Robert Arden), 32-year-old international conglomerate CEO Damien Thorn (Sam Neill) is appointed in his place, an office his adoptive father Robert Thorn once held. Following the events of Omen II, Damien is aware of his unholy lineage and is now fully aware of his destiny.
An alignment of the stars in the Cassiopeia constellation causes the generation of a 'superstar', described as a second Star of Bethlehem. Damien realizes it is a sign of the Second Comingof Christ and orders all boys in England born on the morning of March 24, 1982 (when the Cassiopeia alignment occurred) to be killed in order to prevent the Christ Child's return to power. One of Damien's disciples, Dean, attempts to hide that his own son was born on that date.
Damien has also become romantically involved with journalist Kate Reynolds (Lisa Harrow), a relationship which puts his plans for political dominion on hold. But Damien is not deterred and focuses his attention on her young son Peter (Barnaby Holm (it)), whom Damien takes as a disciple, manipulating the boy's desire for a father figure.
Meanwhile, Father DeCarlo (Rossano Brazzi) and six priests hunt for Damien, hoping to kill him before he can find and destroy the Christ Child. They are armed with the seven daggers of Megiddo, the only ancient holy weapons that can kill the Antichrist. However, Damien systematically eliminates each of the priests until only DeCarlo remains.
Damien confronts Dean about Barbara talking with DeCarlo, and demands that he kill his son. Dean refuses and flees. Meanwhile, Damien's dog threatens the child, but Barbara drives it away. Then she has a vision of her son as a burnt offering. This causes her to fall under Damien's control and she picks up an iron. Shortly afterwards Dean enters the house where he is killed by Barbara.
Finally, DeCarlo tells Reynolds that the Christ Child is out of his reach, in spite of Damien's efforts. In hopes of getting her son back, she agrees to take Damien to the Christ Child in exchange for Peter. This is part of DeCarlo's plan to lure him into a trap. The plan backfires when Damien spots DeCarlo first and uses Peter as a human shield against the dagger. As Peter lies dying, Damien strangles the stunned Father DeCarlo.
In a desperate bid to salvage his waning power, Damien calls out for Christ to appear before him. As he does, Kate sneaks up behind Damien with one of the daggers and stabs him in the back, releasing a wail of demonic agony. After Damien dies, his body is seen lying on the ground with Kate standing over it. In the foreground, DeCarlo reappears carrying Peter's body and hands him to Kate, who was praying. The film ends with scripture of Revelation chapter 21, verse 4 indicating that when Christ returns to earth, peace will reign for all who faithfully awaited the Lord's return.
Cast[edit][]
- Sam Neill as Damien Thorn
- Lisa Harrow as Kate Reynolds
- Rossano Brazzi as Father DeCarlo
- Don Gordon as Harvey Pleydell Dean
- Barnaby Holm (it) as Peter Reynolds
- Leueen Willoughby as Barbara Dean
- Marc Boyle as Brother Benito
- Milos Kirek as Brother Martin
- Tommy Duggan as Brother Mattius
- Louis Mahoney as Brother Paulo
- Richard Oldfield as Brother Simeon
- Tony Vogel as Brother Antonio
- Mason Adams as U.S. President
- Robert Arden as U.S. Ambassador to Great Britain
- Hazel Court (uncredited) as champagne woman at hunt
- Ruby Wax (uncredited) as U.S. Ambassador's secretary