Damien: Omen II (1978)

Director: Don Taylor
Starring: William Holden, Lee Grant, Jonathan Scott-Taylor

Synopsis:
Adopted by his paternal uncle, Damien attends a military academy as he grows into his role as the Antichrist.

Impressions:
I said of the first movie that Gregory Peck was largely responsible for elevating it to something greater than it would've been otherwise. William Holden does much the same for the sequel. He doesn't have quite the same power as his predecessor but still goes a long way toward making this a better film. It's certainly not as good as the first movie, but it does a good job of moving the story forward. I particularly like Damien's struggle (though not too pronounced) between his human nature and his Satanic one and the vast conspiracy laying the groundwork for Damien's ascension. Jonathan Scott-Taylor is solid as the pubescent Damien. I kinda wish we could've seen more development for Lance Henriksen's character, but it's nice seeing one of his earlier roles. This is a worthy sequel and if you have an interest in following the story of Damien, give this one a watch.

Rating:
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