Well, I should begin by saying that I don't consider the original a masterpiece. Surely it was classic but I never came to like it too much. So I wasn't that thrilled to see this remake. But in the end I gotta say, it came off pretty good and I'm now thinking to see the original again.
What really works for this film is its controlled desire of experiment and changing too much. The story is pretty much the same... only the context is updated according to present world affairs, the death scenes are more shocking and dramatic (the photographer's one is a classic!) and the acting is actually better. There's fine limited use of special visual and sound effects which adds to its scary atmosphere.
Julia Stiles is always a pleasure to watch. I wish her character had something more to do. Rod Shreiber does well imitating Gregory Peck to some extent. Mia Farrow is really a surprise attraction in this film. Her portrayal of Damien's nanny is quite a treat. And finally Seamus Fitzpatrick as the anti-Christ does a very subtle but effective job of being silently spooky...
Like everyone else, I too wish Hollywood pay more attention to original material. But sometimes a remake like this or two might not be that bad for a change.
What really works for this film is its controlled desire of experiment and changing too much. The story is pretty much the same... only the context is updated according to present world affairs, the death scenes are more shocking and dramatic (the photographer's one is a classic!) and the acting is actually better. There's fine limited use of special visual and sound effects which adds to its scary atmosphere.
Julia Stiles is always a pleasure to watch. I wish her character had something more to do. Rod Shreiber does well imitating Gregory Peck to some extent. Mia Farrow is really a surprise attraction in this film. Her portrayal of Damien's nanny is quite a treat. And finally Seamus Fitzpatrick as the anti-Christ does a very subtle but effective job of being silently spooky...
Like everyone else, I too wish Hollywood pay more attention to original material. But sometimes a remake like this or two might not be that bad for a change.