The Omega Code (1999)

So much average

Good movie but grossly overrated

A great movie, one of the best of this year. There was a bit of confusion at one point in the plot, but nothing serious.

All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.

The Omega Code is a low-budget apocalyptic suspense/thriller produced by Matthew Crouch, and financed by Crouch's father, Paul Crouch, CEO and star of Trinity Broadcasting Network. The basic premise of the film is taken from the Bible code craze, wherein the keys to understanding the last days are believed to be found in hidden codes contained in the Hebrew texts of the Old Testament. These codes reveal events and key players in the unfolding apocalypse in this pseudo-Biblical, quasi-suspenseful thriller.Let me start with the positive elements of my movie-going experience. The seating was comfortable, the theater was quiet (there were four of us there), and the chocolate dipping dots weren't bad either. Now, on to the negative elements. The acting ranged from adequate (Michael York as the anti-Christ) to dreadful. At points the film looked more like a low-budget soap opera, at other points the acting seemed like a commercial of some kind.There were some adequate special effects, but the cinematography, narrative structure, and pacing were sophomoric and amateurish. Even if I hadn't read The Late Great Planet Earth the story would have been pretty predictable. In short, this is a story poorly told. Is it a story worth telling? Not really. It could be. It should be. But, alas, it is not.Mark Noll, in his book The Scandal of the Evangelical Mind references Frank Paretti's works as exhibits in his case for the scandalous state of the evangelical mind. The Omega Code would probably support his case even more. There is a brief reference to a conversion experience here, but it is so muted and minimal in the larger story that the power of saving grace becomes a subplot in the larger theme of pretribulation paranoia. When I compare this to the depiction of conversion experiences and movements of grace in "secular" films like The Mission, Romero, Places in the Heart, The Apostle, or Tender Mercies this film is not even close. If we can't do a decent job of showing what's so amazing about grace we should hang our heads in shame (or at least embarrassment).Like so much of the stuff produced in this genre, this film is more scatological than eschatological. By mixing in the Bible code theme, the film could do more harm than good by perpetuating the impression that evangelicals are superstitious and gullible. The late Bob Briner called us to be roaring lambs. Unfortunately, this looks like something produced by rabid lemmings. There is a place for Christian artists to create images and stories that depict God's amazing grace and the power of His love. There is a desperate need for Christian voices who will call us to renewal and Christian commitment. Surely we can do better than this.

Some bits in the movie were tense but it fails to keep the flow. It almost feels like a cheap TV series pasted together to make a movie. I can't remember 1 good movie with Michael York in it, should have paid attention to that fact. It feels like a low budget production. Casper Van Dien becomes likable after all but unfortunately makes it difficult at the beginning with copious overacting.Towards the end of it I asked myself if this could possibly be the worst movie ever made, and that says a lot, I am usually pretty open-minded and forgiving.Avoid.

I must admit that I'm not a huge fan of biblical thrillers, once I've never seen a really good one. These films are poor in every way: acting, special effects, score and script, everything in them is terrible. I couldn't believe when I searched IMDb for the opinions of the users on The Omega Code and I still found positive reviews! Nothing is interesting in this example of how you mustn't do biblical thrillers. Casper Van Dien in a leading role makes everything worse. He never convinces the audience as a religion expert with master degrees in Cambridge! Anyway, this film must definitely be erased from my head, and I honestly hope you don't even put your eyes in it. It is not good. Trust me.

When I saw this movie title I thought it was going to be a great film, however, as a Christian, I can only say that I walked away disappointed and just frustrated with this film. The only thing Christian about it seems to be the subject matter--The Antichrist, and even then they don't rely on the Bible. I like the Left Behind and the Apocalypse films a lot better, they are a lot edgier and have a great concept with a conversion to Christ in the midst. I really do think that the Lalondes did a great job with their films and I hope that the Omega Code will be seen not as a Christian film, but a sliver of Christianity used to support the plot. I would really see it as that, although it did come from a Christian studio. I am hoping to write a film about the Rapture and I want to see it on TBN someday, but as far as the Omega Code, I think it is the butt of all Christian movies, although it seems to be far from it entirely.