Modest, bare-faced production values immediately betray the indie, low-budget nature of the production, including the cinematography, sound design, and the fundamental image quality. The tone is mild to the point of ham-handedness, and the soft, somewhat scattered, unpracticed tenor of the direction readily shows the inexperience of filmmaker Justin Bergonzoni (it was apparently his debut in that regard, after all), just as one can readily discern from the acting that the cast had little if any experience of their own. This is hardly to outright cast aspersions on anyone involved, as I believe all were making an earnest effort despite their own limitations and those of the project at large. Be all that as it may, it's safe to say that without a major stroke of brilliance 'Ominous' will have upper limits and an uphill climb, and scarcely has the movie begun and we see the kinship it shares with the low-grade fare that has proliferated in subsequent years on streaming sites from the likes of Uncork'd Entertainment or Screenager Productions.
Yet why not? Why shouldn't folks try their hand at making pictures, if their heart is true? As an audience we easily see where there is major room for improvement, but it comes across that this can be attributed to undeveloped skills rather than no skills, or a lack of care. The presentation may be humble, but we can see the similarities it is meant to bear with bigger, more well-financed titles in the tale of a family, with strained dynamics, who try to Get Away From It All at a remote location and have experiences of a supernatural variety. It's a rough ride, but only because the feature is unpolished in every capacity. With all this firmly in mind, I think it's pretty decent! While the audio is imbalanced, I actually love Siddhartha Barnhoorn's score - not reinventing the wheel by any means, but flush with high strings and tense chords to provide atmosphere. Even with rough edges the scene writing is solid, providing foundation for exploration of the relationships between family members and the application of genre elements. The special effects may be less than seamless, but I've certainly seen much worse, sometimes in much bigger films.
Meanwhile, facets like special makeup, lighting, and yes even the cinematography are appreciable, lending to the low-key eeriness in spite of imperfections. Bergonzoni actually illustrates a swell eye for shot composition, and capabilities that just need to be cultivated to bear more fruit. No awards will be forthcoming for the screenplay, nor points awarded for originality, but the characters are sympathetic, the dialogue is suitably believable, and the story at large is ably written and enjoyable. As this fancies itself a horror flick I could do with more eventfulness and concrete plot development, for even as we approach the one-hour mark there hasn't been a substantial amount of real movement, but again, I think the issues facing 'Ominous' are its lack of experience and refinement, and not specifically any poor craftsmanship. I see the value this offers, and it's meaningfully constrained only by how little anyone involved has previously worked in the industry.
Honestly, I like this! It has flaws and shortcomings, but these are outweighed by the sincerity of the endeavor, and of the contributions from all who participated in its creation. The phrase "diamond in the rough" comes to mind; it's not a stone that is likely to turn heads even if it benefited from all the best tools of the trade, but there's no rule that says every picture needs to be a revelation. All things considered this is something likely to be enjoyed only by those who are open-minded enough to admire works that operate on this level, but in my opinion the worth in the end result speaks for itself. From the writers and director to the cast and crew, I commend everyone for the hard work they put into it, and I hope they have grown in their skills and found more success in the years since. 'Ominous' is hardly a title that demands viewership, but if one has the chance to watch, these are eighty-four minutes that are unexpectedly, gratifyingly deserving.
