The Relic

R

1997

1 hr. 50 min.

Horror

List

37%

35 Reviews

Tomatometer

34%

25,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

A homicide detective (Tom Sizemore) helps a biologist (Penelope Ann Miller) hunt a giant creature that is killing people in a Chicago museum.

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The Mango M

And I'm still not sure what the heck it's about.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

04/14/24

Full Review

Ian W

Imagine "Alien", set in a Chicago Museum. And done very very very very badly. I have nothing more to add.

Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars

03/11/24

Full Review

Audience Member

Over 25 years old I remember watching it on tv a while back Tom Sizemore, Penelope Anne Miller, Linda Hunt, James Whitmore Had no idea where it was going in the beginning But it's violent and scary enough The human characters just aren't interesting and some of the lighting is very murky Still it's not boring and it features a terrifying monster Had no idea it was based on the book by Douglas Preston Despite the negative reviews when it came out Roger Ebert said it was a lot of fun and the actress Miller is fond of it Plus it was nominated for multiple science-fiction and fantasy awards, including best horror film and best actress The movie also performed 5 times higher than projected

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

01/11/24

Full Review

Steve D

Impossible to take seriously.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

09/20/23

Full Review

AB L

Obviously silly, but I've always had a soft spot for it. The Field Museum of Natural History is a great setting for a monster movie and I like how the hero turns out to be the bookish anthropologist rather than the brash detective.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

08/31/23

Full Review

Allan C

THE RELIC is a monster movie that is crafted way better than its weak story deserves, which has a lizard-like creature mistakenly brought back to a Chicago museum from a South American expedition and proceeds to wreak havoc at a gala event. With tough detective Tom Sizemore and plucky scientist Penelope Ann Miller, you have two capable leads, and also a better-than-you-'d-expect supporting cast that includes Linda Hunt and Hollywood veteran James Whitmore. Still, it's the crew behind the camera that really elevates THE RELIC. The great Stan Winston (ALIENS, JURASSIC PARK, PREDATOR) proficiency fantastic creature effects that give the creature a nice reality, but it's really director Peter Hyams, who's directed everything from action films (BUSTING, RUNNING SCARED) to sci-fi (OUTLAND, CAPRICORN ONE, TIMECOP) to thrillers (THE STAR CHAMBER, NARROW MARGIN) to whackadoo genre mash-ups (THE MUSKETEER [costume swashbuckler mixed with martial arts], that makes THE RELIC so much better than it deserves. The story might as well be a Charles Band or Roger Corman creature feature, but Hyams brings so much class and style to the film (as usual, he also served as his own director of photography) and brings genuine suspense and well-earned scares to the project. THE RELIC is hardly a classic, but from my video store clerk days, I would have recommended it when someone asked, "What's a good horror movie I probably haven't seen?"

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

07/19/23

Full Review

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Peter Hyams

Director

Penelope Ann Miller

Dr. Margo Green

Tom Sizemore

Lt. Vincent D'Agosta

Linda Hunt

Dr. Ann Cuthbert

James Whitmore

Dr. Albert Frock

Clayton Rohner

Det. Hollingsworth

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The Relic: Official Clip - Torching the Creature

2:10

The Relic: Official Clip - The Rescue Team

2:05

The Relic: Official Clip - The Creature Attacks

1:45

The Relic: Official Clip - Lucky Bullet

1:29

The Relic: Official Clip - A Very Dangerous Situation

2:02

The Relic: Official Clip - Encounter at the Door

2:08

The Relic: Official Clip - The Callisto Effect

2:12

The Relic: Official Clip - Something's Missing from the Brain

2:10

The Relic: Official Clip - Bathroom Break

1:04

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Gene Siskel

Chicago Tribune

A surprisingly entertaining "monster-on-the-loose" picture set mostly in halls and private passageways of Chicago's Field Museum of Natural History.

Rated: 3/4

Jul 10, 2017

Full Review

Emanuel Levy

Variety

Though based on an original and respected novel, Hyams' horror thriller comes across as a pastiche of the genre's conventions as evident in major pictures of the past two decades, such as Jaws and the first two Alien films.

Rated: C

Dec 23, 2006

Full Review

Russell Smith

Austin Chronicle

Rated: 2.5/5

Jul 25, 2004

Full Review

Rob Gonsalves

Rob's Movie Vault

So it pains me to confess that, aside from the spectacularly ugly Kothoga (a creation of monster-making genius Stan Winston), the movie isn’t much good.

Rated: C-

Sep 1, 2022

Full Review

Eddie Harrison

film-authority.com

...a deeply silly and perfectly enjoyable no-brainer...

Rated: 3/5

Jun 27, 2021

Full Review

Mike Massie

Gone With The Twins

Features the best ingredients of contemporary monster movie formulas: loud noises, dark places, isolated characters, sudden images of bloody body parts, and red herrings.

Rated: 7/10

Sep 24, 2020

Full Review

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Synopsis

A homicide detective (Tom Sizemore) helps a biologist (Penelope Ann Miller) hunt a giant creature that is killing people in a Chicago museum.

Director: Peter Hyams
Executive Producer: Gary Levinsohn, Mark Gordon
Screenwriter: Amy Holden Jones, John Raffo, Rick Jaffa, Amanda Silver
Production Co: BBC
Rating: R
Genre: Horror
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): Jun 6, 2014
Box Office (Gross USA): $34.0M
Sound Mix: Surround

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