The Relic

Name: The Relic
Genre: Thriller, Horror
Released: January 10, 1997
Duration: 110 min
Rating: 55
Cast: Penelope Ann Miller, Tom Sizemore

1997

METASCORE

Mixed or average reviews based on 14 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 78 Ratings

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7.3

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7.3	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 78 Ratings

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The Relic

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Movie Details & Credits

Paramount Pictures | Release Date: January 10, 1997 | R

Starring: Penelope Ann Miller, Tom Sizemore

Summary: Come in-if you dare. The opening-night gala for a new exhibit at Chicago's natural history museum is under way. But be advised: something terrifying wants to make sure no one ever leaves. (Paramount)

Director: Peter Hyams

Genre(s): Thriller, Horror

Rating: R

Runtime: 110 min

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Critic Reviews

Empire Kim Newman

Unpretentiously and likeable Peter Hyams is one of the few hacks still working at this budget level, and he relishes the chance to make an audience jump, not only with some neat monster effects and a pile of mutilated corpses but also with some subtleties of editing and lighting, plus one of the loudest jump-out-of-your-seat soundtracks in a recent memory. Read full review

Stephen Holden

Yes, we've seen it all before. But The Relic proves that the hoariest cliches, when stirred together with enough money, shaken vigorously and artfully lighted, can still make the adrenaline surge. Read full review

Roger Ebert

All of this is actually a lot of fun, if you like special effects and gore. Read full review

Peter Stack

Sizemore ("Heat") and Miller, though saddled with a lot of scientific DNA jargon, are really the only lively people in this dense, gruesome film that stubbornly refuses to break out of its contrived atmosphere. Read full review

Russell Smith

Much like the DNA-scrambled beast to which the title alludes, this film is a chimerical chop-shop product, consisting mostly of spare parts pulled from Alien, Jurassic Park, and even The Ghost and the Darkness. Read full review

James Berardinelli

There are moments when The Relic is almost enjoyable, albeit in a visceral sort of way. Unfortunately, when all is said and done, this horror/science fiction amalgamation seems like nothing more ambitious than a bad reworking of elements from Aliens, Species, Jaws, and Predator. Read full review

Richard Harrington

As written by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child, The Relic deserved to be taken off the shelf; as adapted by a quartet of screenwriters and directed by Peter Hyams, it should have been left on one. Read full review

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User Reviews

Axebrossia

Dec 9, 2014

I love it!! is my childhood!! the people need to understand between the book and the movie always is so different!! I love the soundtrack by John Debney and the cq efects in that time, come on we talk about 10 years ago!!

3 of 5 users found this helpful32

Acquit77

Jul 19, 2021

⊙⊙⊙⊙⊙⊙☆☆☆☆☆⊙⊙⊙⊙⊙⊙⊙●■●■●■●■●■●■●■
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$÷%÷%÷%÷%÷%÷%÷%÷%÷%÷%÷%

1 of 2 users found this helpful11

Receptacle

Jun 23, 2021

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3 of 5 users found this helpful32

NickB.

Mar 2, 2006

Not bad for another "large inherently nasty predator that eats scientists" movie. Not a perfect translation of the book....where is Penderghast, for example? But far better than I expected, and superior to recent efforts in the same genre such as "The Cave." The cinematography, clever Not bad for another "large inherently nasty predator that eats scientists" movie. Not a perfect translation of the book....where is Penderghast, for example? But far better than I expected, and superior to recent efforts in the same genre such as "The Cave." The cinematography, clever lighting, and surprisingly robust score add to the experience of a movie that could have been very, very bad in different hands. Just forget it's based on the book and enjoy for its own merits.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful

Meth-dude

Aug 10, 2018

The acting was fine, the practicals effects were very good, the CGI wasn't dreadful and the last hour was a lot of fun. As far as silly creature features go, The Relic is pretty good. If you like monster movies, you will undoubtedly appreciate this one.

2 of 7 users found this helpful25

GregE

Feb 16, 2008

Yes, another monster-in-the-hallway horror movie. You saw it in 'Alien' and countless (fun) ripoffs thereof since, and here it is again, with whiz-bang CG effects, high-polish production values and Stan Winston creature design. While true that some who haven't read the book Yes, another monster-in-the-hallway horror movie. You saw it in 'Alien' and countless (fun) ripoffs thereof since, and here it is again, with whiz-bang CG effects, high-polish production values and Stan Winston creature design. While true that some who haven't read the book thought this movie was just "fine", those who know the book, myself included, are most assuredly disappointed by the marginalization of the nastiness, adventure and suspense, in favour of simply "showing off" the monster effects. Peter Hyams may know how to make a fun thriller, but there is ZERO scare factor here -- something the novel had oodles of... too bad, because if this film had been scary (good) enough, there could have been a sequel, like the book had.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful

DirigiblePulp

Dec 7, 2016

Mostly generic verging on pretty bad. The monster scenes are dark and choppily edited. The backstory is neither out-there crazy nor conceptually interesting enough to pique any demented B-movie fun.

3 of 9 users found this helpful36

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92	#92 Best Movie of 1997
59	#59 Most Discussed Movie of 1997
79	#79 Most Shared Movie of 1997