By Phil Curtolo
Occasionally, everyone needs to see a movie where they can let it all down and get a good scare. If you're that kind of person, then I would recommend seeing director Peter Hyams' new film, The Relic.
This originally frightful film stars Penelope Anne Miller (The Shadow), as an over-worked and under-credited biologist at a wealthy Chicago museum and Tom Sizemore, (Devil in a Blue Dress) as an ironically superstitious police detective. Both performances were filled to their extents, as there was not much character build-up other than the recurring "superstitious" ideas.
The Relic may look to be just another Alien-like movie, but to my surprise, it was much more than that. It contained some wicked plot twists, especially about the monster itself. When it came to keeping the audience guessing, no one had a clue of the monsters appearance until the end of the movie, where it's hideous figure was revealed to all.
It turns out that the monster is actually a genetically-cloned freak, containing parts from many animals of the African jungles, making the beast the perfect hunter. The monster had a lion-like appearance, scorpion-like claws, ant-like tentacles, and lizard-like scales. Obviously, the special effects were breath-taking, as the creature looked unbelievably realistic.
The plot is relatively average, like most movies of its caliber. Yet The Relic throws in some interesting plot twists and slight changes. It puts a group of rich aristocrats in a Chicago museum for the grand opening of the brand new "Superstitions" wing. The police warned the party to cancel, after the brutal murder of a museum security guard, failing miserably. The people obviously don't know what they're up against, and they are trapped inside after the beast attacks the museum's central control room. So it's survival of the fittest in harsh conditions, pitting the rich folks against the ferocious creature.
The Relic was, again, very original. Director Hyams uses very dark, shadowy shots mixed with loud, suspenseful music to instill an eerie feeling of fright into his viewers.
If you have not seen this one yet and you like suspenseful, science fiction movies, then you would love The Relic.. Grade: B, *** out of *****
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