The Relic (1997)

User Rating:

5.3/10   

Director:

Peter Hyams

Writers (WGA):

Douglas Preston (novel) and
Lincoln Child (novel) ...

Release Date:

10 January 1997 (USA)

Genre:

Horror | Thriller

Tagline:

They did the unthinkable. They brought it back.

Plot:

A researcher at Chicago's Natural History Museum returns from South America with some crates containing his findings...

Plot Keywords:

Museum | Crate | Ship | Cargo Ship | Mayor

Awards:

4 nominations

Cast

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
Chi Muoi Lo	...	Dr. Greg Lee
Thomas Ryan	...	Tom Parkinson
Robert Lesser	...	Mayor Robert Owen
Diane Robin	...	The Mayor's Wife
Lewis Van Bergen	...	John Whitney
Constance Towers	...	Mrs. Blaisedale
Francis X. McCarthy	...	Mr. Blaisedale
Audra Lindley	...	Dr. Zwiezic
John Kapelos	...	McNally
Tico Wells	...	Bailey

Also Known As:

Das Relikt (Germany)
Das Relikt - Das Museum der Angst (Germany) (TV title)

MPAA:

Rated R for monster violence and gore, and for language.

Runtime:

110 min

Country:

USA | UK | Germany | Japan | New Zealand

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital

Certification:

Iceland:16 | South Korea:15 | Philippines:PG-13 | Netherlands:12 | France:-12 | Australia:MA | Finland:K-16 | Germany:16 | Netherlands:16 | New Zealand:R16 | Norway:15 | Portugal:M/16 | Singapore:NC-16 | Spain:13 | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | USA:R (PCA #33883)

Filming Locations:

Chicago, Illinois, USA

Company:

British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)

Trivia:

Harrison Ford was director Peter Hyams's first choice for the lead role of Vincent D'Agosta (played by Tom Sizemore).

Goofs:

Factual errors: There is no such species as Rhinocerus Megarhinos.

Quotes:

Dr. Albert Frock: What could a young cop like you want with an old fossil like me?

Movie Connections:

Featured in Flashback - Mörderische Ferien (2000)

Soundtrack:

SUNRISE

Plausible behavior makes this an attractive sci fi

Overall I liked this movie until I read half the reviews--done before, simplistic, not realistic, etc. It is not a GREAT sci fi movie, but it is not as ridiculous as most of the genre. Best feature is that none of the major characters behave idiotically to further the plot. One never feels compelled to yell "Turn around, stupid!" or "No. Don't go into the basement alone!" or "Please turn on the lights!" or (to the heroine) "Don't you remember it's invulnerable to bullets?" The heroine is afraid throughout the movie (shouldn't she be?), but is she irrational at any time? The curmudgeonly, wheelchair-bound senior researcher is trapped on an upper floor, but does he emerge at the end from his place of hiding behind the computer console? The detective is disbelieving at first, but does he obstruct and endanger in the end? The science may be unbelievable (it's like finding a mummy curse) and that prevents this from being a great sci fi, but the behavior of the characters seems authentic (researchers who know their environment) and that is this movie's major strength.