The Relic (Peter Hyams, 1997)

Two Peter Hyams movies in a row? I guess I’m going through a trashy phase. I’ll be watching Freddy vs. Jason tomorrow at this rate.

Relic by name and relic by nature as it seems increasingly rare to find big studios backing big budget creature features like this. It’s a shame because, although some of the effects look ropey by today’s standards (even though, quite cleverly, the filmmakers opt to keep the creature off screen and in the shadows as much as possible) and it’s cheesy as hell, what we’re given here is a slick, expensive monster movie with glossy production values and recognisable actors (NOTE: Penelope Ann Miller was a big name upon release, having done Kindergarten Cop and Carlito’s Way). The deaths are suitably gory, even with the 15 certificate, and the action packs the require punch.

What any amateur film critic would refer to as a “rollercoaster ride”. It’s nice to know that the formula can still works from time to time.

3.5/5