The Relic
Metascore
55 out of 100

Mixed or average reviews - based on 14 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 5 out of 14
  2. Mixed: 7 out of 14
  3. Negative: 2 out of 14
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  1. San Francisco Examiner
    Reviewed by: Barbara Shulgasser
    25
    It took four people to write the screenplay for The Relic. All I can say is that I hope these people have not quit their day jobs.
  2. Washington Post
    Reviewed by: Richard Harrington
    10
    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.

User Reviews

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User Score
7.0 out of 10

Generally favorable reviews- based on 7 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 3 out of 4
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 4
  3. Negative: 0 out of 4
  1. WriteFilmLive21
    4
    "The Relic" certainly had potential in concept, but in its overall execution, it is something of a failure. Most of the movie is very visually dark, leaving you only barely understanding what's going on, and the great creature effects are thus mostly hidden in shadow and given few opportunities to shine. The acting is okay, and in terms of suspense and attack scenes it's decent. But the poor lighting really hurts the film, and the ultimate demise of the creature is cliched and exaggerated. This movie might have been better had it focused more on the transformative nature of the creature - as is, however, it's fairly missable with only moderate entertainment value.… Full Review »
  2. GregE
    6
    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.… Full Review »
  3. NickB.
    8
    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.… Full Review »
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