Relic

Name: Relic
Genre: Drama, Mystery, Thriller, Horror
Released: July 10, 2020
Duration: 89 min
Rating: 77
Cast: Bella Heathcote, Catherine Glavicic, Chris Bunton, Christina O'Neill, Emily Mortimer

2020

METASCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 37 Critic Reviews

See All

USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 75 Ratings

See All

6.1

VOTE NOW

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

6.1	Your Score
6.1	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 75 Ratings

Would you like to write a review?

There is a 75 character minimum for reviews. If your review contains spoilers, please check the Spoiler box. Please do not use ALL CAPS. There is no linking or other HTML allowed. Your review may be edited for content. 0/5000

Check box if your review contains spoilers

Play Sound

Please enter your birth date to watch this video:

You are not allowed to view this material at this time.

Relic

Now Playing: Relic

Movie Details & Credits

IFC Midnight | Release Date (Streaming): July 10, 2020 | R

Starring: Bella Heathcote, Catherine Glavicic, Chris Bunton, Christina O'Neill, Emily Mortimer, Jeremy Stanford, John Browning, Robin Northover, Robyn Nevin, Steve Rodgers

Summary: When octogenarian Edna inexplicably vanishes, her daughter Kay (Emily Mortimer) and granddaughter Sam (Bella Heathcote) rush to their family’s decaying country home and find clues of her increasing dementia scattered around the house in her absence. After Edna returns just as mysteriously as she disappeared, Kay’s concern that her motherWhen octogenarian Edna inexplicably vanishes, her daughter Kay (Emily Mortimer) and granddaughter Sam (Bella Heathcote) rush to their family’s decaying country home and find clues of her increasing dementia scattered around the house in her absence. After Edna returns just as mysteriously as she disappeared, Kay’s concern that her mother seems unwilling or unable to say where she’s been clashes with Sam’s unabashed enthusiasm to have her grandma back. However, as Edna’s behavior turns increasingly volatile, both begin to sense that an insidious presence in the house might be taking control of her.… Expand

Director: Natalie Erika James

Genre(s): Drama, Mystery, Thriller, Horror

Rating: R

Runtime: 89 min

See All Details and Credits

Watch Now

Buy on

Stream On

Metascore

Positive:

Mixed:

Negative:

Critic Reviews

The Playlist Dilara Elbir

Jul 7, 2020

James often frames her characters in close-ups with still backgrounds and lingers there for far too long, creating a transfixing atmosphere of discomfort. Through all her aesthetic craft, the house transforms into a physical manifestation of dementia with forgotten rooms, claustrophobic spaces, and walls that slowly close in on each other. Read full review

Josh Larsen

Jul 21, 2020

Great horror movies are often built on guilt, and that’s the case with Relic. The film has creeping mold, strange sounds in the night, and gore to spare, but at heart it’s about the increasing shame a middle-aged woman feels for the distance she’s kept from her aging mother. Read full review

Jenn Adams

Jul 7, 2020

The conclusion of Relic is haunting, beautiful, and cathartic. Read full review

Natalia Keogan

Jul 16, 2020

Relic posits that old age is not something to be reviled or worshiped, instead viewing aging as a continual process as opposed to a fearful spectre. Read full review

Ty Burr

Jul 8, 2020

The movie is a steady, frightening depiction of a baton of awful knowledge being passed. Read full review

Polygon Jesse Hassenger

Jul 11, 2020

At times, Relic reaches something like lyricism, which lifts a bleak horror movie above hopeless wallowing. The movie isn’t so much doomy or depressing as it is clear-eyed and resolute about its own horrors. Read full review

Steven Scaife

Jul 7, 2020

The film heralds the arrival a bold and formidable voice in horror cinema. Read full review

SEE ALL 37 REVIEWS

Write a Review

User Reviews

thethiagoguzzo

Jul 11, 2020

Natalie Erika James in her incredible debut, brought my favourite film of the year so far. "Relic" is smart, tense, scary and incredibly beautiful. It has a great cast (but Mortimer's performance is the spotlight for me) and the movie builds to an electric third act with a powerfulNatalie Erika James in her incredible debut, brought my favourite film of the year so far. "Relic" is smart, tense, scary and incredibly beautiful. It has a great cast (but Mortimer's performance is the spotlight for me) and the movie builds to an electric third act with a powerful emotional punch that will leave you in tears while the credits roll.… Expand

2 of 8 users found this helpful26

ejbeeby

Apr 4, 2021

Having an aging parent, the horror film. The best horror movies have something to say about what's wrong with everyday life and this is one of them.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

PalpetineSheev

Jul 16, 2020

Dark, depressing, and definitely not for everyone. I totally understand why there are so many people who hated this movie. Personally though, the strong performances, excellent cinematography, and strong use of sound and music made this an enjoyably depressing experience.

2 of 5 users found this helpful23

Marakai

Aug 31, 2020

Just as Jennifer Kent made her mark with the Australian horror film The Babadook in 2014, so too does Natalie Erika James with another antipodean freighter in Relic. Not only do they share the same geographical origins but they share a similar depth in their storytelling and intentions. AsJust as Jennifer Kent made her mark with the Australian horror film The Babadook in 2014, so too does Natalie Erika James with another antipodean freighter in Relic. Not only do they share the same geographical origins but they share a similar depth in their storytelling and intentions. As the The Babadook worked its fears around an allegory for mental health and loss, Relic delves into the ravages of dementia and the effect it has on family. Its not hard to see what James is going for but she also doesn’t forget that it’s still a horror movie at the end of the day and she crafts something that, albeit a slow-burn, is still chillingly effective and another fine addition to the continued rise of the contemporary horror genre.… Expand

0 of 2 users found this helpful02

JLuis_001

Jul 25, 2020

A haunted house film that benefits much more from the atmosphere than from the tension it manages to conjure.
Certainly, those who expect a horror story riddled with cheap jump scares will be greatly disappointed.
Like many recent films of the genre that have chosen to be deeper than manyA haunted house film that benefits much more from the atmosphere than from the tension it manages to conjure.
Certainly, those who expect a horror story riddled with cheap jump scares will be greatly disappointed.

Like many recent films of the genre that have chosen to be deeper than many of the cheap productions that we see from studios like Blumhouse.
For what it matters, Relic is a story about deeply buried memories of past trauma.

Being a story about a ''haunted house'', the metaphor and the whole core of the matter lies in the fact that that home is a reflection of the mind state of its inhabitant and I say inhabitant because despite the fact that the three main characters are intertwined by blood. It's just one that is mentally drifting away.
And when that mind begins to collapse, the house begins to do the same.

This is a good slow-burner and to be honest while the supernatural element is present and is clearly an important part of the narrative, the essence of this story is more an allegory of a psychological breakdown and family issues.
Something that has been explored in recent and more successful films like Hereditary.

So I warn viewers because that tone and ambiguity are crucial for how this film works.

For my part I can only say that if you're into this kind of horror films, go for it.… Expand

2 of 2 users found this helpful20

GodOne

Jul 13, 2020

Good actors, terrible screenplay without any sense. Slow and the end is just inserted without any reason just to make some obscure metaphors. Don't call this horror please, it's a scam.

2 of 2 users found this helpful20

Hortontay

Dec 10, 2020

These positive reviews have to be fake. This movie was so slow the ending was one of the lamest endings on earth. I'm glad I was able to leave a 0 rating. Trust me, do not watch this movie.

0 of 3 users found this helpful03

SEE ALL 19 REVIEWS