TheMovieDoctorful

It really is such a shame that people write Peter Hyams off after the letdown of 2010: A Space Odyssey. Left to his own devices, he's an absolutely spellbinding craftsman of a filmmaker and one of the defining directors of 90s Hollywood. This is especially true of his Horror films, 1999's End of Days, a thinly written, but phenomenally directed apocalyptic action film combining numerous aesthetic cinematic styles prominent of the decade, and more successfully, 1997's The Relic. Hyams' passion and meticulous directorial vision ooze from every cloaked shadow of this high brow monster film.

Following in the vein of all the great Gothic classics of Horror, The Relic's use of darkness does a perfect job building the suspense for the ultimate reveal of its star creature as we gradually see more and more of its physical appearance. That lighting only gets gloomier and gloomier before we get that wonderful fill reveal, the film's grand marble and stone set locations soon find themselves as drenched in water as they are in silhouette. It's almost as if the Field Chicago Museum of Natural History itself is slowly sinking out of a clean and passive civilization and into a wild jungle wilderness.

Many of the best monster films use their vicious beasts as a reflection of the age old conflict between the natural and civilized world. In Hyams' The Relic, the civilized world's exoticization and fetishization of nature is realized through the Kothoga beast, an otherworldly abomination sharing reptilian, mammalian and insectoid traits right at home in an egotistical gallery of pillaged cultural treasures and precious heirlooms. Kothoga's horrifying brutality comes across less like demonic and more Biblically marvelous, a living foreign plague unleashed in Chicago's local monument to Western colonialism.

If you know my thoughts on Fallen Kingdom, you know I have a real appreciation for proper Einsteinian editing and The Relic surprisingly features it in spades in a way that both amplifies the scares and supports the themes. One of my favorite sequences involves the affluent socialites of Chicago mingling carelessly over meaningless matters while Detective D'Gosta's blue collar team of officers are fighting for their lives in the dark muck of the sewers below.

Of course, Hyams' is only helped by a stellar cast who's never been better. Tom Sizemore is a brilliant and often underutilized actor that I've loved in supporting roles in films like True Romance and Dreamcatcher. Here, he proves himself more than capable of leading man chops playing Detective Vincent D'Gosta. Sizemore's sarcastic comic wit and urban grit are expected, but what catches me off guard is just how likable Sizemore's performance makes the character. He's tough, but not a bully, and imbued with a sense of fairness, empathy and honor rare from cinematic cops. "Pot's a misdemeanor." Sizemore's D'Gosta scolds a callous colleague. "Decapitation seems a bit severe."

Playing opposite Sizemore's D'Gosta is Penelope Ann Miller's Dr. Margo Green. Ann Miller's Margo makes for a proper 90s scream queen; uncompromising, proactive and with a stubborn streak to rival Detective D'Gosta's. A classically trained stage actor, Ann Miller brings just the right level of spunk to her mousy museum scientist, coming off as a contemporary Evelyn Ankers. While their obstinate streak does help Margo and Vincent to bond, it thankfully only extends to friendship rather than waste time forcing a romance where none is needed.

It's impossible to talk about The Relic without mentioning those jaw dropping special effects. The genuinely sickening and almost disturbing gore effects and chilling, instantly distinctive sound design are impressive enough, but the combination of very naturally moving CGI and powerful, terrifying animatronics work ranks right up there with the likes of the Jurassic Park films for lifelike digital and practical integration. There isn't one single shot where the Kothoga doesn't feel like a real, grounded creature.

The Relic is a criminally underrated creature feature and one of the best Horror films to come out of an exceptionally strong decade. With a smart script, beautiful direction and special effects that remain state-of-the-art to this day, it's a must watch for anyone with even a remote interest in the monster film genre, especially those asking for something more artful.