'Relic' A Review

Relic is an Australian horror film about three generations of women dealing with the deterioration of the eldest's mental state which is perhaps accelerated by a supernatural force. Kay(Emily Mortimer) and Sam(Bella Heathcote) go to Kay's mother's house after she is reported missing. They find a cluttered home and post-it notes everywhere and the suspect she has dementia. When Edna(Robyn Nevin) turns up but is unable/unwilling to talk about where she's been tensions between the three begin to rise. Edna begins to act more aggressive and erratic and the dread and doom of some external force mounts.

The three main cast are all totally assured and pitch perfect. Mortimer is completely open able to communicate grief, regret, envy, fear, determination, a plethora of emotions effortlessly and she is the grounding center of the film. Nevin is stunning and haunting, her performance is fragile and etheral, occasionally surfacing back to herself but never sure of any reality, before plunging back into unreachable feralness. Heathcote is also quite effective but given her characters age and position in the family she doesn't have the same shade and texture to deal with, but even so a vital and solid part of the cast. The three have excellent, fluid chemistry playing the frightening text but also implying this ocean of real world human complexity which differentiates the film from what could be a more pedestrian jump-scare modern horror flick.

The production design, particularly the set design, of this sprawling, moldy, labyrinthine house is incredibly impressive and immersive. The subtle score, the creeping cinematography, the semi-suburban location all harmonize to create this dark shrinking world of dread. And for most of the runtime it really works. The problem is it is unclear what is actually happening and why. Is the curse/ghost/possession a metaphor for dementia or is it an actual independent thing, if so what exactly is it? There is allusions to a family history and a cabin and a (haunted?) stained glass window but its never made clear enough to understand so it seems superfluous. The final sequence is baffling, gross, and borderline incomprehensible and most of the interest and intrigue the film has, quite successfully, built up is deflated. 3/4 of a great movie brought down by its mismanagement of tone and it's opaque intention.

Available to rent on most VOD platforms.

Rent It.