The Relic, a techno-thriller from the late nineties is based on the best-selling novel of the same name by writers Douglas Preston and Lincoln Childs. Some critics described the film as Alien in a museum, and that is not necessarily a bad thing. Directed by Peter Hyams, probably best known for Timecop, the film largely takes place, unofficially, in Chicago's Field Museum of Natural History. Dr. Margo Green (Penelope Ann Miller) is an evolutionary biologist who is developing a new method of mapping genetic codes, but is in danger of loosing her funding to a rival scientist, Greg Li (Chi Muoi Lo). As such, Dr. Green spends most of the movie either pissed-off or terrified. In order to stay afloat, she must prepare herself for the museum's opening of their “Superstition†exhibit. Her office receives a package from Dr. Whitney, another researcher whom Margo does not like, who has been studying tribal practices and rituals in Brazil. All the crates contain are a ton of plant leaves with a peculiar fungus on them, and a stone idol of a god or spirit called the Kothoga. Before disposing of the leaves, Margo uses the fungus to test her DNA mapping device. That night, one of the museum's security personnel is violently decapitated while he was smoking weed in the bathroom. This brings in local homicide detective Vincent D'Agosta (Tom Sizemore) who sees a connection between this murder and several bodies that were recently found on a freighter that just returned from Brazil.
Vincent pleads with the museum's curator Dr. Cuthbert (Linda Hunt) to postpone the the upcoming Superstition Gala until he can solve the case, but it's simply to important for the museum's continued funding to reschedule. Vincent continues his investigation, even after police arrest a potential suspect, and begins to question Margo on the recent activities of Dr. Whitney and the nature of his research. Vincent is a very superstitious guy, so there is very little that he isn't likely to believe. After running her test on the strange fungus, Margo discovers a beetle that ingested some of the fungus and mutated into a feral super-beetle as a result. At the exhibit opening, with all of Chicago's wealthy and elite making appearances, the thing that used to be Dr. Whitney reveals itself, and goes on a bloody rampage. It may be cheesy, it may be predictable, but I like this movie anyway. It has a classic set-up that starts with a mystery about a few deaths or disappearances, and ends with a motley group of survivors, isolated and helpless, that have to face down a big-ass monster. A big, empty museum feels like a perfect horror setting in which to have this story unfold. The Kothoga creature has a unique design, being a combination of insect and reptile, and is brought to life through a combination of practical and computer generated effect. The CG stuff looks pretty dated, but they keep the monster in the shadows enough so that it's not a deal breaker. This is a surprisingly well made monster flick, perfect to watch late at night while munching on some popcorn.
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