Review of Relic
midlandsmovies • January 9, 2021
Relic (2021) Dir. Natalie Erika James
There are some rare films that you know will be watched repeatedly, not just because of the quality, but because you can see how the story beats will hit differently depending on mood and circumstances.
Natalie Erika James’ devastating horror Relic is one such picture. In her feature length debut, James deftly combines family drama and hair-raising terror to create an early contender for one of the films of the year.
Mother and daughter Kay (Emily Mortimer) and Sam (Bella Heathcote) travel from Melbourne to the family home when Kay’s mother Edna (an incredible performance from Robyn Nevin) goes missing. While there it becomes clear that Edna is suffering from dementia, which begins to manifest itself both as a physical entity within the house and as a visible affliction on Edna.
James, writing with Christian White, handles the dementia sensitively. Edna is never the butt of a joke, or the source of a cheap scare. In fact, much of the action revolves around placing not only Kay and Sam in Edna’s shoes, but also the viewer.
While it is a slow build, there’s a nervous energy about the film from the very start. James subverts many of the haunted house tropes, hinting at various potential jumpscares but then diverting your attention to something real.
Relic is less a horror film and more of drama, unflinching from the terrors that come from a very real illness. The characters’ actions and motivations are totally believable, and when things start to go horribly wrong, it’s not hard to see yourself making the same choices.
As mentioned, this will hit differently depending on who watches it and when. Some will be terrified, some will be devastated, many will be both. Regardless, James has shown herself to be a talent worth watching.
★★★★½
Matthew Tilt
Twitter @Matthew_Tilt
Signature Entertainment presents Relic on Digital HD 8 January and Blu-ray & DVD 18 January 2021
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