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The Relic

The Relic

They did the unthinkable. They brought it back.

1997110 minRMidcredits score: 36th percentile of all films
Director
Peter Hyams
Starring
Penelope Ann Miller, Tom Sizemore, Linda Hunt, James Whitmore

A homicide detective teams up with an evolutionary biologist to hunt a giant creature that is killing people in a Chicago museum.

Where to watch

Where can I watch The Relic?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists The Relic streaming on Paramount+ via Prime Video and Tubi (free) and to rent or buy on Prime Video.

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about The Relic?

The Relic earns 5 badges, led by Box Office Flop and Fun.

  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office

Reception

Is The Relic worth watching?

The Relic's Midcredits score is the 36th percentile of all films, from 60K ratings across 6 sources. 36% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

36th percentile

Better received than 36% of films

79th percentile among Horror39th percentile among 1990s
Acclaim (how much people like it)41st
Approval (how many liked it)32nd

59 /100

41st percentile of all films

84th percentile among Horror44th percentile among 1990s

Critics 55 · Audience 59

Critics and audiences broadly agree.

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 5.9 — solid but not unanimous.

36% liked it

32nd percentile of all films

73rd percentile among Horror34th percentile among 1990s
36% rated it 7–1064% rated it 1–6

Critics 41% · Audience 34%

On Rotten Tomatoes, a bigger share of critics approved than audiences.

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 0 wins / 4 noms overall

93rd percentile

60K ratings across platforms

93rd percentile among Horror90th percentile among 1990s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Up 45% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$40M
Opening weekend$9.1M
Domestic gross$34M
Worldwide gross$34M

Returned 0.8× its budget — 86th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

A formulaic creature-feature with a striking monster design, set in a wonderfully spooky museum, that delivers exactly what it promises: mindless gory entertainment.

Fans praised

  • impressive Stan Winston creature effects blend practical and CGI
  • tense, atmospheric museum setting with claustrophobic catacombs
  • gory, well-staged decapitations and chase sequences

Detractors panned

  • impossibly dark, murky cinematography obscures action and monster
  • devastating omission of beloved FBI agent Pendergast from source novel
  • derivative Alien/Jaws/Predator retread with flat characters and clunky dialogue

What stands out

Effects and spectacleDivisive75

Stan Winston's animatronic creature is impressive; dated CGI shows seams

AtmosphereDivisive70

Creepy museum setting and catacombs generate dread, but darkness undermines it

TensionDivisive65

Genuinely suspenseful sequences when monster is hidden; cheap scares after reveal

PacingDivisive65

Slow buildup rewarded by relentless final act; some found middle act draggy

Acting60

Sizemore and Miller carry film adequately; supporting cast solid but unremarkable

Characters45

Stereotypical cop and scientist; superstitious quirk adds flavor but depth lacking; Pendergast omission a sore point

Plot and storyDivisive40

Formulaic monster-on-the-loose with predictable beats; scientific gibberish and plot holes

CinematographyDivisive30

Extremely dark, often impenetrable; used atmospherically by some, seen as inept by most

Preferred by

No notable difference between any of the groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Women vs men 8 points apart
  • Critics vs users 8 points apart
  • US vs non-US 4 points apart

Watch experience

What is The Relic like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Scary: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you want to be scared.

It is intense and leaves you entertained.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Nothing out of the ordinary.

What it feels like

Scary.

The answer rests on this: Moods
DreadTenseThrilling
Heaviest: late
Register
Brutal · 7% of filmsAdventurous · 11% of films
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film plays its monster-on-the-loose premise with straight-faced suspense and delivers graphic violence.
The rideThe atmosphere builds unease during the investigation and shifts to sustained tension once the gala lockdown traps characters with the monster.
StructureThe story unfolds in a straightforward linear fashion from the discovery of the threat to the final confrontation.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Entertained.

FunCathartic · 6% of films
Why it leaves you this wayThe film delivers a satisfying monster-hunting experience with a conclusive victory, leaving the viewer entertained.
How it ends · evidence
Happy ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).MonsterPredator
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21% (this title): Predator 6% (this title) · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Overcoming the monster: A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated. · Predator: A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).

21% of films fit this archetype

Why this archetypeA detective and a biologist team up to stop a mutant creature that is stalking and killing people inside a locked-down museum.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfSurvival
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22%: Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% (this title) · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15% (this title): Survival 17% (this title) · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% (this title) · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Survival

SurvivalTradition vs change · 2% of filmsAmbition · 7% of films
Observes its theme: Presents its theme neutrally, declining to judge.Community stakes: Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Dual lead
How it treats its themeThe characters must survive a monstrous predator while themes of scientific ambition and the clash between ancient myth and modern rationalism underpin the plot.
StanceThe film mostly observes the survival struggle without moralizing, presenting the monster as a biological phenomenon rather than a punishment.

The world

ContemporaryUrbanInstitutionalRealistic
Orchestral modernForeground music · original score · John Debney
SettingA natural history museum in Chicago and the underground tunnels beneath it.
MusicJohn Debney's score supports the tension with percussive and orchestral cues typical of late-90s creature horror.

Content guide

Is The Relic okay for kids?

R

The Relic is rated R: “Rated R for monster violence and gore, and for language” (MPAA). As of October 3, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at severe (86/100), sexual content at mild (31/100), language at intense (63/100), drug and alcohol content at mild (29/100) and frightening material at severe (81/100). Overall it is heavier than 65% of R-rated films.

Ratings in 8 other countries
  • UK15
  • AustraliaMA 15+
  • Germany16
  • Czechia15+
  • Hungary16
  • SK18
  • Sweden15
  • Switzerland16
Overall
Intense · all five categories
Heavier than 79% of all filmsHeavier than 65% of R-rated films
Violence & Gore
Severe
heavy for an R-rated film
heavier than 75%
Sex & Nudity
Mild · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 26%
Profanity
Intense
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 43%
Alcohol & Drugs
Mild
light for an R-rated film
heavier than 15%
Frightening / Intense
Severe
heavy for an R-rated film
heavier than 80%

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

The reason to think twice is violence, frightening material, and language. Everything else sits at or below what R-rated films usually carry.

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does The Relic have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in The Relic?

Cast

Penelope Ann Miller
as Dr. Margo Green
Career best: Their highest-reaching film role by billing, audience size and rating.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Tom Sizemore
as Lt. Vincent D'Agosta
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Linda Hunt
as Dr. Ann Cuthbert
James Whitmore
as Dr. Albert Frock
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Clayton Rohner
as Det. Hollingsworth
Chi Muoi Lo
as Dr. Greg Lee
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Thomas Ryan
as Tom Parkinson
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Robert Lesser
as Mayor Robert Owen
Career best: Their highest-reaching film role by billing, audience size and rating.
Diane Robin
as The Mayor's Wife
Career best: Their highest-reaching film role by billing, audience size and rating.
Lewis Van Bergen
as John Whitney

Crew

More like this

What are movies like The Relic?

Movies like The Relic include Narrow Margin (1990), Horror Express (1972) and Predators (2010). Of the 12 closest matches, most are stories about creatures, and most are stories about a predator on the loose.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with The Relic?

989 other films share the rarest tag below, premise: creation runs amok. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.