Rating: 
Summary: A cut above the average.
Review: Rather than being just another hightech special effects monster moviethis little gem actually had somedecent acting and moments of actualterror to it.Scenes like the persons trying toescape the monster through the theold underground tunnel below themuseum were classic.The director is to be applaudedfor unique idea of using the Chicago museum as a backdrop forthis movie.The darkness and overallcreepiness of the museum gives justthe right amount of correct background for the monster to lurkaround in so you are never surewhere it is going to strike nextto chomp.The character developement of thehumans is not that great-but afterall the star of the movie is themonster-not the people.Although not as good as the Alienmovies for instance-for the budgetit is definately worth a look see.Be prepared to be really scared andgrossed out!
Rating: 
Summary: Excellent film. Now if there was just a letterbox edition..
Review: Let's say you want to rent a truly terrifying movie. You could rent the usual "teenage horror films", and watch an insane man stab teenagers, but after a while it gets too predictable; you know who's going to die next, and come on, those films aren't that scary. You could, on the other hand, rent a TRULY scary film about a blood thirsty beast that prowls the darkened halls of a natural history museum, who skillfully stalks and decapitates his victims in the abandoned halls. If you enjoy being scared out of your primal wits, then I suggest the film "The Relic". "The Relic" is a true gem as opposed to the so many other "horror" films that seem to dominate at the box offices, as well as the "cliche' horror/thriller category". "The Relic"'s adversary(and true star), a massive 22' long human-reptilian creature named Kothoga, is one of the most visually stunning creatures ever seen on the screen. The CGI effects used in the film were more complicated then the ones used in "Jurassic Park" and "The Lost World". Instead of moving like rubbery and stiff-moving film creatures(either live action or CGI) of the past, Kothoga moves like a living animal, with the grace a lion throughout the entire film, whether it be the live action Kothoga or the CGI Kothoga. Both effects blend beautifully, resulting in a horrific yet beautiful life-like character. The other effects of the film also add to the spookiness: The low lights in the museum halls, the darkened laboratories, the storage area holding well over 700,000 preserved lizards, frogs and crocodiles in formaldehyde, the water-filled under-ground coal tunnels beneath the museum. And of course the sound effects, cinematography, editing and other elements of the such, as well as the gifted actors and actresses, Penelope Ann Miller as Dr. Margo Green and Tom Sizemore as Lt. Vincent D'Agosta(the main human characters). It's 110 minutes of terror-filled suspense that makes your knuckles whiten and has you sweating well over two dozen times. The only disadvantages of "The Relic" being on home video(or television for that matter) is that the images(mainly on the sides) are cut off, no thanks to the "pan and scan" process. If you saw this film in the theatres, as I did, you will definitely notice the altered images, which is somewhat disappointing, being as you can't see all of the splendid cinematography that was present on the big screen. The small scale of the video also takes a lot of the terror out of the veiwing experience, with Kothoga being only about 12 inches on the television screen, as opposed to his 35 foot lenght on the movie screen. The best way for one see this film was when it was in the theatres, but being as that is now impossible to do so, the only way to get the "feel" that was in the theatre, is if the film comes out on a "letterbox widescreen" edition. Until that time comes, however, you can enjoy "The Relic" in your home, around 9:00 at night. With the lights off. And having no fears of exposed viscera, autopsies, decapitations, or the sight of Kothoga caressing Margo Green's torso and neck with his tongue.
Rating: 
Summary: Read the book first
Review: Before you see this movie, you should really do yourself a favor and read the book. "The Relic" is basically the dumbed-down version of "Relic," the novel by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child, an amazing and scary read. For the general moviegoer, The Relic simplifies the story significantly. Missing are two of the most influential characters, Special Agent Pendergast and the journalist, Bill Smithback. Greg Kawakita becomes Greg Lee, and his character is so much simpler in the movie. Mrs. Rickman, Ian Cuthbert, and Dr. Wright are combined into a single character, a female Dr. Cuthbert. Whittelsey becomes Whitney (presumably for the ease of the characters' speech). Also, the fictional museum is moved from New York to Chicago (why, I cannot say).Basically, the plot is the same: people start turning up dead, horiffically slashed and decapitated, on the eve of the opening of the museum's new Superstition Exhibit. No one believes it's a monster, but of course, it is. Duh. Chaos ensues. Let me take a moment to talk about the monster. In the novel, the monster, Mbwun, is terrifying. When it is finally seen, it is revealed to be quite manlike... which of course makes sense, given its origins. However, in the movie, the creature (whose name is changed to Kothoga, probably to aid in pronunciation again), while wicked awesome cool, just doesn't fit with the story. It'd be better off in an action movie, not a straight horror. In fact, the scariest parts of the movie occur before the monster is even seen (which is the thing with most of these movies). Bottom line: as a movie, "The Relic" is quite entertaining. Compared to the novel, it falls short.
Rating:
Summary: More fun than you might think.
Review: This movie has been compared to Alien(&s) and Predator(&2). Some would go so far as to say this movie is a "rip off" of those other works.
That is pretty narrow minded, as this movie really does stand on its own; just like many other good flicks of the genre. The movie is based on the novel of the same title(ISBN: 0812543262), not the other way around as with so many novelizations of movies. It's a good book and worth a read, if that is your cup of tea.
Anyway, the movie is a fun experience with good acting and a picture that is almost always interesting to watch.
I especially loved the delicious little plot point of what one tribe of "primatives" did to an arrogant American Anthropologist who'd come to study their "quaint" little beliefs.
Rating: 
Summary: not worth the time
Review: do your self a huge favor pick up a copy of the book it is a hundred times more enjoyable. and dont forget to get part two of the story, Reliquary, being a fan of the authors i recommend their books before any movie.
Rating: 
Summary: Third Rate Horror MOvie
Review: Something odd gets shipped from Brazil to the Natural History Museum in Chicago. When the boat arrives everyone is dead and the cops, led by Tom Sizemore's superstitious Lt. Vincent D'Agosta are called out. The next call is to the Museum where someone has been mysteriously torn apart. This brings D'Agosta into contact with Penelope Anne Miller's resolutely unsuperstitious evolutionary biologist Dr Margo Green. Can they figure out what it is that eating people and find a way to stop it? Will they fall for each other? And could we care less?
No, has to be the answer to the last question. This film is a mess. It's always a good warning sign when we see four people credited with the screenplay and the warning is justified. Everything about the story is completely stupid and utterly derivative. Nothing makes the remotest sense. The whole thing is ineptly plotted and paced. Moments of real suspense can just about be found but are very scarce. The monster is crap. Don't waste your time.
Rating:
Summary: Bad.,
Review: AGH! It wasn't good. The book was way better, and there's no pendergast. They took out a whole character!
Rating:
Summary: And another derivative Alien rip-off
Review: The Relic starts off promising enough, but by it's halfway point it becomes a predictable and routine creature feature with a just plain bad CGI animated monster and plot holes aplenty. Not to mention, what is up with the lighting? The film is so dimly lit that it's hard to tell just what is going on and who is who, and the cast (featuring Penelope Ann Miller, Tom Sizemore, and Linda Hunt) is beyond wasted. The Relic does have some good gore effects and a good jolt here and there, but it's nothing worthwhile at all. Like the above Amazon review states, you should do yourself a favor and watch the original Alien and it's first sequel Aliens to see a monster fest done right, and leave the Relic with the horde of other derivative Alien rip offs on the shelf.
Rating:
Summary: Terrible!
Review: I picked up a copy of the movie after I read the book. The most disappointing thing . . no Detective Pendergast. Next . . the movie is shot is such low light that it is almost impossible to make out anything. The plot only loosely (very loosely) follows the book, and the explanation of the what or why of the monster is unintelligible, and would be impossible for anyone not having read the book. This is nothing more than a poor excuse to show gore and horror for the sake of gore and horror. But even this is unsatisfactory. I certainly don't expect to see real heads rolling around the floor, but I don't expect to see the poor quality plastic or clay substitutions for them either. The monster made no sense at all, particularly with tusks. This creature is supposed to eat plants, for heavens sake. From the little that was shown of the thing, it was more akin to the Ghostbusters dog than to some sort of a Relic. And the language . . every now and then some four letter words, completely unnecessary and inserted, probably, for its shock value (yes, it is still shocking, at least to me). Don't waste your time with this one.
Rating:
Summary: The real Relic is the plot
Review: Take one part "Mimick," add a dash of "Predator" and sprinkle in some "Alien 2" and you've got "The Relic," the story of a crate that arrives in Chicago (my second favorite city) and that beautiful Museum on Lake SHore Drive the same night as a major gala event is being held. Tuxedos and terror all in one huge building.
WIthout spoiling it, let me say that this is a great movie to watch with your girl. It is well made enough, it's just that the plot is so predictable and stereotypes abound. As the lead character (Penelope Miller) works hard on her science to compete for a grant with an Asian co-worker, the co-worker is made out to be sinister and crooked -- ala Fu Manchu. He is then futher denigrated as a coward when he flees the monster but ends up being out-maneuvered. He can write a grant but he don't know how to get the hell out of Dodge. Yeah, right.
Tom Sizemore appears in another macho role, and should thanks Wesley Snipes for making him a star in "Passenger 57." At any rate, he fears not the dark, slime or sounds that would tell anybody else that there's a monster nearby, let's book. NOpe, not Tommy boy. He and Penelope stand up to the mega-sized beast, who also has some human DNA, and during that time the guests are eaten up, one by one. A group of them escape through the tunnels under the Museum, but for the most part, the monster has a field day.
ONe last point: The Relic is a movie heavy on scientific jargon and discussoins of genetics and DNA. Perhaps it might come to some teacher's mind to use tihs flick to break up the monotony of the biology classes at the high school level. The movie might as well be used for something - it certainly ain't gonna win no awards in a film class.
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