The Relic
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Movie Reviews of The Relic
Movie Review: Fantastic Dan and Bugster say
Summary: 4 Stars
This is one hell of a creature feature. It may not be much on the horror side, but for monster action this movie can't be beat. There are some startling moments but nothing too terrifying. And the monster... This thing'll tear you up faster than a kleenex at a snot party. its one of the coolest monsters in modern horror. In your face Blair Witch.Movie Review: Stick with the book ... trust me.
Summary: 2 Stars
A major disaster that should have been left in the glorious print where it was born. The Preston-Child book is a classic horror/thriller and this movie does it no justice. Possibly ok for a boring night, but that's it. Stick with the book and skip buying this one, unless you're a Preston-Child fanatic and want it to be able to say you have it.
2 STARS FROM SCRAGGY'S TOMB OF HORROR DVD's.
Movie Review: a good argument for reading
Summary: 2 Stars
Workers and visitors at the NY Museum of Natural History are beginning to turn up torn to shreds, and a big exhibit opening is just days away, as the FBI, police and scientists try to figure out who, or what, is hunting people in the dark, labyrinthine corridors of the museum. I am in the camp that thinks this film is a travesty of the fine book by Preston and Child. As I was reading the book I was envisioning scenes and situations and even the monster and, upon seeing the film about a week later, was disappointed in every way but one.They had no business keeping the name of the book, since two of the four main characters are eviscerated -- FBI Special Agent Pendergast, the heart of the team, and Bill Smithback, reporter. Unbelievable. Also the monster was not as scary as the book, not even as scary as the drawing on the cover of the book, except in one scene. The movie did do a better job of having Margo battle the monster using her scientific skills, and one of the last sequences, where the creature is on fire and chasing Margo through the museum, is one of the best effects I've ever seen. It's spectacular. But there were also a lot of scenes that made me howl (with derision) whereas the book is fast, intelligent and scary as all getout. Too bad the filmmakers didn't have more respect for the book.
I tried to view the film as independent from the book, wondering if I'd be afraid if I hadn't read the book first, but I honestly don't think I would. This was a real wasted opportunity. All the material was there for a wonderful scary film, and I hope someone else remakes it somewhere down the line.
Movie Review: Read the book first
Summary: 3 Stars
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.
Movie Review: A book not meant to be made into a movie
Summary: 2 Stars
For those who have read the Preston/Child novel, it is truly a masterpiece. It had incredible characterization, fascinating scientific topics, and tremendous suspense. Such a complex story that took over 400 pages to tell is not meant to be made into a movie. Sure, some books are, but this one is not. For those who are looking to watch a quality movie that presents abstract ideas and new concepts, this movie does not present that in the way the book did. For those who read the book and have high hopes of watching the amazing story Preston/Child wrote come to life, don't get your hopes up. There's just no way a movie could do what the book did. Valiant effort, but an impossible task!