Horror,Mystery,Thriller
Germany,Japan,New Zealand,United Kingdom,United States of America
The Relic is a 1997 horror film directed by Peter Hyams. The movie is based on a novel by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child. The plot follows a detective named Tom (Tom Sizemore) who investigates a series of murders at the Chicago Museum of Natural History. He is joined by an anthropologist named Margo (Penelope Ann Miller) who is studying the exhibits at the museum.
They soon discover that a South American tribe believes in a lizard-like god, which they call Kothoga. The god is believed to require human sacrifices to survive. The museum has recently received a shipment of objects from a South American expedition, which includes a sacred relic that the tribe worships. Unfortunately, the relic also contains spores that have mutated a local species of beetles into an aggressive and lethal form.
The spores have also affected a worker at the museum, who begins to mutate into a Kothoga hybrid. The creature soon escapes and goes on a rampage, terrorizing the museum and killing anyone in its way. Tom and Margo must race against time to find a way to stop the creature before it can escape the museum and wreak havoc on the city.
The movie features impressive special effects and a tense atmosphere. Despite mixed reviews upon initial release, The Relic has gained a cult following among horror fans. It was the first film produced by Universal Studios' short-lived horror label, Rogue Pictures.
