This movie centers on an elderly dementia patient named Edna who goes missing. Her daughter Kay and granddaughter Sam go to her house to look for her, and as soon as they arrive, weird things start to happen, making you think that there might be more going on than just a bad case of dementia. Soon afterwards, Edna just shows up again in her house, but she refuses to say anything about where she was. Weird things continue happening, and you're not entirely sure if the problem is just her dementia, if it's supernatural, or if it's a mix of the two.
I was really excited to see this movie for two reasons. For one, it got great reviews out of Sundance, and I always look forward to good new horror movies. Secondly, I also had a much more personal interest in it. My grandmother died from Alzheimer's (which is the most common cause of dementia) several years ago, and I was interested to see how the movie would depict this terrible disease. Happily, I can say that Relic met and exceeded my expectations on both fronts.
I was really excited to see this movie for two reasons. For one, it got great reviews out of Sundance, and I always look forward to good new horror movies. Secondly, I also had a much more personal interest in it. My grandmother died from Alzheimer's (which is the most common cause of dementia) several years ago, and I was interested to see how the movie would depict this terrible disease. Happily, I can say that Relic met and exceeded my expectations on both fronts.
By far its biggest strength is its treatment of dementia. For one, it does an amazing job of portraying the progression of the disease, and this really resonated with me because the events of this movie line up very well with my own experiences. When Edna first shows up, she alternates between lucidity and forgetfulness. She's in her right mind most of the time, but she has bouts of forgetfulness every now and again. Then, as the disease progresses, she becomes a very different person than the one Kay and Sam have known all their lives, to the point where her personality is pretty much unrecognizable.
Even more than its depiction of the disease itself, though, I really loved the film's message about how we should treat our loved ones who suffer from it, and this comes through with particular poignancy in the very last scene (which I won't spoil; I promise). See, it's not just your typical horror ending where either the monster or the victim finally comes out on top. This movie's ending is a bit more complicated than that. Kay and Sam show that they love their elderly matriarch no matter what she's become, and again, for someone who's gone through a similar experience, it's a powerful reminder of the humanity of dementia patients. My family and I never stopped loving my grandmother no matter how much her Alzheimer's progressed, so I really appreciated seeing a similar display of love from these characters.
Even more than its depiction of the disease itself, though, I really loved the film's message about how we should treat our loved ones who suffer from it, and this comes through with particular poignancy in the very last scene (which I won't spoil; I promise). See, it's not just your typical horror ending where either the monster or the victim finally comes out on top. This movie's ending is a bit more complicated than that. Kay and Sam show that they love their elderly matriarch no matter what she's become, and again, for someone who's gone through a similar experience, it's a powerful reminder of the humanity of dementia patients. My family and I never stopped loving my grandmother no matter how much her Alzheimer's progressed, so I really appreciated seeing a similar display of love from these characters.
On top of all that, Relic also manages to integrate the disease into its horror in a brilliant and seamless way. This point is tough to explain without spoiling it, so I'll just say this: the movie doesn't just use dementia as an excuse to show off a cool monster. Instead, it's genuinely at the heart of all the bad things that happen in the film, and without it, there would be no horror at all. In that sense, it's a lot like The Babadook (which coincidentally also happens to be from Australia), but I think this one does it even better.
And speaking of the movie's horror elements, Relic eschews the gore and jump scares that most non-fans associate with horror and instead relies on more subtle methods. Everything from the set designs to the cinematography to the acting comes together perfectly to create a creepy, unsettling atmosphere that permeates the entire film and makes you constantly question whether Edna's dementia is really just all in her head. The horror in this movie is the kind that gets under your skin and lets your imagination do the heavy lifting, so while it won't terrify you the way something like Paranormal Activity will, it's just as effective in its own way.
I have to warn you, though, this movie is a slow burn, so it won't be for everyone. But for people who can appreciate that kind of horror, even the slow parts are creepy and mysterious enough to hold you over until the big finale. Then, when that finale comes, it doesn't disappoint. Again, I don't want to spoil anything, so I'll just say this: it takes the theme of dementia and magnifies it in a very creative way, giving you a glimpse of what it must be like to have this terrible disease.
I have to warn you, though, this movie is a slow burn, so it won't be for everyone. But for people who can appreciate that kind of horror, even the slow parts are creepy and mysterious enough to hold you over until the big finale. Then, when that finale comes, it doesn't disappoint. Again, I don't want to spoil anything, so I'll just say this: it takes the theme of dementia and magnifies it in a very creative way, giving you a glimpse of what it must be like to have this terrible disease.
All in all, Relic is more than just a great horror movie; it's the second best movie (of any genre) I've seen all year. Sure, that's not saying much in 2020, but much like I felt about The Invisible Man, I'm confident that this would be one of my favorites even if it were a normal, non-pandemic year. It's just that good, so if you like slow burn stories that rely on a creepy atmosphere and a well-crafted mystery, you should definitely check this one out. You will not be disappointed.
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