This horror film has its moments and provides a fair number of shock scenes and creepy suspense situations. Tom Sizemore and Penelope Ann Miller star in this feature of a mutant monster that goes on a killing rampage in Chicago's Natural History Museum, then disappears in the shadows of the museum's underground chambers and tunnels, lying in wait as rescue parties search for a way out of the building to safety. The film is characterized by dim lighting in dark passageways, interiors and murky waterways, with only a flashlight used to guide the trapped patrons in their flight from terror. The plot uses the usual genre staples of sudden shock scenes and over-the-top gore to make its point. James Whitmore and Linda are especially good in supporting roles. Miller is a good heroine who winds up in a gripping chase scene with the monster in the picture's home stretch. The music score and low-key lighting add the film's dark, menacing atmosphere.
Review of The Relic
