Relic
IFCWith her mother Edna’s (Robyn Nevin) mental health rapidly deteriorating, Kay (Emily Mortimer) and her daughter Sam (Bella Heathcote) have to contend not only with care of an elderly relative but also with an increasingly insidious presence within the house that carries with it inescapable weight of their family history.
Atmosphere is king if you want to unsettle an audience, and Relic quickly establishes it in spades, dragging the audience into what initially seems like a creepy haunted house horror but, as the story develops, it becomes clear that the film has a lot more to say. Relic does a great job at building a sense of mystery and real lures you into the story.
Solid performances from the cast certainly add weight to the material; it’s always good to see more established acting talent taking a run at genre films, and Emily Mortimer’s presence on the cast list certainly does the film no harm. Bella Heathcote and Robyn Nevin are both excellent here, as well, and the strength of the performances is another factor that elevates this above standard horror fare.
For a feature debut, the direction is remarkably effective, Natalie Erika James’ uses limited locations to great effect, with the action rarely leaving the claustrophobic insides of the ageing house. There is a palpable sense that you are trapped in the house along with characters, and it’s certainly a stronger effort than a lot of bigger name genre directors have put out for many a year.
The final third proves to be a little disappointing; it’s unclear why James felt the need to lean so heavily on genre clichés that don’t really suit the mood of the preceding film. Relic takes a wrong turn towards the end and degenerates into a less than satisfying chase around the house. While it's well enough made, it feels over the top and off kilter with the more dramatic tone established earlier.
Some semblance of sense is recovered for the closing moments, though, and whilst lacking in subtlety, the final shot is certainly haunting and should prove to be one of the more memorable horror endings this year. It doesn’t quite contend with the heavyweights of the recent “cerebral” horror resurgence, but Relic is an accomplished debut that certainly marks out Natalie Erika James as a talent to watch.
