The book was amazing. This? Not so much. The dialog was terrible. The acting was horrible. Practically the whole movie was filmed in the dark. Even the labs were dimly lit. I mean it was ridiculous.

Well people in general including the critics have been overly critical about this movie in terms of it as a horror movie. Sure it's a little bit slow starting but that's part of the mystery while it builds to a climax and then explodes. The irony of it is that part of the creature is human from the genetic analysis of the creatures genome. Not surprising at all when you consider that we're probably the biggest monsters on the planet anyways. It's definitely worth a viewing despite the hyperbole of the critics. At least Rex Reed seems to agree as well.

I thought "The Relic" was really boring at first. The setup of this movie was not engaging at all. I will say when the chaos starts to really ensue, there is some fun to be had. I don't think it is anything beyond a B-movie, but there are moments that are enjoyable. Unfortunately, I can also think of many other similar monster movies that are much better, and even some that came out near the release of this one. Overall, I think there are some fun chaotic sequences, but the core story and setup just didn't give me much to latch onto and feel engaged.

The monster's appearance looks like a rip off from the predator.

Really well done rendition of the book, with a lot of liberties taken that I didn’t mind at all, actually. Kinda Cut some of the fat that’s present (and very enjoyable) in a novel, and condensed the storyline into a format that fits an excellent late-90’s B-Horror flick. JAWS! but edging towards the complexity of say, Alien. Bravo!

And I'm still not sure what the heck it's about.

Imagine "Alien", set in a Chicago Museum. And done very very very very badly. I have nothing more to add.

Over 25 years old I remember watching it on tv a while back Tom Sizemore, Penelope Anne Miller, Linda Hunt, James Whitmore Had no idea where it was going in the beginning But it's violent and scary enough The human characters just aren't interesting and some of the lighting is very murky Still it's not boring and it features a terrifying monster Had no idea it was based on the book by Douglas Preston Despite the negative reviews when it came out Roger Ebert said it was a lot of fun and the actress Miller is fond of it Plus it was nominated for multiple science-fiction and fantasy awards, including best horror film and best actress The movie also performed 5 times higher than projected

Impossible to take seriously.

Obviously silly, but I've always had a soft spot for it. The Field Museum of Natural History is a great setting for a monster movie and I like how the hero turns out to be the bookish anthropologist rather than the brash detective.

THE RELIC is a monster movie that is crafted way better than its weak story deserves, which has a lizard-like creature mistakenly brought back to a Chicago museum from a South American expedition and proceeds to wreak havoc at a gala event. With tough detective Tom Sizemore and plucky scientist Penelope Ann Miller, you have two capable leads, and also a better-than-you-'d-expect supporting cast that includes Linda Hunt and Hollywood veteran James Whitmore. Still, it's the crew behind the camera that really elevates THE RELIC. The great Stan Winston (ALIENS, JURASSIC PARK, PREDATOR) proficiency fantastic creature effects that give the creature a nice reality, but it's really director Peter Hyams, who's directed everything from action films (BUSTING, RUNNING SCARED) to sci-fi (OUTLAND, CAPRICORN ONE, TIMECOP) to thrillers (THE STAR CHAMBER, NARROW MARGIN) to whackadoo genre mash-ups (THE MUSKETEER [costume swashbuckler mixed with martial arts], that makes THE RELIC so much better than it deserves. The story might as well be a Charles Band or Roger Corman creature feature, but Hyams brings so much class and style to the film (as usual, he also served as his own director of photography) and brings genuine suspense and well-earned scares to the project. THE RELIC is hardly a classic, but from my video store clerk days, I would have recommended it when someone asked, "What's a good horror movie I probably haven't seen?"

GD Amazon. You guys got to throw warnings about killing dogs/cats/other pets on movies. Nothing about the description would make me think they'd kill a dog in this movie, and then there we are.

It isn't really awesome, but it is a lot better than just passing the time. Sizemore and Miller do great work. And if you like gore and scary, I recommend this and I'm pretty discriminating when it comes to horror and sci-fi genres. Audra Lindly provides comic relief. And James Whitmore and Linda Hunt heavy-weight talent.

Despite it's obvious borrowing from other Films & Franchises, 'The RELIC' is a mostly well-made, enjoyable & at times atmospherically scary Thriller/Horror film, from the Producer & Special Effects geniuses that brought us 'ALIENS' (1986) Give it a watch, it's better than 95% of the F-Grad Slop Horror-genre fans are served up these days. A- 4/5 ****

I think it's an excellent creature feature don't know why it's got a low rating they don't make them this good anymore 👍🏻

I remember liking this when it first came out, but watching 25 years later, it doesn't hold up as much as I'd like. There are just some things that pull me out. The ridiculous panic by the museum goers, the even more ridiculous reaction by the museum "security system" and the never ending sprinkler system… all just make me shake my head. Winston's creature design and make up still look great though!

One of my favourite horror films. Some effects are a bit dated but it is still atmospheric

A Decent Time This Horror is a fun watch but it could have been better if the cinematography and lighting were a bit better

The movie would have been much better if they had followed the book and not cut out major characters, but still an entertaining film.

I loved this movie so much. It is supposed to be shot in the dark. That's the element that makes the film so much scarier. It's been harshly reviewed. Tom Sizemore was the best part of the whole film.