Overview"Relic" is a 2020 horror drama movie directed by Natalie Erika James who co-wrote the movie script with Christian White. The movie stars Emily Mortimer, Bella Heathcote, and Robyn Nevin. The plot largely revolves around 3 generations of women from the exact same family facing the physical and emotional manifestations of ageing, dementia, and death.
PlotThe film starts with Kay (Emily Mortimer) and her child Sam (Bella Heathcote) hurrying to the household's shabby nation home after Edna (Robyn Nevin), Kay's mom and Sam's granny, mysteriously vanishes. Your home remains in shambles and filled with post-it suggestions for Edna, representing the threatening grip of dementia. After their stressing search, Edna abruptly comes back, with no tip of where she was or associated memory.
Following her return, Edna's presence prompts unusual happenings within your house. Ominous contusions appear on her chest, and a sinister presence appears to penetrate your house. While Sam is eager to spend more time with her grandma to connect with her past and help her, Kay is torn between her responsibility as a daughter and the disturbing episodes caused by her mother's condition.
Symbolism & ThemesThroughout the film, the motif of decay and deterioration is prevalent, with your home's shabby state serving as a mirror showing Edna's deteriorating psychological condition. The haunting in your house stumbles upon as a metaphor for Edna's fluctuating frame of mind and her increasing loss of memory. The shocking conclusion unfolds within a maze of traumatic and graphic symbolism for dementia, skillfully personified as a decaying supernatural entity.
Crucial ReceptionRelic had its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival in January 2020 and received crucial honor for its unique design, relying more on emotional scary than standard scare methods. The nuanced performances by the lead actors were also applauded, as were the basic environment and underlying metaphors. The movie received gratitude for depicting a haunting story of dementia's ravages and the scary possibility of aging and mortality.
ConclusionRelic is a special entry into the scary genre that effectively depicts a dark story on dementia and ageing, utilizing supernatural components as metaphors. The film uses nuanced symbolism and understated horror aspects that provide a mentally difficult yet caring expedition of illness, memory, and the inevitable reality of human mortality. Rather than relying on jump-scares, the motion picture uses a slow-burn technique to develop to a tense climax, making it a strong cinematic declaration on the impact and unfolding of dementia. In spite of its undead conclusion, the film leaves the audiences with a deeply searing message about love, care, and acceptance in the face of incapacitating illness.
Top Cast