The Relic (1997)

Authors Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child found the perfect niche for their collaborative writing in the techno-thriller genre, novels where a vast amount of technical detail is important part of the prose. Amongst their work, the series of novels with Agent Pendergast have proved to be their most popular, with eleven published novels to date. "Relic", the first of the series, became a bestseller very quickly, and naturally, negotiation began for a movie adaptation with director Peter Hyams at the helm. Hyams at the time had gone from making several science fiction movies ("Capricorn One", "Outland" and "2010"), to direct several thrillers in the 80s and 90s, including two action films with Belgian actor Jean-Claude Van Damme in the 90s ("Timecop" and "Sudden Death"). "The Relic", as the film was retitled, was released in 1997 (two years after the book), and while several major changes took place from novel to film (Pendergast is omitted entirely to begin with), the resulting horror film was not really bad.

"The Relic" begins when an strangely abandoned ship arrives on the Illinoins River. Chicago PD homicide detective Vincent D'Agosta (Tom Sizemore) is sent to investigate the ship, which contained cargo for the Museum of Natural History in Chicago. Looking for the missing crew, D'Agosta finds their severed heads in the bilge hatch. At the Museum, Dr. Margo Green (Penelope Ann Miller) examines the cargo sent and only finds a statue of the mythical beast Kothoga. When a security guard is murdered in the same gruesome manner as the ship's crew, Detective D'Agosta suspects that there may be a link to the crime at the ship. The Museum is planning a gala opening for its latest exhibition, "Superstition", so it's on its best interest that D'Agosta's investigation ends soon. The police finds and kills a deranged homeless man hiding in the basement and the case is considered closed. However, D'Agosta is not convinced of this, and takes his men for a final search through the basement, when they are attacked by an enormous monster: Kothoga.

Preston and Child's novel was adapted to the screen by a team of scriptwriters consisting of Amy Holden Jones, John Raffo, Rick Jaffa, and Amanda Silver. Moving away from its techno-thriller roots, "The Relic" film version takes a decidedly more straightforward horror approach: it is a creature feature in the most classic style, with a monster roaming free and hunting a group trapped in a dark and sealed location, in this case, the halls of the Museum of Natural History. "The Relic" is certainly very traditional in its approach to this formula, perhaps too traditional for its own good; however, the little details and ideas that "dress" the plot are what keep things fresh and interesting, and almost make up for the lack of originality in its formula. The Museum by night is a wonderful setting for a monster movie, and the creature mythology and origins are a nice twist as well. Character development is kept at a pretty basic level, though Detective D'Agosta has interesting bits when his extreme superstitiousness faces the Museum's "Supersition"'s exhibit.

However, while the plot may be formulaic, director Peter Hyams plays with it to his favor and builds up in "The Relic" an effectively atmospheric film that takes full advantage of its setting to deliver a simple but entertaining monster movie. As expected, Hyams is also the cinematographer of the film, and while his work in this field is often labeled as poorly lit, his style actually works favorably for the kind of horror he attempts in "The Relic". His low-key lighting enhances the ominous atmosphere of the Museum, and increases the tension and suspense by having the monster Kothoga lurking in the dark for the most part of the film (traces of Ridley Scott's "Alien" can be felt). An effective craftsman, Hyams creates a couple of pretty interesting set pieces in which this terror of what lurks in the shadows is exploited to good effect and elevate the film from the rest. "The Relic" is also a tad gorier than other mainstream horror films of the same period, an element that along the dark cinematography give the film a nice grizzly style.

Leading the cast is Tom Siezemore as Detective Vincent D'Agosta, playing a superstitious yet hard-working detective, basically an extension of the tough guy persona that Sizemore had been built through the 90s. in "The Relic" Sizemore delivers a good, effective performance, believable and natural though to be fair, without showing anything really outstanding. However, Sizemore manages to carry the weight of the film with strength. As his counterpart, Penelope Ann Miller is a bit less successful, as while her performance is not particularly bad, she seems just average, sleepwalking through her role as if she preferred to be somewhere else. Granted, a lot of this may be the result of the sad fact that their roles are pretty much the typical stock characters of the modern monster movie, so there's the tough guy who must face his secret fears and the sexy scientist who must put up a good fight with the monster. The rest of the characters are also of the classic variety of supporting characters that make up good victims for mythical beasts so, nothing truly new here.

Certainly, the apparent lack of originality in "The Relic" basic elements make it sound like a typical B-movie with relatively known actors, and clichéd situations. However, as written above, the little details are what make "The Relic" to rise from the norm and deliver good entertainment. Hyams crafts his movie with a deeply somber seriousness: there is no place for cheesy humor, juvenile roles or witty postmodern references; "The Relic" may be nothing more than a simple creature feature, but it takes its subject seriously, and with as much realism as its fantastic roots allow it to have (perhaps an inherited trait from its techno-thriller origins). This approach works nicely with the grizzly gore and Hyam's dark cinematography, giving the film an atmosphere akin to a descent into a Lovecraftian nightmare. And this is maybe why Hyams' faithfulness to the monster movie formula actually works in "The Relic": the built-up atmosphere is so effective that a move away from the expected may feel like a betrayal to the genre.

American columnist William Safire recommended that one should avoid clichés like the plague, however, and specially when working within a defined genre, sometimes clichés are what work best. The secret being not what happens, but how it happens. In "The Relic", director Peter Hyams takes a clichéd storyline and delivers a well-crafted tale of horror that, while certainly will not change the face of the horror genre, at least delivers its fair share of scares and entertainment. And sometimes that's all that's needed. While perhaps of little resemblance to Child and Preston's techno-thriller, "The Relic" is definitely one of the better monster movies that came out in the 90s. Dark, creepy and ominous, "The Relic" is an underrated minor gem, and a highlight in Peter Hyams' uneven career.

7/10
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Braindead (1992)

In the early 80s, a passionate young man from New Zealand named Peter Jackson struggled to complete his first independent film, a science fiction story that mixed splatter horror and bizarre comedy. Finally released in 1987 as "Bad Taste", the movie quickly became a cult favourite and revealed Jackson as a promising new talent. He'd follow up "Bad Taste" with an offbeat movie even more bizarre than his debut, "Meet the Feebles", a black comedy starring puppets that further cemented Jackson's reputation as a cult filmmaker. For his third film, Jackson had a go at a more traditional horror storyline: a zombie film. However, his outlandish style and energetic filmmaking took the sub-genre beyond and resulted in one of the most amazing and original zombie films ever made, "Braindead". Released in 1992, "Braindead" (or "Dead Alive" as it was known in the U.S) is a deliriously insane mix of splatter horror and romantic comedy that knows no boundaries when it comes to gore. Peter Jackson's first bloody masterpiece.

Set in Wellington, New Zealand, during the summer of 1957, "Braindead" tells the story of Lionel Cosgrove (Timothy Balme), a young man who has spent most of his life under the oppressive control of his domineering mother Vera (Elizabeth Moody). One day, Lionel meets the shopkeeper's beautiful daughter Paquita (Diana Peñalver), whom is convinced that Lionel is her one true love that the Tarot cards prophesied. Feeling attracted to her, Lionel ends up having a date with her at the Zoo. His mother follows them but she is accidentally bitten by the highly aggressive Sumatran Rat Monkey, a strange creature from the legendary Skull Island. The accident disrupts Lionel's date and, to Vera's pleasure, he decides to take care of his mother's wound. However, her recovery is not exactly successful and the poisonous bite of the creature turns Vera into a flesh-eating zombie. Lionel, determined to take care of his mother, locks her in the basement, but all hell's break loose when she begins to devour their neighbors.

Written by Jackson and regular collaborators Fran Walsh and Stephen Sinclair, "Braindead" is a darkly humorous take on the zombie genre that balances perfectly the slapstick comedy and the splatter horror. Jackson and company have crafted in "Braindead" a highly inventive storyline that keeps getting more and more outlandish as it develops, and yet manages to remain coherent in both its tone and style, without getting ridiculous or tedious (quite a feat given its theme). They certainly never miss a chance to go over-the-top, but the playful, whimsical tone the story allows such excesses. Interestingly, the characters are very well defined, and behind the gallons of blood and the dismembered body parts, there is a well developed complexity in the relationship between Lionel, his mom and Paquita. The core conflict of the film being not just to survive the zombie rampage, but Lionel's fight to be free from his mother. However, the most remarkable thing about "Braindead" is simply how genuinely funny it is.

And a lot of credit for this must go to Jackson's work of direction, which showcases a great comedic timing and a pretty good knowledge of how to develop his plot. While "Braindead" is not the first film to have over-the-top comic-book violence as source of laughs, however, Jackson does it with intelligence, embracing the camp and the absurd outrageousness of the story without taking it too seriously. Bizarre and subversive, yet full of a charming naiveté, "Braindead" is a wild roller-coaster ride of non-stop laughs and gore. Cinematographer Murray Milne showcases a highly dynamic camera-work that truly makes the most of its haunting location: the Cosgroves' old mansion. A lot of credit must go to Richard Taylor (later founder of Weta Workshops) and his special effects team, who create a remarkably outstanding piece of work, specially considering the relatively low budget of the production. The highly imaginative set pieces that Jackson creates would not be the same without the work of both Milne and Taylor.

Regarding the cast, the performances are of great quality, and the actors really make a great job with the screenplay. In his feature film debut, Timothy Balme is great as the shy, and socially awkward Lionel Cosgrove, the unlikely hero of this story. With a everyman look and natural charm, Balme is perfectly believable both as a dedicated son and as zombie killing machine. Balme also displays a terrific talent for slapstick comedy through the film, specially in a scene involving a park and a baby cart. The beautiful Spanish actress Diana Peñalver makes a fitting romantic interest for Lionel, playing the high spirited Paquita with a joy and energy that contrasts nicely with the bumbling character developed by Balme. Elizabeth Moody plays Vera, and she does it with such a great passion and power in her delivery that is difficult not to hate her character. Nevertheless, actors Ian Watkin and Stuart Devenie are definitely the scene stealers of the film; Watkin, as the despicable uncle trying to get Lionel's money, and Devenie, in a small but very memorable scene as the town's priest.

Peter Jackson's "Braindead" has earned a reputation as one of the goriest films of all time. While the movie certainly makes a good argument for the title, what makes the difference between "Braindead" and other gory horror films may be the fact that despite the looks, it's not really gratuitous. It's not gore for gore's sake, but the actual use of guts and blood for slapstick. Like Sam Raimi did in "Evil Dead 2", the gore in excess is taken as another element of absurd in the manner of grand guignol theater. Things that could be labeled as gross, sick or disgusting, become the source of comedy under Jackson's narrative, which seems to be trying to outdo itself in terms of outrageousness each time (and boy it succeeds!). The macabre humor of Peter Jackson may be hard to stomach at first, but in "Braindead" he achieves a balance between mainstream accessibility and his trademark taste for the bizarre. And the most amazing thing is that after all the guts and gore, there's a charming love story that works swiftly hidden beneath the blood.

Years later, Jackson become a well-known name thanks to the strong drama film "Heavenly Creatures" and of course, his magnum opus, the adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien's fantasy novel "The Lord of the Rings". However, for many horror fans he was already a major talent to follow way before his mainstream breakthrough, being the mastermind behind three splatter cult classics where low budget was in no way a limit for a fertile imagination. Despite being lesser known that "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy, "Bad Taste", "Meet the Feebles" and "Braindead" remain an early trilogy of offbeat horror and comedy that still can deliver its good share of laughs, and showcase the rising talent of Peter Jackson. Of the three, "Braindead" is without a doubt, the crowning achievement. And one hell of a bloody crowning achievement!

9/10 
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District 9 (2009)

Since the year 2007, rumors began about a movie adaptation of the popular video game, "Halo". It soon became official that Peter Jackson would produce the film, and that a South African newcomer named Neill Blomkamp would be at the helm of the project. Despite not having experience in feature-length films, Blomkamp had already established himself as the most appropriate director for the movie after his "Landfall" trilogy of short films based on "Halo" gave him critical acclaim. Unfortunately, the "Halo" project couldn't be launched and the movie version of the popular video game collapsed during preproduction. However, producer Peter Jackson still wanted to give Blomkamp a chance, and decided to produce an adaptation of one of Blomkamp's earlier short films, the sci-fi mock documentary "Alive in Joburg" (a six minute short film about stranded aliens facing xenophobia). Expanding the themes and style of "Alive in Joburg", the end result was one of the most original science fiction films of the last years: "District 9".

In "District 9", a major event has changed the history of South Africa: in 1982, a large alien spaceship became stranded above the city of Johannesburg. Inside the spaceship was found a large group of members of an extraterrestrial species who are given asylum on Earth. Years go by and things in Johannesburg get complicated as the aliens enter the already convoluted social situation of the country. Ostrasized and hated (and derogatorily referred to as "prawns"), the aliens live in poverty and engage in criminal activities. After human protests, the aliens are confined to a government camp inside Johannesburg, called District 9, which despite massive police presence, soon turns into a slum. More than 20 years after the aliens' arrival, a private military corporation named Multinational United (MNU) takes the task of relocating the 1.8 million aliens to a new camp, District 10; and field operative Wikus van de Merwe (Sharlto Copley) is the man in charge of the mission. And literally, it'll be a mission that will change his life.

Written by Neill Blomkamp and Terri Tatchell, "District 9" uses comedy and science fiction to explore themes such as xenophobia with a sharp and intelligent humor. Given its setting, it's obviously a commentary on the Apartheid era, the forced evictions and the segregation that was lived in South Africa from 1948 to 1994. "District 9" begins following the style of Blomkamp's original short film, "Alive in Joburg", as it opens as a documentary about the relocation of the aliens and the mysterious fate of Wikus van de Merwe. As the story unfolds it moves back and forth from the documentary to the actual events of the relocation, uncovering what exactly happened to Wikus van de Merwe during the mission. With the perfect mix of humor and intelligence, Blomkamp and Tatchell built up a story that transcends science fiction and becomes a powerful character study filled with interesting twists and surprisingly, a lot of heart. If there's anything to criticize, it probably would be that the film certainly lacks subtlety when it comes to showcase it's political message.

As written above, "District 9" moves from the documentary about the eviction, to the actual development of the events, so the film is presented in two different, yet complementary styles. The documentary side is given a very realist look, akin to Blomkamp's "Alive in Joburg", complete with footage from MNU's operation and interviews with those involved. The actual story of the film receives a more traditional treatment, yet Blomkamp keeps the realism by employing mainly a hand-held technique, very much on the "cinéma vérité" school of thought, as it's all done to transport the audience to the story, as if it was truly, news footage. It's certainly a risky decision, but Blomkamp makes it work with the instrumental aide of cinematographer Trent Opaloch, whom employs digital cinema to achieve this realism in a fantastical tale about extraterrestrials. Julian Clarke's work of editing is worthy of praise, as it keeps the movement from the documentary style to the action film at a quite dynamic and natural rhythm.

Acting through the film is quite good, with Sharlto Copley (whom produced and starred Blomkamp's "Alive in Joburg") delivering a terrific performance as Wikus, the model officer whom gets involved in the amazing events that take place during the eviction of District 9. Copley makes Wikus a very human character, and even when it's certainly difficult to like him initially (as Wikus is written as a flawed human being, not the typical hero), Copley's charm and presence truly makes it work. The way the character grows and is developed, while a tad clichéd, doesn't feel as forced as could had been. Another face from "Alive in Joburg", Jason Cope, appears not only as Grey Bradnam, but also as Christian, the alien. Cope's job as the extraterrestrial creature is noteworthy, as while the visual effects alone are already amazing, his performance is truly the icing of the cake and give the creature a heart. Finally, David James makes a great turn as Koobus Venter, the chief mercenary sent to hunt extraterrestrials at District 9. As the main villain, James is certainly extraordinary.

Perhaps "District 9"'s greatest asset is just how fresh it feels amidst most of the recent sci-fi films released by major studios. With a relatively low budget, Jackson and Blomkamp take the genre back to its roots and use it to offer insight about a particular situation of the human condition. While it has the subtlety of a hammer, "District 9"'s exploration of xenophobia and segregation in South Africa (and the world) makes for an interesting discussion; and the way Blomkamp employs comedy to make his statement is cleverly unusual and fun. In a way, a film like "District 9" (which has a political agenda, an anti-hero as main character, and a visual style that moves back and forth from documentary to action film) is not exactly an easy story to sell, and even less simple to make properly; but with creativity and talent, Neill Blomkamp and his team managed to create this little gem with a modest budget and without sacrificing its edge. Subtle or not, with an agenda or not, "District 9" exists entirely as its makers wanted it to be, and it's one hell of a ride, in terms of entertainment.

Fresh, clever and fun, "District 9" is a powerful masterpiece of science fiction that hopefully, will go on in history as one of the genre's first true gems of the 21st century. What Blomkamp and his crew achieved here is worthy of praise, as without a big budget, they have created a terrific work that certainly shows that science fiction can be more than typical space operas and merchandising gold mines, that it still can be used to deliver a message or to state something. Together with Duncan Jones' "Moon", and even Cameron's "Avatar" and Abrams' "Star Trek", Neill Blomkamp's "District 9" points to a resurgence of science fiction with a purpose, with a soul.

9/10
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