The Relic (1997) Hey what's up guys. Today I'll
show you a Science-fiction-thriller film: "The Relic"! Spoiler ahead, watch out and take care!
The movie begins with tribesmen from South America, performing an ancient ritual, while
Cowboy, an anthropologist for the Field Museum in Chicago, observes and studies. Cowboy is offered
soup prepared by the tribe, which he obliges without giving it much thought. He has no idea
what effect it will have on him; but he knows that something does not feel-right moments later.
Cowboy locates the ship, that's supposed to transport his crates back to Chicago.
He approaches the captain and pleads, asking him to unload the cargo that he
intends to send to Chicago. The captain refuses to cooperate, as he's already way behind schedule.
Desperate to find his cargo, Cowboy sneaks aboard when the captain turns his back. Once on board,
Cowboy tries to locate his shipment; but it's nowhere to be found. Cowboy's heartbroken,
and has no way of leaving the ship, as it has already started to depart Brazil.
Later, a homicide detective is called to investigate the ship, that arrives on Lake
Michigan with its crew missing. The coast guard found the vessel, but has no idea when it arrived.
The police officers get info that it has been six weeks, since it departed from South America.
Detective gets onboard, and is shown where to look by his partner, the Sergeant. It appears
that there's a possible crime committed with the presence of blood in some areas of the ship;
but no dead bodies have been found so far. The Sergeant shares his theory that this could be
a drug hit, and that the dead bodies were thrown overboard. Not convinced, Detective
locates the ship's bilge, and discovers where the dead bodies are all along.
An evolutionary biologist named Margo, reports to work at the museum, and discovers that her
colleague is applying for the same research grant she is applying for. She confronts him for
going behind her back. The colleague explains that he has the right to apply for the grant.
Margo explains that in the event that the grant is given to him instead of her, her staff will
be out of work. Margo walks away disappointed. Margo's mentor tells her that the crates arrived
this morning; but he has not yet received any news from Cowboy. He adds that the crates were
supposed to be on a ship; but due to a mix-up, the crates were sent by air freight instead.
Margo and her mentor then begin to check the crates, and find out that the crates are empty,
except for a bed of leaves, and a stone statue of the "Kothoga," a mythical forest
monster. The mentor then explains a myth that the tribe made a deal with Satan,
in order to vanquish their enemies. Margo is not thrilled with the explanation, as it lacks
scientific evidence. Unlike her mentor, Margo is not superstitious, and prefers to rely on science.
Margo then notices a fungus on the leaves, and sends it for analysis.
Later that night, a museum Security Guard takes a bathroom break, when he notices someone coming in.
The Security Guard tries to get the person's attention, but he gets no response. Moments later,
some creature grabs his foot, and yanks him out of the bathroom. The Security Guard is
then brutally killed like the ship's crew. When the body is discovered, Detective is called
in to investigate the security guard's death. He wants to interview all the employees, and wants to
know their whereabouts when the incident happened. He also demands to speak to Margo, because she was
the last person to leave the museum on the night of the murder. When Margo arrives at the museum,
an officer approaches her, and takes her to Detective. As Detective is occupied at the moment,
he asks to speak with her at a later time. Detective is now at the crime scene. He looks
for the guard's Head just in time for Margo to walk in, and sees the decapitated body of the
security guard. Margo is terrified as she knows the dead guard, and interacts with him daily.
Meanwhile, Detective demands that the blood on the walls is analyzed. Believing the killer is
still inside the museum, he orders it closed, until the police have finished searching.
Afterward, Detective approaches the museum director. She's accompanied by the museum's
director of security. Detective informs them that the place stays closed, until his team is
confident there's no danger inside. The Museum director protests and mentions an important
upcoming exhibition, that will earn the museum a lot of money from the benefactors; but Detective
insists that the museum stays closed. The Museum director adds that the Mayor will also attend;
but Detective's decision is firm. Later, Detective asks Margo if she noticed
anything strange last night, as she's the last to leave the museum. Margo responds that she didn't.
She's also told that the security guard's office was vandalized last night.
Detective adds that something must have been very important for his office to be broken in.
When asked if there's a possibility that Cowboy is shipping drugs, Margo assures him that he's
only shipping relics, including a smashed relic from Brazil, and an empty crate.
Margo then takes Detective to the restoration department. Margo introduces him to the museum's
restorative genius. The restorative genius explains that the smashed relic looks like
a chimera, a combination of creatures that superstitious people see as god or enemy.
An autopsy is then performed to investigate the death of the security guard. The coroner
explains to Detective that the skull is empty; and the brain appears to have fallen out,
or been extracted. The brain is also missing some parts like the thalamus and hypothalamus.
Detective then asks the Sergeant to dig up the records on the bodies from the ship.
Detective wants to know if some parts of their brains were also missing. Later on, Detective is
informed that the crew suffered the same fate. Meanwhile, Margo discovers that the fungus
contains concentrated hormones in several animal species. She finds a mutated beetle in
the container of leaves, that possesses insect and reptilian DNA. Margo shows her colleague
the result, and tries to ask for his opinion. he thinks that the source or the software might be
contaminated, which does not make sense. Margo shares the same information with her mentor,
who cannot believe what he sees. The plant appears to be heavily infected
with a virus. The virus apparently inserted its genetic material into the plant's genes.
Detective returns to the museum, and is reminded by the museum director of the
exhibition's importance. But Detective is firm on his decision; Detective can
only assure the museum director that they can have the party, once the place is cleared.
Interested to learn more about Cowboy's work, Detective pays Margo a visit again.
Detective is then introduced to her mentor, who's also the museum's curator.
The mentor explains that Cowboy is studying ancient tribes in Brazil, including their rituals,
and culture, among others. The mentor adds that he has not had contact with Cowboy for months.
When Detective asks if their rituals include ripping off the human hypothalamus, Margo and
her mentor are stunned. They are now beginning to think that there's a connection between the dead
bodies from the ship, and the security guard. In the museum's basement, two police officers see
a trail of blood. Suddenly, a creature comes out of nowhere, and is about to attack the officers,
leaving them no choice but to shoot at it. As it turns out, it is a mentally-ill, homeless
ex-convict who tried to come at them. Finding the security guard's wallet on him and an ax,
everyone except Detective, considers the case closed. Detective knows that it's something much
deeper and more sinister. Detective finds it hard to believe that a homeless person
would start collecting hypothalamus; Let alone board a ship and kill everyone. Detective is
still certain that someone else is behind the attacks. He remains dismissive of the
request to allow the gala to take place. Soon, Detective receives a phone call from the Mayor.
He is congratulated on a job well done, and is forced to let the exhibition proceed. Detective
is in a losing battle, and has no choice but to follow orders, and let the event proceed.
To maintain safety, Detective plans to clear the wings of museum personnel, and only open
the central exhibition area. Detective also promises to bolster police presence, as he's
still uncertain what they are dealing with. Still, in the laboratory wing, Margo and her
mentor continue working, and discover the killer is after the hormones on the leaves.
Unbeknownst to them, the security is closing the area, where they are without a way out.
the colleague overhears that the lab area is about to be checked. So in an effort
to sabotage his rival, Margo, he confirms to the security Head that he's the last one out.
The Head of security then orders to close all doors, leaving Margo and her mentor trapped.
Later, Margo and her mentor need to see Detective, and let him know the results.
Soon, they discover that the entire wing is sealed. And so,
Margo tries to find another exit. The exhibition is a go, and the Mayor
is attending. Detective orders a lock-down of all museum areas, except the main exhibition
hall. He and several officers search the basement tunnels once again. Using K9 units,
they are taken to an area with a distinct smell. Suddenly, they are attacked by an unseen creature,
killing a K-9 Officer and a police dog. After the attack, Detective tells the Sergeant to
clear out the museum. The Sergeant heeds the order, and rushes back to the hall.
Meanwhile, the Mayor delivers his opening remarks. He's then taken to the Kothoga,
the one that Cowboy shipped. Pretty much everybody in the exhibition is unaware that a very dangerous
creature is on the loose. Not soon after, the Sergeant arrives armed with a shotgun,
and runs toward the Mayor. It causes everyone in attendance to panic, including the museum staff.
The Sergeant tells him about their dangerous situation, and asks the Mayor and everyone to
evacuate the place immediately. Before they can react, Chaos erupts when the headless body of a
murdered policeman, falls into the crowd. During the hysteria, the museum's alarms are
tripped, and their security system goes haywire, trapping a small group of people inside. Two
security guards are confused about what's causing the security system to malfunction.
They try to restore the power, but are killed by an unseen creature.
Some guests, including the Mayor, are trapped. The security Head informs others that the computer
needs to be restarted, for the fire door to be lifted. Since that's not possible at the moment,
given that the power is out, the Sergeant suggests that they use the fire stairs, and
head towards the tunnel instead. Still, the Mayor decides to stay and wait for the police to arrive.
Detective then tells the Mayor over the radio that he's putting the Sergeant in charge,
and that he should do exactly what the Sergeant asks him to do for his own safety.
At the same time, the colleague volunteers to stay and protect the richest Museum benefactor.
This is his way of kissing his smelly butt, and ensuring his request for a grant is approved.
The sergeant then asks everyone to be at his back, as he leads the way out.
The Sergeant wants them to stick together, and be quiet as they head towards the tunnel.
Meanwhile, Detective breaks into the lab, where Margo and her mentor are trapped.
A Kothoga, an enormous chimeric beast, attacks them. but they manage to close
a steel door to stop it. Detective wants answers to what they are dealing with,
as it appears gigantic and violent. Margo explains that the fungus mutated a smaller creature.
The mentor adds that without the leaves to eat, the Kothoga instinctively seeks the closest
substitute, the human hypothalamic, until it runs out of targets and dies. he further explains that
the tribe knew of the fungus, and used it on a human or animal to deal with an external threat;
then hid until the danger is destroyed, and the Kothoga died of starvation.
Margo and Detective need to go back to the lab, to find a way to kill the beast. They must hurry
before everyone is killed, and the mentor decides to stay to prevent them from slowing down.
The security Head stays together with Margo's colleague, the museum benefactors, and others.
he assures the benefactors that everything will be alright, and that he will get his hands on whoever
is behind this. Suddenly, the Kothoga attacks him from behind, and decapitates him. Not soon after,
the rest of the group is then annihilated. Minutes later, Police officers arrive
on helicopters, and use the skylight to enter the building.
Their fate is sealed as soon as they enter the building. They are killed by the Kothoga.
Margo suggests using liquid nitrogen to freeze the creature, and kill it,
as it is part-reptilian and likely cold-blooded. While collecting the remaining leaves in the lab,
Detective discovers the mentor has been killed, leaving Margo devastated.
In the sewers, the Sergeant remains in contact with Detective. but suddenly,
a CPD officer disappears from the sewers as the Kothoga attacks him. Another guest
is killed, causing everyone to panic. Then, there's silence. It appears that the
beast is gone, as if something else catches its attention. it turns out, Detective uses the leaves
to lure the Kothoga away from the coal tunnel, allowing the guests to escape. As soon as the
beast is within range, Margo aims the liquid nitrogen at it, believing it will freeze the
beast to death. However, the chemical has no effect on the creature. After realizing this,
Margo and Detective immediately flee their asses away. Detective volunteers to stay outside the
lab, and protect it from the Kothoga. Now in her lab, Margo's computer completes
the analysis of the creature's human DNA, revealing that it is actually Cowboy,
who's the Kothoga. Apparently, He mutated after drinking the tribesmen's soup.
The Kothoga breaks into the lab through the ceiling, while Detective is locked outside.
The creature then chases Margo, corners her, and suddenly pauses, seemingly recognizing her.
Margo tells the creature that she recognizes him; but as the beast is about to kill her,
Margo starts an explosive fire, and then makes her way out through an elevator. The fire then
engulfs the Kothoga; but it's still alive. It still finds its way to chase after Margo. but she
manages to hide inside a maceration tank, before the Kothoga explodes and dies in the process.
Afterward, Detective and a team of police break into the lab. They can still see the burned
remains of the Kothoga. They then successfully find and rescue Margo from the maceration tank.
This's Daniel CC movie channel! stay safe and enjoy your day!