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Despite not being an avid horror fan, even I am at times averse to the ‘haunted house’ horror film. It’s a highly overdone subgenre, meaning weak attempts to capture the trademark claustrophobic tension of this setting stick out like a sore thumb. It’s to my relief that Relic (Natalie Erika James, 2020), while admittedly falling back on a few tired clichés, is an effective horror film with a strong underlying message.

Having not spoken to her mother, Edna (Robyn Nevin) for weeks, Kay (Emily Mortimer) and her daughter Sam (Bella Heathcote) travel to check in on her. After finding that Edna’s mental state is deteriorating, Kay and Sam find themselves increasingly disturbed by her behaviour. At odds with each other and with the strange goings-on inside the family house, they must explore different avenues to survive the force that threatens to consume them.  

No time is wasted in setting the tone of the film—one of consistent, suffocating dread. The opening sequence establishes Erika James’ directorial style just as efficiently. Long, slow-panning shots are used frequently throughout and, with the absence of quick and concealing edits, make the film’s scares more impactful. I use the term ‘scare’ lightly, as this is one of those horror films that unsettles rather than shocks. If it’s to the detriment of creating any truly terrifying sequences, it’s to the benefit of the film’s fascinating slow-burn exploration of dementia. 

Posing this inherently awful disease as the film’s central threat is inspired, and perhaps its greatest strength. Almost everyone knows someone who’s suffered from some form of cognitive decline, and the use of this real, everyday threat as the central antagonist is far more disturbing than any other half-baked horror concept that I feared would ultimately rear its head in the film’s latter half. 

That’s not to say the film entirely escapes the trappings of its genre. The usual suspects are all here: noisy household objects, a depressing grey/blue colour scheme, and the inexplicable habit of a character not turning on any lights in any room they enter. At times, when it loses sight of its admirably unique story hook, it can feel like every horror film you’ve ever seen. It must be said, however, that the production design is as good as I’ve seen in a low-budget horror film. As the film careens towards its chilling conclusion, simple yet effective methods are used to convey the dire circumstances of its characters. Not to mention that there isn’t a cheap fake-out scare in sight, further selling the seriousness with which Erika James treats the film’s themes of loneliness and mental decay.

Luckily, Relic has a trifecta of fantastic actors to bring it all home. Mortimer is fantastic throughout and convinces with a subtle Australian accent. Heathcote too is excellent. Yet the standout here is easily Nevin, as the ailing matriarch Edna. Constantly unnerving in her display of mental and physical anguish, Nevin is a tour de force that believably (and frighteningly) puts Mortimer and Heathcote through their paces. Their family dynamic is oftentimes gripping, the contentious dynamic between them making for some memorable moments. This isn’t explored nearly enough, instead giving way to its handful of horror contrivances, but it is nonetheless captivating. 

Relic is a horror film that emerges from its reliance on old tricks to deliver an interesting narrative on dementia and its effects on the victim and their family. The film’s litany of allegories will deservedly be analysed by horror lovers in the years to come, even if they came at the cost of creating an unreservedly scary film. Relic is a solid and encouraging big-screen debut for Natalie Erika James.

Relic is available to watch on digital platforms from October 30.