The Relic is scary. Real scary. If you see it at the theater, it's the most awesome fright fest you'll ever witness. Scarier than Scream, by far, you'll be sitting on the floor, you're eyes covered/ The ultimate gore-fest, heads coming off like crazy, you'll wish you hadn't eaten that last handful of popcorn. And the story, based on Lincoln Child's novel, isn't bad either. Penelope Anne Miller triumphs onto the screen; this could be the start of a wonderful career. Now comes the bad news: It doesn't necessarily detract from the movie, but, if you read the book first, you'll be disappointed. The creature's size is vastly exaggerated in the movie, those two stupid boys survive, and they changed the ending. Did they really need an explosion? Still, The Relic is right up there with Scream and any other horror movie.

Review by Erik Samdahl. Erik is a marketing and technology executive by day, avid movie lover by night. He is a member of the Seattle Film Critics Society.