Originally Published July 10, 2020 at Cinema76.com
One of my favorite deities in neopagan/wiccan beliefs, is the Triple Goddess. The Triple Goddess is a goddess archetype that is supposed to represent the three stages of womanhood; the maiden, the mother, the crone. The maiden represents youth, new beginnings, and enthusiasm. The mother represents fulfillment, stability, and power. And then there is the crone who represents wisdom, death, and endings. They represent a cycle and all of these archetypes build off the next and most importantly all of them can learn from one another. This is something I thought about as I watched Natalie Erika James’s film Relic. Although I do not know if James was thinking of this archetype when writing and directing the film, there are inherent aspects of it that my brain immediately latched onto. It is multigenerational a story of women, facing a horror that is more familiar than we would care to believe.
In Relic, the matriarch of the family, Edna (Robyn Nevin) goes missing. In response to this, her somewhat estranged daughter Kay, played by Emily Mortimer (The Newsroom, Lars and the Real Girl) decides to drive down and help find her. Kay brings along her daughter Sam (Bella Heathcote) who has recently quit her job. They find little trace of Edna in the house or in the woods surrounding them but one morning Kay wakes up to find Edna, seemingly fine, making tea. They decide to spend some time with Edna making sure she is actually okay. While they are there, Kay tries to figure out whether or not Edna is fit to live on her own anymore. The three women try to deal with and find solutions for the situation they are in. While they do that something sinister lurks in the background. Sam and Kay realize that Edna is potentially violent, and while it might be completely normal with what Edna is going through, it could be something else. They may all have to face the fact that something terrible has taken over Edna.
Right off the bat this film was unsettling, both in its tone and imagery. It felt like something was always lurking in the background even if you could not see it on the screen. Several times I tensed up and loudly exclaimed at my television which always seems like the sign of a good horror film to me. At times it reminded me of other horror films that successfully pulled this off like The Babadook or The Visit. Like these films it made me squirm which is one of the best things a horror film can do in my opinion.
It becomes quite obvious even from the beginning that this film is an allegory for Dementia or Alztimers. Similarly to The Babadook it handles this very well. It also deals with the horror that can come with these unfortunate diseases. It also shows the reality of having these difficult conversations and making these impossible decisions for those that we care about. The Relic does a wonderful job showing the pain but also love that comes from making these decisions.Ultimately there are aspects of it that are beautiful. It has a lot to say about when we fight the situation we are in, and when we just accept what it is, no matter how ugly or scary it appears.
Similarly to the Triple Goddess archetype, all of these women bring some knowledge and medicine that they can offer the others. Sam (the maiden) has recently quit her job at a gallery and is back working at a bar. Although her mother is not happy with the lack of drive and motivation she has, Sam seems content. She is also ultimately the one who wants to learn from and care for her grandmother even though it will be hard. She finds that caring for a loved one can be her new beginning and purpose. Then we have Kay (the mother) who seems to have a stable but demanding job that allows little time for her to connect with her mother and daughter. It means that she has to also make the difficult decisions that the others are not equipped for. Then finally, Edna (the crone) who seems to have a sense of peace with what is going on with her. She reflects on her beautiful life, she makes the most interesting candle sculptures, and she passes on her wisdom to the others. They all have to find a way to understand and accept each other.
None of this could really work without a fantastic cast to carry the film. I am a huge fan of Emily Mortimer and both Robyn Nevin and Bella Heathcote were incredible. I was also very impressed by writer and director Natalie Erika James. As her first feature film it had a great story, visuals, and even sound design that made every aspect of this film unsettling. It also shows how important having a woman behind the camera is, and the unique stories they can tell. It is especially important in order to put the care and detail into this multigenerational female centric story. The care and detail that went into this are astounding and it tows a fine line with being horrific and ultimately peaceful.
In the end all I could think about was what relics do we pass down to the next generation? What is their significance and how will it affect them? Days later I can’t seem to shake this film, in the best way. This was a perfect blend of drama and ancestral horror which I think many of us can relate to. There are so many other aspects of symbolism that I would love to delve deeper into but it is best to experience much of this on your own.
The Neon Banshee 