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The Relic

Name: The Relic
Director: J.M. Logan
Released: 2020
Duration: 14 min

Representation Score

4.7/10

Fair

2020

Director

J.M. Logan

Runtime

14 minutes

Average Rating

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New Showbiz Analysis

The film excels by delving deeply into thematic exploration rather than broadening demographic representation. It successfully challenges traditional gender power dynamics and dismantles conventional domestic archetypes through psychological insights. However, the film falls short in terms of racial and LGBTQ+ diversity. Its casting remains largely homogeneous, focusing on a narrow socioeconomic and racial viewpoint. Overall, the film uses horror to investigate the fragility of identity and the domestic sphere, providing a progressive perspective despite its limited demographic scope.

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Category Breakdown

Does The Relic have LGBTQ+ representation?

Minimal

The film does not include any LGBTQ+ characters or themes. The story centers around the bond between a mother and her daughter.

How does The Relic portray gender?

Good

Women play key roles throughout the film, challenging traditional power structures. The movie examines the 'monstrous feminine' and portrays women as both vulnerable and strong.

How racially and ethnically diverse is The Relic?

Minimal

The film features a primarily white cast, reflecting a homogeneous approach to casting. The setting is an isolated estate that emphasizes a narrow racial perspective.

How does The Relic represent religion and culture?

Good

The story critiques the Western nuclear family model. It breaks down the 'nurturing mother' stereotype, showing the family unit as a place of trauma and dysfunction.

Does The Relic include disability representation?

Fair

The film offers a nuanced depiction of invisible disabilities, particularly mental health issues. The monster symbolizes cognitive decline and the loss of self.

Present on Screen

Challenges traditional gender power structures by diminishing male influence in the main conflict.
Offers a sophisticated metaphor for neurodivergence and mental health through its central monster.
Examines the 'nurturing mother' stereotype by exploring maternal grief and trauma.

Limited or Absent

Lacks racial and ethnic diversity, featuring a predominantly white cast.
Does not include any representation of LGBTQ+ characters or non-straight identities.
Maintains a narrow socioeconomic focus through its isolated, homogeneous setting.

Official Synopsis

A group of adventurers in search of a mythological object get more than they bargained for when they discover the legend foretelling the end of all life in the universe could actually be true.

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