Rocky Balboa (2006)

This movie review contains spoilers.

Film Warnings: Nudity, Harsh Language, Disturbing Imagery

While scrolling through my Netflix feed I came across a poster that, I’ll admit, wasn’t very eye-catching, so I wasn’t overly motivated to snoop further. However, anything new on Netflix since the pandemic began is a bit of a treat, and the overall vibe said “horror,” so I conceded to spend another 5 seconds of my night reading the description. Admittedly, it wasn’t the description that enticed me to watch Relic. It was the fact that it was listed as an Australian Horror film, which is not something I often see under the genre section. Curiosity won over, and I’m so very glad it did.

First of all, this gem had a female director attached, which is a huge win. Natalie Erika James, while only having a few directing credits under her belt, did a spectacular job with the performers and the overall creation of the movie. She was also one of the writers, which can get tricky if the vision and the end product don’t necessarily match. However, it’s a huge advantage to be that intimately involved with the story and leaves little to be misunderstood.

Despite our youth-obsessed society, growing old is a privilege afforded mostly tofirst-world countries. Even then, aging well-staying physically and mentally fit — remains out of reachfor many. The loss of control over one’s own body and mind can be frightening, and for those watching it happen to loved ones, it can be a horror show. This fear then leads to one of the last stands of prejudice in many western societies:agism.

Nothing causes fear quite like a loss of control, and nothing causes loss of control quite like the process of aging.Relic(2020, Prime Video)runs with this idea to create a modern masterpiece of quiet horror where the only monsters are that of mental and physical breakdown. The domestic sphere of house and home are already linked to womanhood, and in the case ofRelicthat link becomes literal.