Directed by:
Vincenzo NataliCinematography:
Tetsuo NagataComposer:
Cyrille AufortCast:
Adrien Brody, Sarah Polley, David Hewlett, Delphine Chanéac, Brandon McGibbon, Simona Maicanescu, Abigail Chu, Doug HictonPlots(1)
Superstar genetic engineers Clive (Adrien Brody) and Elsa (Sarah Polley) specialize in splicing DNA from different animals to create incredible new hybrids. Now they want to use human DNA in a hybrid that could revolutionize science and medicine. But when the pharmaceutical company that funds their research forbids it, they secretly take their experiment underground – risking their careers to push the boundaries of science and serve their own curiosity and ambition. The result is Dren, an amazing, strangely beautiful creature of uncommon intelligence and unexpected physical developments. At first, Dren exceeds their wildest dreams. But as she grows and learns at an accelerated rate, her existence threatens to become their worst nightmare. (official distributor synopsis)
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Reviews (5)
It wasn't all bad, I even thought (pleasantly) of Scott's Alien or The Fly, eXistenZ or Cronenberg's Naked Lunch, but I really couldn't stomach the idea of a scientist and a female scientist starting to raise a mutant as their own child in a completely irresponsible way. The monster can look good (and it certainly wasn't bad), but if you don't believe what's happening in the film for even a second, then it's all for nothing. Two and a half stars.
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I would love to read an analysis of why this nonsense has been so fairly well received by the critics overseas (RT 74%), who usually underrate science fiction and horror. Maybe because Splice is mostly a very twisted family drama? For the supposed target viewer, however, the film’s true form will be like an unexpected slap to the face. The first few minutes aren’t too bad, but when the scientist start treating the mutant as if it was their child, the whole thing goes to hell, and I can’t avoid thinking that the scientists’ eventual death at the end would be the best possible outcome for mankind. The last few minutes are alright, but it can’t save the ridiculous crap that happens in the previous hour.
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Splice starts off charming and cute in a Spielberg-like fashion, supported by two quality actors who are a perfect fit for both the character and genre, even though the chemistry between them is not quite convincing. It later turns perverse and interesting in the style of David Cronenberg, making the audience increasingly curious about what will happen next. And finally, we’re treated to a slap like from Jeepers Creepers. Ouch!
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This film is a bit of a tangle of relatively cheap genre motifs, a la Mutant, ambitious scientists, and an attempt to make something that appears serious and is almost art that comes from this pulp theme. I have to say that this symbiosis didn't convince me much, that the mutant looked quite shoddy, and that all those sexual relationships between the main characters were somehow cheap. However, it is decently cast, with an interesting special effects aspect, but Cronenberg used to make similar films more interestingly, perversely, and provocatively. Overall impression: 55%.
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Splice isn't a great horror movie; it only turns into one essentially on a few occasions and at the very end, but it's a movie with a simple plot that's loaded with good ideas and some interesting twists, which I really liked, and overall, I enjoyed the film. It didn’t seem too long to me and felt just right.
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Gallery (69)
Photo © Gaumont
![Splice - Photos](http://image.pmgstatic.com/cache/resized/w663/files/images/film/photos/158/184/158184687_a2e4b2.jpg)
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