Splice - Review

Have you ever seen a movie in which after it ended, it left you thinking, "What the Hell did I just watch?" You don't know right away whether you loved or hated it, but after you get over the initial WTF factor, you realize the inherent brilliance in the film you just experienced. For me, it was movies like A Clockwork Orange, Blade Runner, and now Splice that illustrate that example perfectly. Okay, well I didn't love Splice as much as A Clockwork Orange (one of my favorite movies of all time) and Blade Runner (also a great one) but its perfectly evident that Splice is one of the most interesting, unique, and creative Sci-Fi movies released in the last decade.

The movie centers around Clive Nicoli, played by Adrian Brody, and Elsa Kast, played by Sarah Polley (hehe, I'm liking the Bride of Frankenstein reference). The two are young and ambitious scientists who have achieved fame for the splicing of DNA from different animal species. Despite Clive's initial reluctance, Elsa convinces him to splice animal DNA with that of a human, an act though seriously frowned upon but not technically illegal. The result is Dren, a female animal/human hybrid. The two form an attachment to their new creation but have difficult controlling her as Dren rapidly grows into a far more deadly being.

I've been hearing Splice referred to as a modern interpretation of Frankenstein. It definitely takes some inspiration from the story. Both involve an obsessive scientist who creates a living creature and looses control of it. The fact that the two main characters' names are a reference to Bride of Frankenstein also supports the claim. That being said, the themes and twists and very different, most of which I dare not spoil (trust me, you DO NOT want anyone to ruin the story.) However, instead of a neglectful father-type figure from Frankenstein, the creator in Splice is more of an obsessive mother. Of course, how they develop that characteristic is part of the surprise (again, which I absolutely refuse to spoil). I could write a lot about the story, but there's only so much I can describe without blowing the ending. I'll finish with this, its definitely a science fiction movie that keeps the science in the fiction without letting it overshadow the fiction aspect.

The acting is overall quite impressive. Adrian Brody and Sarah Polley hold their own for most of the flick. You can really feel their characters' personal demons and the struggles they endure. At times their chemistry didn't always flow, but that might have been intentional. The standout performance comes from Delphine Chanéac as Dren. Her natural beauty in combination with top notch make up and cg effects made for one of the most interesting movie creatures in recent memory. Chanéac brings about a very complex personality to the character, one with the instincts of a psychopath but the demeanor and innocence of a child. Its nothing like I expected and must be seen to fully understand.

This is the kind of movie that I wish I could just overlook the shortcomings, but I would not be much of a critic if I did that. Splice is a total mind-trip (with a more profane word), which ends up being both good and bad. One thing I love about independent cinema is that filmmakers are given more freedom and less incentive to censor their artistic vision. Only when you let that said artist get such freedom, its easy to abuse it. Some of the more disturbing moments appear to be done purely for shock value, in a movie that didn't need that much of it. The story itself holds its own with such a immersive and gut-wrenching concept, that some of the scares felt quite unnecessary. Its also a shame to see Splice fall victims to some really overdone horror cliches. Some of the cgi wasn't particularly impressive either. The effects accomplished on Dren were great, but some of the supporting creatures were average at best. A few gaping plot holes did not help its cause either.

A lot of these faults were quite apparent, and unfortunately did hold back what could have been an incredible movie experience. That being said, Splice is most definitely worth a watch. It is easily one of the most interesting and unique cinematic accomplishments in recent memory.

My Score: 4 out of 5!