“A DICEY CONNECTION”
Starring: Adrien Brody, Sarah Polley, Delphine Chaneac, Simona Maicanescu, and David Hewlett
Directed by: Vincenzo Natali
MPAA Rating: R for disturbing elements including strong sexuality, nudity, sci-fi violence and language.
Genre: Science Fiction/Fantasy, Suspense/Horror and Thriller
Release date: June 4, 2010
Run Time: 1hr and 44min
Studio: Warner Bros.
By John Delia
What shows as a creature horror flick in the trailers on TV and in movie theatres for the film Splice, turns out to be more of a suspense filled sci-fi drama with disturbing elements. The movie is actually very good in a curious kind of way. For all you science fiction lovers who enjoy films with a ‘what if’ theme, this has your name written all over it.
Genetic engineers Clive (Brody) and Elsa (Polley) have been working on projects that involve splicing DNA from different animals to come up with a hybrid that may be able to provide a serum for eradicating incurable diseases. The procedure has been arduous and the results questionable. Elsa would like to push the envelope and clone a mix of animal and human DNA that may cut valuable time in finding medical serums for cures. When the Genetic Engineering company objects to the illegal procedure, Elsa goes it alone and produces a creature she names DREN (Delphine Chaneac) that gets out of control.
Even the description I just gave of the film sounds like a horror flick, but it isn’t. Oh, it does have some horror aspects like a needle like appendage that comes out of DREN’s tail that can be used as a weapon. But it’s the relationship between DREN, Elsa and Clive that imbues love, intelligence and motherhood into the scientific phenomenon.
Acting by Brody and Polley as the ‘mad scientists’ who perform the experiment for the greater good and then loose control of their creation is very good. Brody’s character vacillates between acceptance and nightmare while Polley’s Elsa has complete commitment to her decision. Both characters are believable and convincing.
The hero’s of this film however use a lot of foam, rubber, glue and other materials to produce a creature that is both hideous and sensuous. The make-up and special effects artists are brilliant in their construction of DREN from the beginning zygote to its adult form their creation goes from alarming to stunning.
Splice is rated R for disturbing elements including strong sexuality, nudity, sci-fi violence and language. In fact there is a sexual scene worthy of inclusion in the Independent Film Channel’s ‘Sex In The Cinema.’
FINAL ANALYSIS: Disturbing, suspenseful and entertaining all spliced together. (4 of 5 Palm Trees)