Splice

Writer-director Vincenzo Natali is perhaps best-known for his indie thriller Cube, a claustrophobic and surprisingly gory movie from 1997. Now, over ten years later, Natali ventures into a strange territory with the new release, Splice, a film that, perhaps fittingly, combines the archetypal story of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein with the aesthetic of David Cronenberg. Using science that already exists, or soon will, Natali crafts a film filled with the moral dilemmas of genetic research while also presenting a personal and emotionally resonant story filled with characters whose flaws make them both identifiable and, at times, horrifying.

Adrien Brody (The Pianist) and Sarah Polley (Dawn of the Dead) play Clive and Elsa (and one need to look no farther than names for the Frankenstein influence), geneticists working with DNA to create new creatures which will be used to mine chemical compounds for human use. To that end, they have created Fred and Ginger, slug-like creatures that promise an enzyme to be used in the feed of farm animals. Their parent company has decided to suspend further genetic work until the off-beat scientific duo manages to isolate an enzyme to be mass produced. This is a bummer for the brilliant couple, who are less concerned with the industrial aspect of their work than the excitement of creation. “People are going to want to see what’s next,” Elsa says,Clive are not concerned with the status quo, but, rather, are intent on taking the next genetic leap by using human DNA.

Using the equipment which created Fred and Ginger, Elsa and Clive grow an embryo that contains the DNA of a number of species, including human. The resultant offspring, growing at a wildly accelerated rate, is little more than a tadpole with legs, a surprisingly cute creation that Elsa believes must be saved while Clive insists it must be destroyed. This maternal instinct surprises Clive, but glimpses into Elsa’s past childhood, abusive to say the least, informs many of Elsa’s later actions, including some not-so-nice behaviors.

As the creature grows, called Dren (nerd backwards), the movie surprises with ever-shifting emotional responses to Dren. While Elsa becomes nearly maniacally maternal, Clive is often distant, occasionally regretting the creation of Dren. These attitudes will change as the film progresses, and there are plenty of surprises along the way, though none out of character, none that cannot be traced back to previous information about the characters. To detail much more about the film would be to spoil some of the great moments that Natali serves up, including some uncomfortable and shockingly funny sexual moments and some amazing effects work that sells Dren as a living, breathing creature.

and it is this very principle that propels the story. Elsa and Clive are not concerned with the status quo, but, rather, are intent on taking the next genetic leap by using human DNA.

intent on taking the next genetic leap by using human DNA.

Splice
By
Bo

film would be to spoil some of the great moments that Natali serves up, including some uncomfortable and shockingly funny sexual moments and some amazing effects work that sells Dren as a living, breathing creature.

Dren, as played in her adult form by French actress Delphine Chaneac, is strangely beautiful, dangerous, sympathetic and horrifying. Her actions, while generally human, are inhuman enough to make her an ever-present threat, though many of her outbursts can be seen as simple growth pains. The real achievement here is the complicated relationships which exist in this bizarre triangle between Dren, Elsa and Clive. These are real, flawed characters with deep motivations for their actions. Yes, even Dren. Though Natali casts off the formality of Shelley’s original tale of scientists and the responsibility of creation, he retains the best philosophical components of the story. Does Dren have a right to exist after creation? Is it her humanity that makes her so frightening, or the parts of her that are inhuman? And what base instincts and emotions, which we all possess, damn us all?

This is intelligent, strong work in the horror field, something that has been sorely missing from the year’s releases thus far. Despite an ending that rings less satisfying than the build-up, this is simply one of the finest films of the year. It surprises with its intelligence, and Natali’s resistance to make this a simple creature-feature is a rousing success. Having written this review on the heels of our podcast discussion (which you can find here) and the weekend box office numbers, I am again disheartened by the modest-to-poor numbers generated by this film. For every horror fan that grouses about the lack of original horror and does not purchase a ticket to this film, I say you have yourself to blame. I hope the film finds its legs in the theater, or, if not, home video, because it deserves to be seen and discussed. For those who call themselves horror fans, yet shrug off this film after spending money to see the atrocious Nightmare on Elm Street remake, you have officially been demoted to “poser.” You’re the reason mainstream horror stinks. Get the hell off my site.

her humanity that makes her so frightening, or the parts of her that are inhuman? And what base instincts and emotions, which we all possess, damn us all?