Splice
Review
by Sean Lynch
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Splice
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It's not often you come across a sci-fi flick like Splice whose major selling point is "inter-species erotica" - well aside from Species - but it's even less often you come across a movie where such a tag is only the beginning of it's creepiness.
Splice is the very definition of "alternate programming" (you know, when Sex & The City
is in cinemas - a different studio will release a "boys action movie"
at the same time to capture a different demographic), because it is
truly unlike anything else out at the moment.
Much like schlocky horrors in the vein of Alien and The Fly, Splice is a sexy, fantasy sci-fi thriller from directer Vincenzo Natali (best known for the equally mind bending cult hit Cube).
It follows Clive (Predators'
Adrien Brody) and Elsa (Sarah Polley) two superstar scientists famous
for splicing DNA from different animals to create bizarre hybrids.
And boy, do I mean bizzarre.
There
are blobs and veins and underdeveloped bits of goop all around the
office. Lucky for us - most are quickly destroyed for the sake of
morality. If only scientists would do the same to Richard Wilkins.
However,
problems soon arise - because not only are Clive and Elsa in love with
their work - they are in love with each other... meaning their
investment in their projects get pretty intense. A fact thats truly
emphasised when the couple decide to go to the next step: splice animal
and human DNA.
Their human DNA.
However, when their
corporate financiers refuse, the scientist duo decide to go rouge and
develop the experiment in secret (aka : behind the door in the part of
the office no one seems to ever go to).
The result is Dren: a
truly unique hybrid creature whose rapid life cycle takes her from baby
to teen to adult in a matter of months. Things go awry just as quickly
when they decide to not destroy Dren in her early stages in the hope of
seeing a "complete life cycle" play out in front of their eyes.
Bad
move - because not only is keeping Dren a secret proving problematic,
the couples connection to their creation evolves from scientific to
personal... very, very personal.
It's the sort of film that will
have you guessing from beginning to end (if only because your "normal
human mind" discounts the possibility of any of the things that do
eventually happen because your natural reaction to such thoughts are
"there is no way in hell a movie would ever be so warped as to cover
that subject").
Confronting, spooky and genuinely compelling from start to end - Splice
is the Friday night movie choice for you if you've seen enough of those
pesky Superheroes and Dream Invaders at the cinemas lately.
3.5 out
of 5
Splice
Australian release: 12th August,
2010
Official
Site: Splice
Cast: Adrien Brody, Sarah Polley
Director: Vincenzo Natali
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