Splice [DVD]

Scientists Clive and Elsa are employed to play God, creating hybrid animals in the name of medical research, before they are due to begin introducing human DNA the project is cancelled. The commercial need to patent and sell what they have already discovered takes priority over everything else, but that doesn't stop the couple from taking their work to the next phase, the result being something which looks like it ought to have burst through John Hurt's stomach crossed with a giant chicken drumstick, and then it hatches...

Their new creation is as adorable as it is strange, seeing it laid unconscious you can't help but want to see it thrive, and thrive it does - accelerated growth sees her develop rapidly and become more humanlike, it's hard to see her as a scientific subject and Elsa's maternal instincts start kicking in, soon she loves `Dren' as if she were her own child and talks about her like any other proud parent would. Splice provides a great opportunity to explore the value of life and the ethics around creating it artificially. The secret 'family' find themselves dealing with situations a parent wouldn't usually experience, but the most striking aspect of their unit are the moments which any other parent can relate to - from stroppy teenage years, illness, to taking pride in their development.

A great concept doesn't feel fully exploited, the film gathers momentum but the tension and intrigue is underused and a title which relied heavily on psychology starts to abandon it in favour of visual horror, it almost feels as though the film starts to run out of ideas and lazily resorts to more formulaic devices to fill time, perhaps the studios wanted to push this as a horror when it never really feels like one. This is a good film, but it could have been a great film and doesn't deliver the powerful drama that it seemed to promise.

This Blu Ray release is one of those films where you have to flick through a few trailers (and a Mars bar advert!) which seem targeted at horror fans until you get to the main menu. When the film starts there is some hideous banding during the opening credits which make this look like an online stream through a narrow bandwidth connection, but thankfully I didn't notice it again after this stage. The picture is impressive, especially the early scenes set in the lab where the electric lighting and shiny surfaces look sharp and clean. Even though much of the film is dimly lit the graining is never intrusive and details on faces are clear, there is subtle yet frequent use of CGI which can risk looking obviously fake in High Definition, but thankfully it remains convincing throughout in Splice and the magic of the illusion is never shattered. The film doesn't have a massive collection of features, there are two half hour long documentaries with "director's playground" giving us a tour of the sets and showing us some of the props, while "behind the scenes" consists of interviews with the cast and crew. The interviews clearly define the artistic vision of the film, and much of it is evident in the final product - it just seemed a bit watered down towards the end.

In a nutshell: Splice works hard to invest time in a gripping and thought-provoking story which reflects some of the social fears around genetic engineering, but much of it is undone with a sloppy finale which seems to happen for the sake of convenience and to satisfy those who were expecting a body-shock horror. In the extras, Producer Guillermo Del Toro says that for him this is a "horrible family story" - if the film hadn't lost focus then this could have been a modern sci-fi classic and that's a shame because Dren was a beautiful monster and deserved to exist in a film where she was better utilised.

Adrien Brody (The Pianist) plays Clive Nicoli, a genetic scientist working on hybridising farm animals in search of proteins and chemicals that can cure human disease. With his lab partner and lover Elsa Kast (Sarah Polley - the similar sci-fi Existenz) they have garnered great success, but genetic testing laws disallow them from adding human DNA to the mix. Frustrated by the limitations of the law, the couple decide to dabble with an embryo containing human DNA along with the usual suite, things start to unravel as the aberration grows into something more than human and the couple scrabble to hide it's existence and cover their tracks...

Many people have remarked on the lack of originality in the plot and with only minor tweaks from the 90's hit Species and they are not far wrong. However Splice has a far better story; as the scientists are continually taken by surprise by the growth & abilities of the subject and react accordingly. At one point, I was literally shouting at the screen begging Brody not to do what he was going to do (harking back to the classic "Don't go in there!!") and this is what enamoured me to this film so much. It's just so plausible - forgetting the impossible biology, forgive that part - and the interaction between the couple and their creation is just so understandable.

The locales & technology are believable if you forget about some of the more dubious scientific aspects of it all (an artificial womb??) but every set & scene looks the part and suits the film perfectly. Both Brody and Polley provide a tangible set of emotions as they cope with the aftermath of their experimentation and I was on the edge of my seat for the majority of the film, clocking in at 104 minutes (including credits). A solid performance from all involved that will pique your curiosity on what's possible on the contemporaneous and fledgling genetic industry.

Extra content; All you get is a run-down by the director Vicenzo Natali on the Set of Splice featurette called "A Director's Playground" which is entertaining seeing how they CG'ed [sic] Dren into the film - but drags on for over half-an-hour.

All-in-all this is a classic "Scientist-creates-monster" film but done in a modern day setting with some very plausible material. It's best to realise that this isn't really a horror, you may watch with morbid fascination for the majority but it is rarely scary, relying more on tension to keep you hooked. I recommend this for all sci-fi fans and anyone who wants a tense scientific thriller!!

There is an old saying which I always adhere to..."If it ain't broke, don't fix it!" Eons of years experimenting with gene combinations has given Nature a one-up on humanity. So, why is it that we find ourselves delving into realms better left alone? SPLICE is an interesting and perhaps a more cerebral look at the us+them quandry. What is wrong with our species that we have an inate need to "fix" stuff? Often, this works to our general betterment.....then, there are the times we should have left well-enough alone!

I am a fan of scifi and the "alien" possibilities. In Splice the alien DNA is ours plus other Earthly genes. Sarah Polley and Adrien Brody make a believable couple of ambitious scientists desperately attempting to find a new protein and achieve auspicious merit in the genetics field. Having a corporate timeline nipping at their heels, Clive and Elsa go beyond the point of ethical acceptability and create a new human hybrid. Dren is a quasi-human being of dubious character within an ever-changing form.

Watching the interaction of the scientists attempting to cope with the fallout of their experiment is fascinating. At some point, we must confront ourselves and ask what we would do in this situation. Not only is there conflict between Elsa and Clive, but as things progress also between Dren and her creators. How are we to cope with the unknown? At what point do we pull the plug? What makes us human? What makes us inhuman? Ethics....when did they disappear in the race for glory and/or money?

Splice is not a slasher movie. It takes the scenario and runs with it to some places we would rather never go! This is a thinking person's storyline. If you are so inclined, it makes you ponder where the future of science is headed. Are we ready for the eventualities? Or, to misquote from "Jurassic Park"..."Just because we can, doesn't mean we should!"

The special effects in this movie are well-done and create a believable creature(s). We can understand how Clive becomes drawn to Dren and how Elsa embraces her own intrinsic mothering instincts. As a creation in CG, Dren works. However, it is the character/personality of this creation which draws us into the plot, rather than the physicality, however appealing.

I advise those who watch SPLICE not to assume anything going in. Do not try to figure it out! Just let the characters and storyline take you to an unexpected place and enjoy the ride. This is a film where the journey is the prize, not the destination!

Finding this little treasure in the theatre, I will end up buying on dvd in the near future. Some ideas are well worth running with and this has given me food for thought. Would love to see a "Re-Spliced" as may be promised by the ending : ) Howz about it Sarah? Sequel please! : )

Enjoy!