A Reel Review: SPLICE

SPLICE is a film that tries to blend horror with the ethics and science that goes into genetic experiments that range from fascinating to gross to outright revulsion. The film makes obvious attempts to be THE FLY of this generation, with its gathering of homemade, crossbred creatures and what-the-fuck moments, but ultimately finds itself lacking any atmosphere or mood, and just becomes another cookie-cutter film with little to care about 5 minutes after leaving the theatre.

Genetic scientists Clive (Adrien Brody) and his wife Elsa (Sarah Polley) are two hipsters looking to please the corporate masses with their landbreaking genetic experiments that result in new life forms. Under corporate pressure, Elsa bends a few rules with a new experiment, and the result is a half-human, half-mutated fuck-thing female they eventually name Dren. Dren evolves in dangerous and disturbing ways, as the ethics of what the scientists have done get pushed to forefront amongst deadly circumstances.

With the actual science presented in the film either already here today or just around the corner, SPLICE feels like a real story. Unfortunately the narrative chooses to focus on making things feel more like a monster movie than a cautionary story. SPLICE looks to scare people off not with loud noises and whats-around-the-corner techniques, but with gross creatures and gross creatures doing gross things. The attempts are light, despite the bloodshed, and there is little to be scared over in this monster movie.

Also suffering are the main characters, as neither one seems to know what they are supposed to be doing in this story. Clive grapples off and on with the ethics of what they are doing, but he does it so much it’s a wonder why he got into the business of genetic-splicing in the first place. His brooding is way out of place for the character. Elsa’s development is also all over the place. She goes from indie-woman to scientist to loving-mother to mad-woman virtually overnight. Hints of her past are given, which is meant to give some emotional weight, but those hints are never fleshed out and her story is nearly forgotten by the end.

Brody and Polley have decent enough chemistry, and they do better together then they do when they are on their own. Polley comes off as wooden, and Brody just seems to be collection a check. The real acting nod should go to Delphine Chaneac, who plays Dren. Dren is a character who does not speak, so pressure is put upon Chaneac to communicate with excellent body language and eye movement.

CGI ranges from excellent to horrid. Drew as an infant is an eye-popper and convincing, but there are other moments that fall flat. Some CGI is attempted to blend with already-there practical effects, but it clashes horribly. Other moments like the exteriors of the lab look cartoonish and awful. Where the visuals are inconsistent, good credit must go to the animal-like noises Dren makes; they are convincing and a little creepy.

SPLICE eventually goes for a big Hollywood-type, action-packed ending, and it feels out of place for what could have been a thought-provoking film concerning man trying to play God. The results of the finale are predictable from miles away, and the shock-impact intended falls way short with a thud. SPLICE is worth a look just for some visuals and a few creepy moments, but don’t expect to be talking much about it later.

BOTTOM LINE: Rent it.