“Splice” Doesn’t Make the Cut (Movie Review)

Produced by Spanish director Guillermo Del Toro (“Pan’s Labyrinth”, “Hellboy”), “Splice” follows the story of Clive and Elsa, a pair of scientists that defy legal and moral boundaries by developing an organism composed of both human and animal DNA. The organism, named Dren, grows at a rapid rate – becoming progressively more violent with age. Sound interesting? I thought so too.

The movie, written by Natali with Antoinette Terry Bryant and Douglas Taylor, has a lot of great ideas. It questions what makes us “human”, as well as addresses the gene patenting controversy. It’s well made and often captivating. Unfortunately, the dehumanization of Dren and a somewhat Hollywood-esque ending hold it back from joining the ranks of “Alien” or “28 Days Later” in the list of elite science fiction – a place that the premise of the film had a lot of potential for.



“Splice” stars Adrien Brody and Sarah Polley as the two scientists responsible for Dren’s creation. Brody plays his character to perfection. He truly is one of the finest actors in the Hollywood and his performance here demonstrates that. Likewise, Sarah Polley puts in a solid performance as Elsa. Both actors get to display a wide range of emotion and really elevate the movie beyond it’s somewhat mediocre scripting.

A minor issue of mine is the way that the film paces itself. The pacing in “Splice” is some of the fastest that I’ve seen in recent memory. Within 15 minutes of the movies opening credits, Dren is created and studied. On one hand, this is great for audiences with a case of ADD – things are kept very compact and interesting. On the other hand, this type of approach results in an underdeveloped plot and ultimately diminishes some of the depth that director Vincenzo Natali was clearly going for. How much the pacing will effect your enjoyment of the film, however, is entirely based on your preference.

The biggest problem with “Splice” is the characterization of the organism. The film stays pretty distant in Dren’s development. We get a few scenes where we can sympathize with her situation, but, for the most part, “Splice” portrays her as a creature first and a human second. This is a fatal mistake for a character that is on screen for a vast amount of the film’s runtime. How does Dren feel? Why does she act so violently? I know it may sound a bit absurd to request an understanding of a chipmunk-bird-woman’s thought process, but without more insight as to what makes Dren tick, it’s difficult to understand the connection she feels to her parental figures.

Overall, “Splice” is only slightly above average. It has some great performances, the direction is solid, and the film is constantly intriguing. Unfortunately, however, the film does not realize the full potential of its plot. Nevertheless, I can still recommend it for a viewing.

It should also be mentioned that this film contains two somewhat explicit scenes of what many can consider to be bestiality and rape. It’s definitely not for the kids. In addition, Splice has been improperly advertised as a horror film. If you’re expecting something scary, you’re likely to be disappointed. Make no mistake; this is a science fiction movie.

Rating: 2.5/4
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