Borrowing heavily on the Frankenstein theme, genetic research and gene splicing are the fundamental plot points of Splice Clive (Brody) and Elsa (Polley) are hipster geneticists, in love with each other and their work. Employed by a large pharmaceutical company that gives them free reign over their lab, they are tasked with the development and nurturing of hybrid animal species, born from test tubes and raised in the lab for medical research purposes. The pharmaceutical company is after a complex protein compound that exists in Clive and Elsa’s hybrid animal creations. When things in the lab take a turn for the worse and news that the free reign the geneticists had over the lab is coming to an end, Clive and Elsa begin a clandestine experiment using human genetic material- an experiment they were strictly forbidden from undertaking. The result of their successful splicing using human DNA and animal genes is Dren.
Dren as a Frankenstein Monster
Dren is Elsa’s Frankenstein monster. She cares and nurtures for the creature as if it were born of her own flesh with the help of Clive. Of course, as the geneticists soon come to realize and veteran sci-fi fans have always known: experimental monsters cannot be controlled. As Clive and Elsa harbour Dren, documenting her growth rate and habits, the line between research experiment and parenting is blurred. Sci-fi meets horror in a crimson tide of blood and gore.
The film never quite manages to deliver the thrills the way it promises, but there are several moments of shock, horror, and chills to keep viewers entertained. The film isn’t without flaws as it never delves into the more complex issues of Clive and Elsa’s relationship or Elsa’s Freudian conundrum between her mother, herself and hybrid ward, Dren. It also fails to address Elsa’s deeper intentions and her motivation behind the experiment, other than shrugging her reactionary inspiration off with a “Let’s prove we can do it!” reasoning.
Creative and Production Details for Splice
The bulk of the film focuses on the covert operation involved in raising and nurturing Dren as the scientists study her growth patterns and development. Directed by Vincenzo Natali and co-written by Natali, Antoinette Terry Bryant, and Doug Taylor, one of the films producers is Mexican thriller director Guillermo del Toro, perhaps securing a wider release for the film than it would have otherwise seen without his name behind it. While the film has a low-budget feel to it, the special effects used to create the hybrid species and the young Dren are well done, and most importantly, believable.
Sarah Polley and Adrien Brody Star in Splice
Polley and Brody work well together. Their subtle on-screen chemistry is believable throughout the course of the film. Polley drives the film as Elsa, infusing the character with life and humility, makign her both likeable and identifiable. Brody takes a backseat to Polley, as it is Elsa who drives the narrative forward, but his concern and gradual warming to Dren makes the character feel like a three-dimensional being who echoes many of the same sentiments shared by the audience. Where Elsa is slightly more uncontrolled, Clive is restrained, and when the two meet, their opposing motivation and feelings create a dynamic on-screen chemistry.
The film suffers in the last 25 minutes of the film when it crosses the line from sci-fi fully into the horror genre. It is at this point that the writers sadly resort to horror clichés, doing a great disservice to not only the characters, but also the audience. Climaxing in a typical horror fashion, the film does not capitalize on the suspense and intrigue that it worked so hard to build upon. While there is nothing faulty with the ending, Splice ends with a whimper and not with a bang.
Splice References Frankenstein and David Cronenberg
Horror fans will enjoy the film and delight in the subtle winks at the genre (protagonists are named for Frankenstein actor Colin Clive and character Elsa Frankenstein) as well as echoes the early work of Canadian horror director David Cronenberg, not only in its stark wintry Canadian setting (and a lab that echoes the one found in The Fly), but also in themes comparable to those in the 1979 film The Brood Despite the film’s noted flaws, Splice gracefully straddles the line between mainstream horror flick and niche genre monster movie for the majority of the film’s running time.
2.5 our of 4 stars
Rachel West - Rachel resides in Toronto, Ontario and works as an Online Merchandiser for Entertainment, writing about the latest DVDs and CDs for a high ...
