Ah! I really don’t feel like reviewing this film. It isn’t anything you haven’t seen already. If you’ve seen Species, than you’ve seen Splice. They’re not identical, but the similarities are there. The only difference is that Species IS indeed a Sci-Fi Thriller in every way. It provided lots of suspense; jumpy moments, gore etc. Splice has some of that, only lighter. It also has some humor (don’t understand why) as well as a few twists which leaves you questioning morality towards both characters (Clive/Elsa), however, more towards one of them in a scene that entails some physicality. Overall, it’s a film geared more towards human drama, rather than Sci-Fi Thriller. To a certain degree it is somewhat thought provoking, as it lives up to many debates going on today among scientists and continued evolvement towards the human-race, but much of it, although fictional, left a sense of emptiness. I don’t know. I liked the film, but I didn’t like it. That’s how I feel. Strange, I know. I usually don’t expect much from a film. I usually let it play itself out, resonate within me and then form my thoughts. This time around, I walked out with a clouded mind. It wasn’t white or black, but shades of gray. (Cough) In the end, it’s just a movie and I really shouldn’t give it much thought. Whatever… I’ll survive.
Clive (Brody) and Elsa (Polley) are genetic researchers working with DNA as if it were going out of style. Their up-to-date experiment produces Dren (Chaneac), a test-tube hybrid of animal and human genes who looks like Sinead O’Connor during her bald years. Clive and Elsa treat her like a pet or an accidental offspring. They love and hate her depending on the issue(s) at hands. But with her freak mutant-like genes, her fast-paced growth and aging (a full grown adult after a month of her birth), she should be out of their way soon, and science will prevail because of it. Prior to this experiment, much of it was influenced by another of their creations named “Fred” and “Ginger,” a pair of slug-like creatures who put on quite a display at that lab and an even more interesting display at a stockholders meeting unveiling an interesting twist, which also pertains to Dren later in the film.
The story was interesting at times and picks up during the last two acts. Pretty much why I guess I like it. Overall, it entertained and that’s vital with any film. Brody and Polley had pretty good chemistry (as they carry the film) and I don’t know… in the end you decide where you want your mind going with this film. Moral or not, Hollywood banks on it and I’m sure Jesus-freaks will be upset.
Oh wow, I guess I reviewed the film after all.
________________________________________
GRADE: C+
GENRE: Science Fiction/Fantasy, Suspense/Horror and Thriller
ROARS: 3.25 Out of 5
Rated: R / Run Time: 1 Hr. 40 Min.
Cast: Adrien Brody, Sarah Polley, Delphine Chaneac, Simona Maicanescu, David Hewlett
Director: Vincenzo Natali
Opens Fri, June 4th.