Vincenzo Natali’s Splice is pretty crazy. It’s also pretty great. It’s a creature feature that remains surprisingly bloodless throughout most of its runtime, but don’t let that stop you. Also don’t let Warner Bro.’s lame and misleading trailers and commercials dissuade you (I used the German Poster above, because the American ones are fugly). No matter what their marketing department wants you to think: Splice is not Species (1995).
But Splice knows that you’ve seen Species, Splice knows that you’ve seen a lot of films. Splice also knows what you’re not expecting. You aren’t expecting a cinematic hybrid that deftly switches from over-the-top science run amok B-movie, to perverse family drama, to a post-Gattaca comment on parenting (both good and abusive), but Splice is all these things. In order to hold itself together it also possesses more than an ounce of awareness about its own absurdity, a self awareness that thankfully never materializes as self-parody or audience winking (we’ve had enough of that crap).
It’s a testament to what can be achieved through filmmakers that know how to get the most out of practical effects, CGI, and when to combine the two. Filmmakers who also know when to trade effects in for quality cinematography and a talented cast (Adrien Brody, Sarah Polley and Delphine Chaneac).
I could go on forever about the film’s fun mix of light “food-for-thought” take on gender power struggles and campy but well executed creature gags, but this is a film you should really just see for yourself.
For my fellow horror fans and bloggers: I’ll make a deal with you. The deal is that if you walk out of the theater fully enjoying the movie like I did (and some of you won’t, I get that and accept it), you are not allowed to bitch about remakes and sequels for a whole month…okay, unrealistic, a week maybe?
AdamCesare.com 