Wednesday, June 09, 2010

Weird Science: “Splice” is an Unconventional Science Fiction Thriller

I’m giving “Splice” a positive review overall, but be forewarned this is a super weird film that is not for the average moviegoer’s tastes. It involves a premise we’ve all seen before, borderline “mad” scientists create monstrous creature with the best intentions. Everything then goes wrong. This isn’t exactly “Frankenstein.” It’s not even “The Fly.” I’ve even heard someone refer to it as “Species” meets “It’s Alive.” Whatever you want to call it, it’s certainly unconventionally done as would be expected from the guy who brought us the “Saw” precursor torture flick “Cube” way back in 1997. And of course like all great science fiction it has a social message and deals with ethical and moral situations to the utmost degree.

Like ethical situation number 32, should you mate with the humanoid creature that you created in a lab just a few months prior? Ok ok, I’m getting ahead of myself here and you can consider that a minor spoiler, but odds are your probably not going to be seeing this movie right? Let’s start at the begging, where we’re introduced to Clive (Adrien Brody) and Elsa (Sarah Polley). They are hip biomedical scientists (and lovers) who are really good at splicing together various animal genes to create new species. They work for a pharmaceutical house who funds their research in hopes of creating cures for various human diseases (maybe we shouldn’t be trying this hard to cure cancer, etc?) They created this two alien blob looking creature whom they dub Fred and Ginger. In a little bit of foreshadowing, they want the two of them to mate.

It turns out that Elsa is the real mad scientist here and decides it would be a completely good idea to splice human DNA with that of either Fred or Ginger. Much to Clive’s frustration he hesitantly goes along with it as long as she doesn’t bring the being full term. But of course she does! She births it and nearly dies doing it because apparently their creation has a poisonous, barbed tail. The creature sort of looks like something out of an early Peter Jackson gore fest. And has an accelerated grow, because honestly no one would want to sit through a 4 hour version of this movie slowly waiting for the creature to come of age. Before we know it the little monster is a young girl and then a young woman (played with some CGI help by Delphine Chanéac) with kangaroo legs and a tail.

Then come lots of other ethical issues besides the ones involving whether it’s actually a good idea to splice human DNA and weird creature DNA. Those things I wont get into because it’s probably best to not know. I will praise the film for taking itself seriously because this could have easily gone the campy route but director Vincenzo Natali plays it all straight. He wanted to make the most realistic film he could I believe he succeeded in that arena. There are even scenes that reminded me of parts of everything from “Jurassic Park” to “King Kong.” There will be those who laugh at what they’re seeing on screen, which I think will be a normal human reaction.

I applaud Natali for going to places other directors and studios would have dared not go and good for Warner Bros for releasing a film like this, which could have easily gone straight to DVD for giving it chance. If you’re a fan of science fiction and even horror, although the film isn’t particularly scary, you’d be doing yourself a favor by checking out “Splice.” It’s a film that has some pretty shocking images and will certainly get folks talking long after the credits roll. GRADE: B

24 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi there, I enjoy reading through your article post.
I wanted to write a little comment to support
you.

Here is my site - emobile code

Anonymous said...

Get a professional septic tank cleaning service to
clean and empty the tank at affordable cost.

There are also some requirements to meet, such as enough space and soil.
They alter according to the size of the container you have installed, usage of water, and number
of people staying in a house.

Check out my site ... 51d.ca

Unknown said...

cheap nfl jerseys
thomas sabo
michael kors outlet
louis vuitton outlet
oakley sunglasses outlet
canada goose outlet
chicago blackhawks jersey
oakley sunglasses
jordan 4
gucci handbags
seattle seahawks jerseys
philadelphia eagles jerseys
fivefingers shoes
michael kors outlet
toms shoes
supra shoes
chanel 2.55
baltimore ravens jerseys
giuseppe zanotti outlet
polo ralph lauren outlet
tory burch outlet
salomon shoes
ralph lauren outlet
los angeles clippers jerseys
tods outlet
cheap soccer jerseys
atlanta falcons jersey
abercrombie and fitch
cartier bracelet
celine outlet
nfl jerseys
green bay packers jerseys
mont blanc
pandora jewelry
kobe 9 elite
ray ban sunglasses
zheng123 7.31

Unknown said...

cheng0925
cheap oakley sunglasses, http://www.cheapoakleysunglassess.us.com/
basketball shoes, http://www.basketballshoes.us.com/
tiffany and co jewelry, http://www.tiffanyandco.in.net/
christian louboutin uk, http://www.christianlouboutinoutlet.org.uk/
soccer jerseys, http://www.soccerjerseys.us.com/
tory burch outlet, http://www.toryburch.in.net/
true religion outlet, http://www.truereligionoutletstore.us.com/
adidas wings, http://www.adidaswings.net/
nba jerseys, http://www.nbajerseys.us.com/
the north face outlet store, http://www.thenorthfaceoutletstores.org/
ugg boots, http://www.uggbootscheap.eu.com/
roshe run, http://www.rosherunshoessale.com/
rolex watches, http://www.rolexwatches.in.net/
vans shoes, http://www.vans-shoes.cc/
ed hardy clothing, http://www.edhardy.us.com/
oakley sunglasses, http://www.oakleysunglassesdiscount.us.com/
air jordan 4, http://www.airjordan4.org/
air jordan shoes, http://www.airjordanshoes.us.org/
michael kors factory outlet, http://www.michaelkorsfactoryoutlets.in.net/
the north face jackets, http://www.thenorthfacejacket.us.com/
coach outlet canada, http://www.coachoutletcanada.com.co/
coach outlet store, http://www.coach-outlet-store.us.com/
ugg outlet, http://www.uggoutletstore.eu.com/
nike air max uk, http://www.nikeairmaxshoes.org.uk/
kobe shoes, http://www.kobeshoes.us/
ugg uk, http://www.cheapuggboots.me.uk/
coach handbags, http://www.coachhandbagsoutletonline.us.com/
ray ban, http://www.occhiali-rayban.it/

John said...

michael kors uk
retro jordans
ugg boots
uggs boots
louis vuitton outlet
michael kors outlet online
north face outlet
michael kors outlet online
ugg boots
cheap uggs for sale
michael kors
louis vuitton handbags
the north face outlet
nike running shoes
oakley sunglasses wholesale
coach factory outlet
fitflops sale clearance
uggs for men
chanel handbags
louis vuitton handbags
ugg boots
christian louboutin outlet
ugg outlet
ugg boots
nike air force 1
toms shoes
adidas originals
uggs on sale
abercrombie & fitch
canada goose outlet
cheap soccer shoes
canada goose
20151208yuanyuan

Unknown said...

6.02lllllllyuanbeats by dr dre
beats by dre
oakley sunglasses
oakley sunglasses
ray-ban sunglasses
ray ban sunglasses
hollister uk
lululemon outlet
rolex watches
mulberry handbags
mulberry bags
mulberry outlet
louis vuitton handbags
louis vuitton handbags
toms shoes
omega watches
ferragamo shoes
ferragamo shoes
kate spade handbags
kate spade uk
true religion uk
true religion jeans
true religion outlet
oakley sunglasses
tory burch outlet
burberry outlet
burberry outlet
burberry outlet
tory burch outlet
hollister clothing
replica watches
ralph lauren polo shirts
cheap nba jerseys
polo ralph lauren
ralph lauren uk
6.02

wesan michael said...

tiffany and co jewellery
tiffany and co jewellery
air jordan
chrome hearts
skechers go walk
tiffany and co
adidas tubular UK
michael kors outlet store
tiffany and co outlet

Unknown said...

michael kors outlet clearance
tiffany jewelry
cheap oakley sunglasses
mulberry handbags
louis vuitton outlet clearance
gucci outlet online
ray ban sunglasses
michael kors outlet clearance
louis vuitton outlet
nike huarache
20170116lck

Unknown said...

michael kors handbags
michael kors handbags outlet
omega watches for sale
michael kors handbags
true religion jeans sale
jaguars jersey
cleveland cavaliers jersey
washington redskins jerseys
new balance outlet
golden state warriors jerseys

Unknown said...

los angeles clippers jerseys
cheap oakley sunglasses
nike huarache
michael kors handbags
michael kors handbags wholesale
san antonio spurs
cheap nfl jerseys wholesale
michael kors outlet
christian louboutin outlet
new england patriots jerseys
20170411

chenmeinv0 said...

louis vuitton outlet
louis vuitton outlet
oakley sunglasses
jordan 4
polo outlet
cavaliers jerseys
new york knicks jerseys
adidas nmd r1
louis vuitton belt
retro jordans
20174.15chenjinyan

Unknown said...

michael kors factory outlet
hogan outlet online
kobe 11
nike air force 1
yeezy shoes
chrome hearts online store
nike air max thea
yeezy boost
cheap jordans
lacoste online shop

adidas nmd said...

ed hardy clothing
chaussure louboutin
ralph lauren outlet
nike huarache
oakley sunglasses
hugo boss
cheap jordans
cheap nba jerseys
coach handbags
air max 90

Unknown said...

asics running shoes
air jordans
adidas store
jordan retro
michael kors outlet online
yeezy boost
chrome hearts
longchamp
nike air max 2017
cheap jordans
20170721

Unknown said...

nike huarache
hermes belt
nike mercurial
cheap nfl jerseys
ultra boost
michael kors factory outlet
longchamp
converse outlet store
irving shoes
patriots jersey

raybanoutlet001 said...

coach outlet
nike tn
mont blanc outlet
nike blazer
cheap ray ban sunglasses
fitflops sale
ugg outlet
michael kors handbags
cheap oakley sunglasses
nba jerseys

Unknown said...

qzz0505
canada goose jackets
christian louboutin outlet
ray ban sunglasses
michael kors handbags
christian louboutin outlet
tory burch outlet
jordan shoes
cheap jordans
coach factory outlet
ugg outlets

Unknown said...

qzz0707
tory burch outlet
supra shoes
longchamp handbags
brequet wathes
oakley sunglasses
michael kors outlet
polo ralph lauren
longchamp bags
uggs outlet
cheap jerseys

QQQQQQQQQ said...

adidas yeezy
adidas eqt support
ray ban sunglasses
adidas store
adidas nmd
yeezy shoes
nike air max
nike free
100% real jordans for cheap
golden goose

5689 said...

zzzzz2018.8.23
moncler outlet
louboutin shoes
ugg boots
longchamp handbags
oakley sunglasses
true religion outlet
canada goose jackets
pandora
ralph lauren uk
cheap nba jerseys

Unknown said...

www0901

nike presto femme
fitflops sale
adidas superstar
michael kors outlet
ralph lauren outlet
valentino
ferragamo shoes
oakley sunglasses
ray ban sunglasses
canada goose jackets

jeje said...

pandora jewelry
hogan shoes
christmas presents
michael kors outlet
longchamp outlet
tory burch outlet
coach outlet
canada goose outlet
true religion jeans outlet
air max 90

jjjjjjjjjjjjj said...

adidas yeezy
lebron 15
rolex replica
yeezy boost 350 v2
goyard handbags
chrome hearts outlet
vapormax
kobe byrant shoes
cheap nba jerseys
yeezy shoes

yanmaneee said...

yeezy supply
yeezy boost
moncler jacket
golden goose sneakers
off white
kyrie shoes
jordan shoes
nike sb
kyrie 6
pandora jewelry official site