Splice (Canadian 2009)
Director: Vincenzo Natali
With: Sarah Polley, Adrian Brody, Delphine Chaneac
It’s a good thing I didn’t have to review this movie right away, because it has gotten better as it works in my mind. Not that there are no images or plot points that bother me, just that they fade with the totality of the film.
The key was someone mentioning David Cronenberg. This is firmly in the tradition of Cronenberg’s early work in Canada, when he was willing to take chances and not afraid to be weird. He was also a master of the creepy gross-out, and that is in evidence in this film as well. Just recall the climactic scene in The Brood (1979), with Samantha Eggar as the proud mom. Natali directed Cube and Cypher, among other films, and is clearly of that school.
Clive (Brody) and Elsa (Polley) are a couple who are also cutting-edge genetic engineers working for a bottom-line oriented bio-tech firm. Their job is to develop a protein that will be the basis for an endless supply of drugs for human diseases. Pursuant to this, they create a life-form which looks like a huge grub and has both human and animal DNA.
But, each of them has personal issues that impel them to a secret, and illegal, project that results in Dren (Chaneac), a humanoid chimera whose growth is astonishing. She goes from embryo to mature creature in no time, and therein lies the problem. She is strong, deadly and sexually curious. This causes some problems in Clive and Elsa’s relationship, and big trouble for everyone. And, as they learned from their previous experiments, you can’t always get what you want.
At several points in the movie, which began well, I laughed at inappropriate places. This always makes me think that the plot is ridiculous. But, when contemplating the Cronenberg school of cinema, I realized that these twisted little moments were there to be funny. Or, maybe I’m just sick.
Well acted, even in the most preposterous moments, and scary/plausible in our time, Splice is a small wonder of science-fiction/horror. Chaneac as Dren deserves extra praise for an astonishing and gutsy performance.
Not for everyone. You have to have a high tolerance for repulsive images, and the ability to suspend disbelief, a must for fans of science fiction. Or, romantic comedy for that matter.
B+