SPLICE — ★1/2 — Adrien Brody, Sarah Polley, Delphine Chaneac; rated R (violence, gore, profanity, sex, nudity, drugs, rape, vulgarity, slurs); in general release
"Splice" lives up to its title in both the best and worst possible ways.
The science-fiction thriller/horror movie combines elements from modern-day genetic experimentation parables with the basic story framework of Mary Shelley's still-classic "Frankenstein." At times the results are as brainy and thought-provoking as that suggests.
That is, until the film's final third or so, in which it becomes full-on horror. It's almost as if a couple of reels from the moronic "Species" movies had been accidentally added to the film.
So, given its tremendous potential, this modestly budgeted and timely big-screen feature has to be considered a major disappointment.
Adrien Brody and Sarah Polley star as genetic researchers Clive Nicoli and Elsa Kast. These lovers and colleagues have been able to create artificial life-forms in a lab, using the DNA and materials from various animals.
Their experiments are intended to produce new drugs and life-saving chemicals. And so far, they haven't gone "too far" — by throwing human DNA into the mix.
That is, until Elsa decides to do exactly that. The result is Dren, which at first appears to be a bipedal cross between a seal and a chicken, with human skin coloration.
Due to an accelerated aging process, though, Dren soon turns into a larger, more "human" form.
Clive is begging Elsa to terminate the experiment. But by then it is too late, as Elsa has begun treating the increasingly unbalanced Dren like her "progeny."
Co-screenwriter/director Vincenzo Natali puts us in the unfortunate position of rooting for and/or sympathizing with mad scientists.
The fact that one of them is played by Polley, whose screen persona can be described as aloof at best and completely chilly at worst, certainly doesn't help.
At least Brody is trying to be warmer. He certainly has more chemistry with Delphine Chaneac, who plays the older version of Dren.
Her performance relies almost solely on facial expressions and body language to convey emotion. She's the one thing the film really has going for it.
"Splice" is rated R and features strong, often disturbing violent content and imagery (mostly creature attacks, as well as some animal cruelty and violence against women), gory and bloody imagery, strong sexual language (profanity and suggestive references), simulated sex and other sexual contact (some aberrant sexuality, including bestiality), female and partial male nudity, drug content (injections and anesthetics), a scene depicting a sexual assault, other off-color references and language (mostly vulgar slang terms), and derogatory language and slurs. Running time: 104 minutes.
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