Splice (New Movie Review)

Splice (Vincenzo Natali, 2010) - Vincenzo Natali is awho could give any real performance with such tone
director with a nice visual eye, someone who, I imagine,deaf language and direction.
would do wonderfully making luxury car commercials.Watching how the designers and artists show Dren at
And, I say that with the utmost of respect, believe me.various stages of her development did draw my
And yet, he doesn't seem to have quite the grasp oninterest. The armless goblin-like thing at the beginning
feature narrative, as proven in Splice, his new sci-fistages soon develops into a young girl with alien eyes,
horror film about a genetically mutated monster childand eventually into a young adult with overwhelmingly
that just seems to pile on the absurdities in the leasthuman features, even if she can fly and breathe under
artful of manners.water.
Adrien Brody and Sarah Polley star as Clive Nicoli andThe problem with the film is that it never gives you a
Elsa Kast, who live together as a couple and alsoway into the story that makes sense or that you might
work together as scientists of great renown whocare about. The dramatic scenes are leaden and dull,
have created new organisms by mixing DNA fromfull of really terrible, workmanlike lines, just getting the
various sources, in order to create "enzymes" that helpstory from one scene to the next. All of this would be
cure various diseases. They work for a powerfulforgivable if it were a straight "B" picture, and it had
pharmaceutical corporation. In the face of mountingsome good old-fashioned frights in store for us.
pressure from their benefactors not to take theirUnfortunately, for the most part, it is often caught
research too far, they nevertheless decide to injecttaking itself far too seriously. The one exception is a
human DNA to their experiments, and the result isscene where the two scientists' legitimate offspring,
Dren, the monster baby at the heart of the story.two slug-like (and non-human) specimens who
None of this is remotely convincing, and the film reallygenerate the valuable enzymes, destroy each other in
isn't trying to get the audience to take it seriously.a bloody mess in front of a theater full of stockholders.
(They work at a facility called Nucleic EnzymeBrody's reaction shot is priceless. This is the one
Research and Development, or N.E.R.D.) Theinstance where Natali has made the absurdity
campiness should get an experienced viewer primedsatisfying for the audience, by making it funny and
for some real horror movie delights, with frights andunexpected. Comedy is all in the timing, which Natali
unexpected twists. What we get instead is woodentoo often forgets.
acting, an awful script, and very little narrativeI guarantee this film will be taught in multiple NYU
momentum to keep us interested in this tale of theGender Studies and Media Studies courses for years
bizarre.to come. There's a pseudo-intellectual element to how
I don't mean to gang up on the actors. I like thesethe film deals with sexuality that I can imagine
actors. Sarah Polley got my attention as an actress inacademics would drool over. Perhaps this is what
The Sweet Hereafter, and she's gone on to direct Myfooled A.O. Scott, who's own very positive review is
Life Without Me and the impressive Away from Herthe reason I went to see the film to begin with, or the
starring a wonderful Julie Christie. As for Adrien Brody...76% of critics on Rotten Tomatoes who have written
as I think about it now, Brody has been making greatabout it positively. Ah well. Guess you just have to
films for nearly 20 years now. No, my gripe is not withread this blog.
the thespians here. I honestly can't think of anyone