Rant or Rave: Splice

Alexa's movie review for Splice

Splice is a science-fiction thriller starring Adrien Brody (The Pianist, Midnight in Paris) and Sarah Polley (Dawn of the Dead, Don’t Come Knocking). The plot revolves around two scientists, Clive and Elsa, who work to create hybrid animals in the name of fighting disease. One day, the two secretly create a hybrid animal that contains human DNA, a procedure that contradicts the wishes of their peers at the laboratory. This results in major havoc when Elsa forms a motherly bond with the unruly hybrid, causing major issues at her job and with Clive. This film contains a fair amount of shocking, and sometimes repulsive, scenes.

Personally, I had trouble determining the intentions of the film. Having such a rich background in the life sciences, I felt that the premise of the film had a few major plot holes. For example, they never go into how the hybrids will help to cure disease besides saying that they will produce a protein panacea. In addition, Elsa and Clive later find that their hybrid can change genders without any explanation. I also felt that the tone of the film was all over the place – some scenes were only added for shock factor, while others attempted to delve into the psyche of Elsa and the reasons behind her dramatic mood swings toward Dren, the hybrid. 

Although the concept behind Splice is extremely far-fetched and relies on shocking scenes to captivate the viewer, I still believe that it is an entertaining film. Despite discrepancies in the plot, the actors do a great job at portraying their characters. Major kudos to Delphine Chanéac for her exceptional portrayal of the hybrid, Dren! Splice is the perfect movie for anyone looking to laugh at scientific fallacies, gasp at absurdities, and simply watch a movie of a different breed.

By Alexa Avitto