Thrust into the scientific-community limelight after engineering a pair of viable hybrids, DNA-splicing superstars Clive Nicoli (Adrien Brody) and Elsa Kast (Sarah Polley) are eager to take their genetic experiment to the next level. (Well, none that are readily apparent anyway.) Granted, science takes an unfortunate back seat to fiction, pacing issues are a persistent threat and sci-fi zealots will see the last fifteen minutes coming a mile away, but its intricate, all-too-relevant character studies and devilish deconstruction of modern creature features allows Natali's haunting cautionary tale to stand out from a very bloated pack. ahem, Wes Craven - Splice is a smart, sophisticated treat. In 2010, with a decent budget, proper CG and the backing of oh-so-discerning producer Guillermo del Toro - who doesn't blindly slap his name on anything and everything that crosses his desk. And frankly, I'm glad he didn't find a way to make it work.
(If you haven't experienced its trippy, Rubixian labyrinth, skip this review and track down a copy immediately.) Splice, a more traditional sci-fi yarn in every regard, was meant to follow Cube, but budgetary limitations and the cinematic fates intervened, forcing Natali to shelve his script for the better part of a decade. Never heard of Canadian filmmaker Vincenzo Natali? Perhaps you're more familiar with Cube, Natali's finest hour and foremost genre pic a high-concept, shoestring-budget mind-bender that's become a tried-and-true sci-fi cult classic since its humble 1997 release. Reviewed by Kenneth Brown, October 6, 2010
Natali's divisive gem has a lot to offer anyone willing to overlook its shortcomings.
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