Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		2.0
Overall		3.5

Splice Blu-ray Movie Review

Natali's divisive gem has a lot to offer anyone willing to overlook its shortcomings...

Reviewed by Kenneth Brown October 6, 2010

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. (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. And frankly, I'm glad he didn't find a way to make it work. 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... ahem, Wes Craven -- Splice is a smart, sophisticated treat. No cut corners, no missed opportunities. (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.

Dren contemplates an uncertain future...

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. (Okay, so Splice's tone is a bit wobbly at first.) But when the powers that be (Simona Maicanescu and Stargate: Atlantis' David Hewlett) suddenly cry "ethics!" and scoff at the couple's human-hybrid dreams, Elsa does the unthinkable and successfully creates a viable fetus using human and animal DNA. The resulting creature enters the world as a poisonous slug, but accelerated aging (the genre's resident plot-hole patcher) prods evolution along. The slug gives way to a bestial biped; the mousy biped sprouts tiny forelimbs and soon begins to resemble a little girl (Abigail Chu, complete with reptilian eyes, powerful hind legs and a barbed tail); and the sweet, unexpectedly intelligent child soon grows to be a rebellious adolescent (Delphine Chanéac, Doug Jones' limber soulmate). Initially, Clive keeps an emotional distance while Elsa, having named the girl Dren, tries to nurture the creature like any good mother would. But as Dren pulls away from mommy dearest, Clive starts to feel compassion for his "daughter," Elsa starts to resent their bond and the pair's once-obedient cherub decides it's time to make her own decisions. Cue all manners of madness.

I had a hard time finding my footing during Splice's opening act, but after a shaky fifteen minutes, Natali makes up his mind, settles on a more fitting tone and charges ahead. Once the birth of Dren frees Natali from the tediums of exposition, his true vision -- an indictment of rogue science that poses countless rabbit-hole questions -- reveals itself. Genetic manipulation, lines in the moral sand, the trials and tribulations of parenthood, nature vs. nurture, ethical conundrums... all tender meat in a wisely seasoned genre gumbo; all ingredients Natali probes and deploys to great effect. Meanwhile, Brody and Polley are given the difficult task of starting at opposite extremes and slowly drifting into their partner's camp. Brody is as convincing in his initial reluctance as he is in his inevitable acceptance of Dren, and Polley is as believable as a doting mother as she is as a vindictive harpy. Essentially, both actors tackle dual roles and are challenged with evolving (or devolving as it were) from one extreme to the other. While the story is a wee bit scattershot at times, skipping from one week to the next, Brody and Polly make each transition far less jarring than it might otherwise be. Not that Natali and co-writers Antoinette Terry Bryant and Doug Taylor's screenplay is riddled with holes. Far from it. Their story takes some sharp turns that require a healthy suspension of disbelief, but they rarely neglect to connect the psychological and developmental dots, and the surprises that await audiences are more engrossing and, in some cases, more disturbing as a result.

Even though the last fifteen minutes of Splice are fairly predictable, the third act is teeming with a sick series of wonderfully unsettling payoffs. Moral ambiguity is briefly displaced by hair-raising chills, Clive and Elsa are brought to a crossroads and judged according to their actions, unexpected consequences are explored, complex violations and betrayals abound, blood is spilled and the words "inside you" are rendered more unnerving than ever. Dren, far removed from whatever innocence she once held dear, is a fascinating force of change in the brainy couple's relationship, and Chu and Chanéac overcome prosthetics and CG to shine through Dren's turbulent life cycle. I'm not sure if I buy every one of Clive and Elsa's emotional highs and lows, but as a means to a nightmarish end, it all works. Combined with Tetsuo Nagata's purgatorial photography and Cyrille Aufort's slick score, the whole of the film reaches an agitating visual and aural pitch, and easily earns its stripes as a decidedly clever, oft-times subtle Cronenbergian twist on a stale genre staple. Just don't expect to be spoon-fed many answers, practical or metaphysical. Calling Natali's splice-science junk-science would be a gross understatement, and his open-ended epilogue offers little closure. Neither one spoils the film's feisty freakishness or oedipal depravity, but both will leave anyone armed with specific demands disappointed.

Is Splice for everyone? Definitely not. I sunk in and enjoyed it for what it was, but that doesn't mean it will satisfy your particular sci-fi itch. My three-and-a-half cents? Give it a rent and see for yourself. After all, even if you despise Splice, you can always take comfort in the fact that you still have Cube.

Splice Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Those expecting a razor-wire genre transfer may be in for a bit of a shock as well. Rather than tinker with the film's DNA, Warner delivers a somewhat soft 1080p/VC-1 presentation that, for better or worse, stays true to Natali's intentions. That's not to say Splice underwhelms, just that it isn't going to drop any jaws. Tetsuo Nagata's photography is, by design, awash with antiseptic greens and pale, sickly whites, and his palette, though seasoned with striking reds and warmly lit farmhouses, is fittingly sterile. Like Dren though, there's an unsettling beauty to it all; one that works in tandem with the film's sometimes surreal dreamscape. Skintones follow suit and rarely disappoint, and blacks are deep and authentic. Detail, meanwhile, is still quite impressive. Closeups reveal a bevy of fine textures, edges are clean, object definition is relatively crisp, and clarity and contrast remain consistent throughout. (Several shots are nothing short of breathtaking, despite being the exception rather than the rule.) A faint veneer of unobtrusive grain is apparent at all times, lending the film legitimacy and cinematic weight. And while it spikes on a handful of occasions, it never distracts. As it stands, the whole of the presentation is polished and proficient. Small, arguably negligible bursts of artifacts creep into a handful of shots, and crush takes a slight toll from time to time (mainly in the latter half of the film), but other significant anomalies -- macroblocking, banding, aliasing, smearing and ringing -- aren't a factor. Ultimately, while hardline high-defers may balk at the film's softer scenes, most videophiles, Splice fan or no, will appreciate Warner's faithfulness.

Splice Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Splice also features a satisfying DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track that, aside from a few minor issues, is both convincing and immersive. From the credit sequence to the final, harrowing moments of the film, the rear speakers earn their take. Remarkable ambience frequents the soundfield, wrapping every genetic lab, horrified auditorium, abandoned farm house and vacant barn around the listener with eerie ease. Interior and exterior acoustics are believable, Cyrille Aufort's score effectively probes and prods the soundscape, and Natali's evocative atmosphere bleeds through magnificently. LFE support is generally reserved, only baring its teeth when Wren does, but anything more would be at odds with the film itself. Each scene, quiet or otherwise, boasts appropriate weight and presence, and the experience is an engaging one. Dialogue isn't as reliable though. While the majority of lines are crystal clear and precisely prioritized, some are dampened, while others are a tad shrill. Such mishaps never spoil the proceedings outright, but they do knock the sonics down a small notch. Regardless, I seriously doubt Splice could sound much better than it does here.

Splice Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Unfortunately, the Blu-ray edition of Splice offers just one special feature: "A Director's Playground: Vincenzo Natali on the Set of Splice" (SD, 35 minutes), a lengthy, fairly comprehensive production documentary that, as standalone behind-the-scenes glimpses go, is informative and refreshingly low-key. It's just a shame it isn't presented in high definition.

Splice Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Again, Splice isn't for everyone. It certainly isn't perfect any number of minor issues may interfere with your ability to enjoy its unsettling wares. I, for one, was taken by its clever oedipal cautionary tale, but I also wouldn't spend much time defending Natali's latest effort to anyone who despised its twists and turns. The Blu-ray release isn't for everyone either. Its video transfer, fit and faithful as it may be, will underwhelm any modern moviegoer expecting a razor-sharp genre transfer, its excellent DTS-HD Master Audio track is its greatest asset, and its anemic supplemental package includes nothing more than a lone, 35-minute documentary. It isn't a mediocre release by any means -- I was quite pleased overall -- but it isn't going to draw jaws, burst ear drums or soak up the better part of your weekend.