Hammerman Ikon

Hammerman Ikon Film Guide

Splice
2009

Director: Vincenzo Natali
Cast: Adrien Brody, Sarah Polley, Delphine Chanéac, Brandon McGibbon, Simona Maicanescu, Abigail Chu

Clive and Elsa, genetic engineers and lovers, are on the verge of scientific breakthrough. They decide to go a step further and secretly splice human and animal DNA to create an intelligent but volatile female hybrid named Dren. When emotions come into play, the couple are no longer sure whether they should act like scientists or like parents. This chilly Canadian drama nods at classics like Frankenstein and The Fly. It has a smart premise which deals with a topically controversial subject matter, and the script spices things up with unresolved childhood traumas and odd sexual tension. Vincenzo Natali ignores all this potential and makes an utterly dumb, dull and formulaic monster movie, which is creepy in all the wrong ways. He abandons all credibility in the final twenty minutes to set up a sequel, which thankfully didn't happen.