With Jim Sabatini

Splice

Rated: R
Reviewed by: Frank
Release date: June 4, 2010	Released by: Warner Brothers

It's easy to expect Splice to be a copy of Species, the idea of mixing and maneuvering DNA to create a new life form fits right in. But Splice plays on a larger stage - one which mixes science fiction and emotional attraction for what we create particularly when it appears at least at times to be a child.

"Dren" her name is the opposite of "nerd" (Delphine Chaneac) comes on the scene in a laboratory where Clive and Elsa (Adrien Brody and Sarah Polley) partner while attempting to create a protein which can be use to cure just about every disease humans suffer from. This is what conservatives complain about: what kind of creature will come of this and does it interfere with the natural religious order of things.

Clive and Elsa attempting to produce a special protein become caught up in achieving results with their project as the corporate officers push to keep the shareholders happy with new products that enhance the value of stock. The team of Clive and Elsa early on have produced Fred and Ginger two new creatures that have great potential as new creations. But Fred and Ginger do the opposite of the dinosaurs on Jurassic Park when it comes to sex change and the presentation to the shareholders results is a violent disaster as Ginger and Fred do a death dance on stage.

All of that forces Clive and Elsa who are also a romantic team to push harder. Elsa even more determine than her partner inserts human female DNA into the new creature which becomes Dren. Dren develops quite quickly changing from a smooth looking furless puppy with long legs and a special tail to a rather sexy woman with an appetite for sex. Her development is interesting as she travels from step to step in her development learning all things very quickly and at the same time adding wings to her body when necessary.

Elsa and Clive work to hide their discovery by moving Dren into new locations in the lab where the experiment is taking place but eventually she must be moved to a barn on land owned by Elsa's family a distance from the original location.

The CGI effects work with the script mixing Delphine Chaneac's body with the creations which alter her body in significant ways. She is believable as a changeling who is confused as to what she is and how to deal with her rapid development.

Rather than just being another slasher film the script mixes Dren's confusion with uncertainty faced by her so called human parents. That becomes the moving force both when restricting Dren and helping her to learn about the affection which comes from her creators.