Splice (film)

Splice

Company type	Film
Industry	Film industry
Founded	2009
Founder	Vincenzo Natali (director), Antoinette Terry Bryant and Doug Taylor (screenwriters)
Products	Science fiction horror film
Parent	Warner Bros. Pictures (distributor)

Splice is a 2009 science fiction film horror film directed by Vincenzo Natali, featuring performances by Adrien Brody, Sarah Polley, and Delphine Chanéac. The story follows a young scientific duo who engage in genetic engineering experiments, merging human DNA with animal genes to produce a hybrid creature. The film’s executive producers include Guillermo del Toro, Don Murphy, and Joel Silver. It premiered in theaters on June 4, 2010, grossing $27.1 million worldwide against a $30 million production budget and garnered generally favorable critiques.

Plot

Clive Nicoli and Elsa Kast, genetic researchers at N.E.R.D. (Nucleic Exchange Research and Development), strive for recognition by creating animal hybrids through DNA splicing for medical applications. Their initial creations, Fred and Ginger, are large creatures designed to be mates. Following their successful breeding, Clive and Elsa secretly embark on developing a viable human–animal hybrid despite company directives to concentrate solely on extracting proteins from Fred and Ginger.

They engineer a female hybrid who matures rapidly both physically and cognitively, resembling a human child. Naming her "Dren," Elsa develops a maternal attachment while Clive’s brother Gavin encounters Dren but quickly retreats. Dren exhibits amphibious characteristics and carnivorous behavior, with retractable wings appearing during adolescence. Meanwhile, Fred and Ginger are neglected and eventually kill each other during a public demonstration.

To avoid detection, the couple moves Dren to Elsa's childhood farm. Clive discovers that Elsa incorporated her own DNA into Dren’s genetic makeup. After Dren kills a pet cat using her stinger, Elsa amputates it to extract proteins valuable for their research. Dren uses pheromones to seduce Clive, initiating an affair that strains the scientists’ relationship. When Dren’s behavior becomes increasingly dangerous, they attempt to end her life but find her seemingly lifeless.

William Barlow, a company executive, detects human DNA within Dren’s protein samples and arrives at the farm with Gavin. Dren undergoes a spontaneous transformation into a male form, kills Barlow and Gavin, then attacks Elsa. Clive intervenes but is overpowered; Elsa hesitates before ultimately killing Dren after he fatally wounds Clive.

In a corporate setting, Joan informs Elsa that Dren’s body contains numerous patentable biochemical substances. She offers Elsa significant financial compensation to continue her pregnancy, which Elsa accepts.

Cast

• Adrien Brody as Clive Nicoli
• Sarah Polley as Elsa Kast
• Delphine Chanéac as Dren
  • Abigail Chu as Child Dren
• Brandon McGibbon as Gavin Nicoli
• Simona Maicanescu as Joan Chorot
• David Hewlett as William Barlow

Production

Splice was penned by director Vincenzo Natali alongside screenwriters Antoinette Terry Bryant and Doug Taylor. Initially conceived as a sequel to Natali's Cube (1997), the project faced delays due to budgetary constraints and technological limitations. By 2007, it advanced into active development as a co-production between Canada (75%) and France (25%) with an estimated budget of $26 million. Natali described the film as an exploration of "our genetic future" and contemporary scientific dilemmas, aiming to create a "serious and emotional" narrative infused with unsettling sexual themes that remain credible yet provocative.

In October 2007, Brody and Polley were cast in the principal roles. Filming commenced in November 2007 in Toronto with financial support amounting to US$2.5 million from Telefilm Canada. Production wrapped up in February 2008. Although Natali did not initially plan for sequels, he acknowledged their potential existence.

Release

The movie made its debut on October 6, 2009, at the Sitges Film Festival, where it earned the award for "Best Special Effects" and was also nominated for "Best Film." It later appeared at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival held in Park City, Utah. After a competitive bidding process involving Apparition (company), The Weinstein Company, Newmarket Films, First Look Studios, and Samuel Goldwyn Films, the U.S. distribution and global sequel rights were secured by Dark Castle Entertainment in February 2010, with expectations that it would perform similarly to Paranormal Activity.

Splice was released widely across the United States on June 4, 2010, with distribution managed by Warner Bros. Pictures. The film’s trailer was marketed alongside Warner Bros. titles The Losers and A Nightmare on Elm Street. On its opening weekend, it generated $7.4 million from 2,450 theaters, averaging $3,014 per location. The DVD and Blu-ray versions became available on October 5, 2010, in the U.S. and on November 29, 2010, in the UK.

Reception

Audience reactions collected by CinemaScore resulted in an average grade of "D" on a scale from A+ to F.

In a review for The New York Times, Manohla Dargis remarked that director Natali "hasn't reinvented the horror genre" but crafted "an intelligent film" that explores themes of bioethics, corporate science, and intricate human relationships. Andrew O'Hehir of Salon described the movie as "dark, sleek, funny and creepily infectious," signaling a strong comeback for Vincenzo Natali. Lisa Schwarzbaum from Entertainment Weekly gave it an A− rating, commending Howard Berger’s creature design and the film’s progression into a chilling horror story.

Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times found the film "well done and intriguing," though he expressed a desire for more profound character development regarding Dren. Peter Travers from Rolling Stone likened it to David Cronenberg’s The Brood, praising its special effects and awarding it three out of four stars. On the other hand, Mick LaSalle of the San Francisco Chronicle gave it a two-star rating out of four, describing it as "a typical monster movie" that is "too unintelligent to be taken seriously and too slow to hold interest." Richard Roeper offered a negative critique with a D+ grade, calling the film "ridiculous" despite recognizing its attempts at originality.

Awards

Splice received the 2011 Telefilm Golden Box Office Award, earning CAD$40,000 for being the top-grossing English-language Canadian feature film released in 2010.

Additionally, the movie was a contender for Best Science Fiction Film at the 37th Saturn Awards, where it competed alongside Warner Bros.' Inception.

External links

• Podcast Interview with Vincenzo Natali discussing Splice