Splice

Contrary to popular misconception, Splice is almost nothing like softcore alien action/porn flick Species. A creepy familial tale of genetic engineering gone wrong, Splice positions Vincenzo Natali as a scion of Cronnenburg. Having established the ability to deliver heavy vision on a shoe-string budget with Cube and Nothing, it's no surprise Natali caught the attention of Guillermo Del Toro, who's involvement assured the budget necessary to pull off the sustained visual trickery of Splice. Sarah Polley and Adrien Brody commit solidly to tricky roles as rock star geneticist couple Elsa and Clive. After creating a unique organism with healing properties by splicing the genes of multiple organisms, the geek-namic duo are eager to take the experiment to the next level by throwing human DNA into the mix. Stalled by employers intent on monetizing the pair's current findings, Elsa prods Clive into undertaking a little clandestine science experiment. The result is Dren, one of the more carefully realized and sympathetic monsters seen on screen lately. The creature design and execution are integral to the film's success, and the expansive "Making Of" holds a big-ass magnifying glass up to the process. Del Toro has more than a little to say in the features about the film's taboo breaking meeting the measure of truly great horror, and it's hard to argue. But insidious as Splice feels, there's just a tiny sliver of something inexplicable keeping it from being outright excellent. It's well structured, thought provoking, uncompromising and genuinely unsettling; it's bound to be a touchstone in the horror field and a launch pad for Natali's career (except for the moneymaking part). In addition to the "Making Of," which asks, "what would you splice yourself with?" of the cast and crew, there's a massive, blooper-inclusive set of candid footage called "A Director's Playground" and a brief rehashed interview with Natali from Fangoria. Though its effectiveness may depend upon one's ability gel with its chilly sensibilities, Splice is strongly recommend mature horror.