BOTTOM LINE: The high-brow concept, ethics, and execution of the monster make this horror film rise above the usual offerings from the genre, but some silly character motivations and some unbelievable sequences and their impact on the story rob this film of any greatness.

THE GOOD: One issue that ‘Splice’ raises quite convincingly is the dangers of genetic experimentation. Although some of the plot points may be far-fetched, the core concept of genetic scientists mixing DNA from different species to create new ones is not, and is quite frightening. Clive (Brody) and Elsa (Polley) are two brilliant scientists who successfully mix various DNA from a variety of species to create two worm-like creatures in an attempt to derive genetic proteins from them to further develop medical technology. However, Elsa tries to convince the pharmaceutical company funding their research to mix human DNA in to their experiments, but without success. Out of curiosity, she convinces a reluctant Clive to do an unofficial experiment to see if it can be done. They give birth to ‘Dren’, a weird hybrid, quasi-human. Clive wants to terminate Dren immediately, but Elsa is much more forceful in keeping the experiment going. It is in this first half of the film as the experiment develops and the full implications of what Elsa and Clive are doing really drive home a strong dramatic and ethical point that just because they can do this, does not mean they should play God. This point becomes all the more prevalent when their original experiment with the two worm-creatures turns in to a public disaster after they mutate. Dren starts exhibiting the same mutations later in the film, leading to disastrous consequences. The question of moral responsibility is also at play, as both Clive and Elsa wrestle with their obligations to ‘Dren’, who becomes a fully-fledged being with emotions and soul. The ethical undertone of the film makes it compelling viewing and sets this apart from other horror films, even though it relies on horror conventions at certain points for dramatic effect. The standout feature of the film on a technical level is of course the creation of ‘Dren’, using a mixture of computer graphics, fantastic make-up and prosthetics, as well as Delphine Chaneac’s elegant, vulnerable and not quite human performance as the adult Dren and Abigail Chu as the child Dren. ‘Splice’ is a horror film with smart ideas, which makes it compelling to watch and the horror on display far more frightening.

THE BAD: A number of unfortunate aspects to this film ultimately rob of it of any greatness. The handling of both Clive and Elsa’s characters in the script is a point of contention. They may be driven by scientific discovery and wonder, but somehow their motivations to continue the experiment, particularly Elsa, are never fleshed out as believable, particularly when the danger becomes more prevalent. Clive’s sex scene with Dren is incredibly disturbing, and also unbelievable given Clive is against this experiment and never really identifies with Dren until a certain point in the film when the narrative has him arbitrarily change his tack. Given his objections to Dren throughout, it seems inconceivable that he would want to have sex with her, no matter the lame excuse given of how Elsa’s DNA is in Dren and Clive recognises this. One big sequence that does not help at all is when the two worm-like creatures attack each other when they are on display at a presentation the pharmaceutical company puts on. It is violent, bloody and disgusting. How the head of the company could conceivably allow Clive and Elsa to continue after such an obvious public disaster is completely unbelievable; any normal CEO would terminate the whole operation, if only to save face. All these points rob ‘Splice’ of its greatness. It is unfortunate because at its best, the film is mentally engaging as well as terrifying, but then stumbles whenever these aspects come to the fore.