Not promoting anything here, but thanks to a cool promotion at Blockbuster, I've got unlimited free rentals until the beginning of next month. And, I'm using this opportunity to watch all the movies I've missed over the last year and change.
Film #8:
Splice
So, yeah - this movie goes to some fucked up places. The most being two scenes involving that lovely character in the poster having her/his way with the films' two leads. The first encounter is messed up. Dren (Delphine Chaneac) puts the moves on Clive (Adrian Brody) and he reciprocates and the two have sex in the barn she is being kept. It's disturbing. It's erotic. It's something out of Cronenberg. The second scene takes place after Dren essentially becomes male. And, he rapes Elsa (Sarah Polley), with his tail no less. Fucked up.
Director Vincenzo Natali wants to disturb the audience. He gets that done. The film may play with morality and family dynamics, but what it's purpose is - what Natali set out to do - was to make us squirm. Not over blood. Not over the splice results and said outcomes. He wants us to squirm at the choices. The dialogue. The idea that not only does Clive have sex with this half-human creature - this thing is practically his daughter. Elsa treats her like one but when called out on it, she straps Dren down and mutilates her.
What else can I say? The CGI was effective and blended well with the in-camera stuff. The ending was messed up.
You know, like I said. This film is messed up. But, I tend to like messed up films. With that in mind...
(4 out of 5)
P.S. Check out Natali's Cube. Great film.