Splice
User Score
5.4 out of 10

Mixed or average reviews- based on 162 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 87 out of 162
  2. Mixed: 29 out of 162
  3. Negative: 46 out of 162

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  1. Jason
    Jun 14, 2010
    9
    I really liked this movie. It was a mash-up of a lot of good concepts from previous movies that work well...I see that many of the negative reviews were from people who obviously don't get the idea behind "black humor." Yes, parts of it are supposed to be intentionally funny, and this does not mean it's a bad movie; horror and comedy can mix (intentionally) believe it or not. Save your money on Saw 5 (or whatever they're on now) and see this instead. Thought-provoking with real-world implications on where science is taking us.… Expand
  2. PeetuK.
    Jun 4, 2010
    10
    Simply amazing. This movie is smart and entertaining!
  3. NathanB.
    Jun 5, 2010
    9
    This movie owned. I can see why some might not like it. If you are looking for a movie that truly tackles the real life politics of genetic splicing or really explores the morality of it all, then you probably want to look elsewhere. Sure it touches those briefly, but what we really have here is a fun, HILARIOUS semi horror movie that leaves you feelling as weird as the content matter. Personally I had a blast, laughed my tail off and was weirded out. I got to the movies for entertainment. And this definitely hit the spot.… Expand
  4. ChadS
    Jun 9, 2010
    10
    From neonate to grown-up, Dren, the flawless handiwork of CGI animators, is never less than convincing as a living thing. When Elsa(Sarah Polley) decks out her genetic deviation that she co-created with Clive(Adrien Brody), a fellow genetic engineerist and bedmate, Dren stops being a special effect and starts to have a visceral impact on the moviegoer. She's simulacrum like Gollum was simulacrum, a technologically alive being that intergrates itself among the animate and inanimate objects which describe the natural world, instead of announcing its "otherness" through distraction, courtesy of such typical, self-evident pixelated fakery found in so many computer-generated characters(i.e. Jar-Jar Binks, for starters). Dren enchants. As a result, the filmmaker can go anywhere he wants to, and does, with Cronenberg-ian gusto(psycho-sexual politics, check; splatter effects, check), in which "Splice", among other things, works as a Mia Farrow-like revenge fantasy. In "Husbands and Wives", Farrow's last movie with veteran writer/director Woody Allen(her then-lover and collaborative partner), the moviegoer feels privvy to their common-law marital discord, but the auteur stops short of full disclosure, electing not to divulge the root cause. Allen's on-screen nebbish alter-ego, arguably the biggest nerd in all of filmdom, made his debut in Clive Donner's "What's New Pussycat?", and Clive just happens to be the name of the scientist(***SPOILER ALERT***), who initiates a sexual relationship with Dren("nerd" spelled backwards), a creature that Elsa treats like her own daughter. Clive should know better. Hands off. Polley, a risk-taking actress(Hal Hartley's "No Such Thing": the beauty doesn't f*** the beast) and accomplished filmmaker(the elegant "Away From Her"), is probably best-known for her role as a schoolbus crash survivor in Atom Egoyan's "The Sweet Hereafter", seems perfectly suited for the subtext at hand, when you consider the reluctant ingenue's track record for kinky sex(Nicole's consensual affair with her father) and revenge(Nicole's false testimony at the accident deposition after dad calls it quits). Since Dren enchants the moviegoer, it's perfectly plausible that Clive would fall under her spell. They dance. She has the scent of a woman. Soon after, they make love. When it's Elsa's turn, the moviegoer is hard-pressed to get a read on the mother figure's face during this incestuous coital act. The implications are disturbing, to say the least. "Splice" is the most thought-provoking science fiction film since David Cronenberg's "Existenz".… Expand
  5. JahnS
    Jun 11, 2010
    9
    Good stuff. An in your face provoking film.
  6. LilyX
    Aug 15, 2010
    10
    A truly disturbing and thought-provoking movie, far better than your average pop-corn scary flick - so I can see why some viewers disliked it. But the creepiest scenes aren't gratuitious at all. What's human? What's a beast? Are our behavioral patterns dictated by nature or culture? And most of all... was Sigmund Freud right? These are some of the questions posed by the film which. Good work, Natali, and congrats for casting two real actors and not random bimbos (like other horror movies.)… Expand
  7. GregFisher
    Dec 16, 2010
    9
    Vincento Natali has directed the most stuningly original pictures in recent memory. Both Cube and Nothing were definitely polarizing, but their concepts remained novel as well as practically unmatched in their respective genres. Splice doesn't differ from these movies in this matter a lot. It follows a pair of scientists who successfully has been creating genetic hybrids of various animals. When they attempt to add human DNA to the their formula, the results are both surprising and potentially destructive. The movie's premise may sound quite preposterous at first, yet Natali manages to craft his very own genre hybrid that cannot be labelled as one-dimensional or shallow. Splice effectively blends a sci-fi theme of cloning with observational drama and gruesome horror forming the movie quite reminiscent of David Cronenberg's early work. Splice is also wildly unpredictable taking viewers to uncomfortable places without any warning. In this way Natali explores numerous fascinating themes concerning moral dilemmas on cloning, the relation between creators and a clone and many others I'm not going to mention in order not to reveal any spoilers. What's more, the movie clearly benefits from its complex central performances delivered by Sarah Polley and Adrien Brody. The dynamics between these two actors feel strikingly authentic throughout, which grounds the movie in reality. Overall, Splice is a treat for everybody interested in cinema that doesn't provide easy answers. It's equally ingenious and shocking. 9/10 (A-)… Expand

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
66 out of 100

Generally favorable reviews - based on 35 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 26 out of 35
  2. Mixed: 7 out of 35
  3. Negative: 2 out of 35
  1. Boxoffice Magazine
    Reviewed by: Amy Nicholson
    40
    Despite Brody and Polley's reasonable efforts, they can't compensate for a script that undermines its curiosity about humanity.
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  2. Entertainment Weekly
    Reviewed by: Lisa Schwarzbaum
    91
    A cheeky, great-looking, thoughtfully loopy creature feature about the lure and dangers of cutting-edge gene splicing.
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  3. The Hollywood Reporter
    Reviewed by: John Defore
    70
    Writer/director Vincenzo Natali takes his tale in some truly icky directions, not quite making it into Cronenbergland but going far enough to elicit solid 'ewww' laughs from the crowd.
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