I know scifi horror fans are looking forward to Splice but, slow down. I’m here to warn you now, you’ll be disappointed. One thing you should know is that the concept of playing God with DNA splicing isn’t exactly new. In fact, it’s been explored countless times in literature and film, from Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein to Jurassic Park. So, you would think that in the year 2019, we would have moved on to more original and thought-provoking plotlines. But no, Splice takes us back to the basics with a mad scientist and his creation gone wrong.
What’s Splice about? Genetic engineers splice animal DNA to create hybrids for medical use at the company N.E.R.D. (Nucleic Exchange Research and Development) [Editor’s note – gimme a break!] The young scientific couple, attempt to introduce human DNA into their work of splicing animal genes resulting in the creation of a human–animal hybrid. Sexy horror ensues!
Splice as a scifi horror film touches on the controversial topic of genetic manipulation, but it fails to dive deeper into the ethical and moral implications of such actions. Instead, it relies on cheap thrills and shock value to keep its audience engaged. Because let’s face it, nothing says quality entertainment like watching a half-human, half-animal hybrid give birth to itself.
The thing that gets me about this is that it’s just another example of how Hollywood continues to dumb down science and technology for the sake of mass appeal. We deserve better than a film that sacrifices substance for controversy and relies on jump scares and gore to keep us entertained. Good enough should never be good enough when it comes to exploring complex themes and ideas.
Should you watch Splice if you’re into scifi horror? I’ll let you decide. My take is: let’s demand more from our entertainment and support films that challenge us to think and question the world around us. If we continue to settle for mindless entertainment, we are only perpetuating the cycle of mediocrity in the film industry. That, my friends, is the real scary thought.
