Splice

 Production Budget: $26 Million

Director: Vencenzo Natali

Run Time: 104 Mins.

Rating: R

The Bouw-Man.

Very seldom it seems do they ever make a movie that puts science and technology advancement in a positive light when it comes to genetics.  Often we’re treated to a horror and/or disaster film that warns us to basically leave well enough alone.  Whether it’s creating a world for previously extinct dinosaurs like in the “Jurassic Park” saga, or the seemingly endless samples of human cloning (“Surrogates” comes to mind as the most recent), we are usually faced with a moral dilemma that usually sides against creating life from a lab.  There always seems to be some “mad scientist” who is only out for money and themselves, and thus the plot of the film.  However, it seems that as long as we’re thrilled to some degree, we’ll give the film its due.  

From what I can see from the trailer for “Splice,” this appears to be one of those cases.  Critically acclaimed actors Adrien Brody and Sarah Polley make more right choices than wrong when it comes to roles, so you have to think they were wise to what the script offered.  Couple that with some really intense sequences, and you have created a preview that offers intrigue for genre that has been overdone.

Prediction.

I think this will find an audience, even if it’s not very large.  Pictures of the creature are enough to justify at least an adequate representation at this weekend’s box office.  I’m looking at a $15 take for this thrill ride, if for no other reason than curiosity, during the first weekend in June. 

Opening Weekend Gross: $15 Million

Noodles.

The trailer for Splice starts off a little slow for me. At first it looks like they're going for a kind of thoughtful sci-fi take on the whole idea of cloning and the moral journey that scientists would have to take. Not exactly a blockbuster idea, but definitely interesting...not exciting, but interesting. 

As the trailer ends with its smash cuts and dark music, I was put in mind of the movie Species. However this film lacks something very crucial that Species had in spades...a naked Natasha Henstridge as the alien,  or mutant in this case.

As a big Sci-Fi fan I'm hopeful that this will be a suspenseful and exciting film. As a man that watched the trailer, I won't hold my breath.

Prediction.

The movie going public for some reason just doesn't really care about a good sci-fi movie unless it costs $300 Million dollars and has blue cat people with sex organs in their hair falling in love. Even if this movie is as genre changing as the original 'Alien' with Sigourney Weaver, it would still do crappy at the box office.

Opening Weekend: Gross: $10 Million

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