Vincenzo Natali
Splice

It was 1997 when "Cube" made its way through the cinematic undergrowth, even managing to achieve a decent notoriety, such that it brought with it several sequels and a prequel. The author of that little gem of "psych horror" was Vincenzo Natali. A name that slowly faded into obscurity: "Cypher" and "Nothing" were two mistaken films that contributed to casting into anonymity a filmmaker who had a decidedly interesting debut.

Then came the turning point. Gaumont and other production companies put a good budget on the table and came two decidedly well-known actors: Adrien Brody (already an Oscar winner) and Sarah Polley. They are the duo that constitutes the leading couple in "Splice," the fourth feature of his career. Skilled scientists, cutting-edge biochemists, "nerds" in the contemporary sense, they combine the DNA of multiple life forms to achieve results usable for curing the most disparate diseases.

Starting from an essentially science fiction core, Natali's film ventures into different subgenres, though without having a clear sense of its own destiny. What seemed to be a work about the man/science contrast becomes a trivial tale of little monsters, alien and "winged" sex. A film that sharply turns towards a horror with a "glossy" stench, losing sight of a basic idea that, although weak, could have been traced in a decidedly different way. The two actors themselves don't seem entirely at ease.

The fear of becoming parents, the weight of one's choices: it all goes to hell when Natali decides that the real protagonist of the plot is Dren, that not entirely identified creature that grows excessively. The film becomes Dren's growth, with its sexual and emotional implications, but without real structure, without a fundamental idea that truly gives meaning to Natali's work. The impression left even after watching the film is that the logic of entertainment prevailed over that of cinematic credibility, with much of the "screentime" being wasted in a truly unnecessary and self-serving second part.