My feelings about Splice changed a couple of times as I watched the movie, pretty much in conjunction with the act changes.
In Act One, a couple of scientists named Clive (Adrien Brody) and Elsa (Sarah Polley) have created a new life form from the DNA of various animals. It’s able to produce chemicals that could revolutionize disease research, but unfortunately, they’re a bit too successful and the pharmaceutical company that’s funding them wants to move forward with synthesizing drugs rather than continuing to see what else the life form can produce. Fearing that they’re about to lose their only chance to continue their research, Elsa and Clive (mostly Elsa, but Clive’s complicit in his inability to say “no” to her) carry on in secret. They create another life form; this one containing human DNA in addition to the animal components. The experiment quickly grows beyond their ability to control it though.
As all of this is going on, I’m identifying mostly with Clive. Elsa’s taken control of the experiment and is the alpha personality in the romance between the two scientists, so Clive feels more out of control than she does. He’s the voice of reason and his constant message to her is that they need to stop this before it goes too far. Elsa ignores him however and forges on.
After the break: The modern Modern Prometheus and how it all falls apart.
