In 1999, the first human chromosome was sequenced in full thanks to the Human Genome Project. It was a climactic accomplishment for genetic engineering, but it could’ve easily been seen as a Pandora’s box. The years before and after saw one milestone after another: the cloning of Dolly the sheep, the first approved drug that focused on gene therapy, and, in 2010, the creation of the first synthetic life form. 2010 was also the year Splice was released to a wide audience, and although it was far from a blockbuster hit, it tapped into many of the anxieties that come with having a front row seat to a new frontier.
If anything, it may have tapped into them a little too well. Splice is brilliant in its barrage of discomfort, rarely allowing its viewers a bit of respite, much less any awe-inspiring “Eureka!” moments. Instead, it's a descent into horror that plays on our fears of the uncontrollable and rips at the bounds of what we conceive to be humanity.
