SPLINTER

US, 2008, 82 minutes. Colour.
Jill Wagner, Paulo Costanzo, Shea Whigham, Rachel Kerbs.
Directed by Toby Wilkins.

Splinter is yet another variation on the monster movie, the mutation because of abuses of nature. While it is not particularly original, it is certainly better than average in its presentation of characters, crises, interactions and some themes. A great deal of attention is given to the special effects for the creation of the mutating monster, incorporating its human victims.

The story is fairly straightforward. A holidaying couple go into an area which has warning signs that experiments are taking place. They experience a crash and a strange creature. They are also held up along the highway by an escaped criminal and his girlfriend. What happens is that the criminal is infected, takes the couple to a gas station – where the audience has already seen the garage attendant being destroyed by the monster and consumed. Most of the action takes place in the service station-cum-market. The people barricade themselves inside, the wife takes a leadership role, the husband is a scientist and is able to give some explanations. The escaped criminal shows vicious signs at first, but is taken aback when his girlfriend is destroyed by the monster. He begins to mellow and fight for survival. However, he becomes more infected. A policewoman also comes, seeming to the rescue, fears that the criminal has the couple as hostages – until she too is attacked by the monster.

The husband and wife survive, the criminal explaining why he had escaped, planning to give back money that he had robbed to a victim of a car accident and his mother. However, he sacrifices himself. Does the couple survive? The film is directed by British special effects expert, Toby Wilkins.

1. An interesting horror film? For horror fans? Better than average?

2. The confined spaces for the action? The countryside and the car? The gas station?

3. The realism – the night, the countryside, the gas station, the police arriving? The information about the prohibited site?

4. The horror, the effects, the splinter, the crash, the man at the gas station, being transformed, the monster, creation of fear, battle with the monster, fight for survival? Farell and the end?

5. Polly and Seth, going on holidays, their relationship, ordinary, a bit older? The background of study? Their arguments? Picking up Farell and his girlfriend? The consequences, the threats? The service station? Polly and her ability to take initiatives? Seth, more retiring, his knowledge and information? Handling the terror? The policewoman arriving? Farell, the confrontation with him? Their escape – or not?

6. Farell and Lacey, Farell as an escapee, his promises to Lacey, his true intentions? The hitchhiking, the pickup? The hitting of the creature? Farell and his being infected? Lacey, stoned, dependent? He and his tough attitude? The growing infection on his arm? The gas station? Lacey and her death? The three combining their ingenuity, their wits? The freezer? The policewoman, the monster? Farell and his transformation? The truth about his case, his intentions, the money, compensation for the relative of the person that he killed? His giving his life?

7. The gas station attendant, ordinary, the confrontation with the monster, his death? The policewoman, outside, the hostage situation? Her being taken?

8. The film as stronger than usual in characters? Using the situations? The monster? Using the conventions well?