SPLICE Movie Review

SPLICE Movie Review

Many years ago AzOSA had a presentation on how evolution was portrayed in Hollywood movies.  Recently the movie ‘Splice’ depicts the laboratory creation of Dren, who is a composite of human and various types of animals.  At first glance one would say ‘this is not about evolution, as Dren is created’.  But Dren was not the larva like creature suitable for producing biochemical cocktails the scientists expected.   While initially  having the appearance of a grub, she went through several metamorphoses, finally becoming something resembling an angel, and then a fallen angel.  One might draw comparisons between this and Goldschmidt’s “hopeful monster” theory of evolution.   However, a significant idea is expressed when one of the scientists explains how Dren came to have so many amazing attributes: It was the expression of the “junk DNA” which supposedly compromises much of our genetic makeup.

Science fiction occasionally uses the theme where in man either becomes God on an individual basis, as in ‘2001 A Space Odyssey’, or becomes God collectively as in  Arthur C.Clark’s   ‘Childhood’s End’.    While Dren never becomes deity, her transformation into someone resembling our concept of Lucifer, with goat like legs, barbed tail, wings and perverse trans-gender sexuality, might create a subconscious linkage to the “god of this world”.

While Evolution is for the most part presented as a scientific theory, it has long had an association with occult or ‘New Age’ thinking.  Take the example of the Nazi expectation of a human ‘super race’ coming from the Aryan race.  Dr. Henry Morris, in his book ‘The Long War Against God’, postulates that a notion of evolution may have led to Satan’s rebellion and documents some of the connections of evolution with ancient spirituality.  Through fantasy and science fiction there is a continuous exploration of the related themes of evolution and just how man might become God.  In Second Thessalonians 2:11 it is written “And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:”  A reasonable assumption as to just what “the lie” is is given in verse 4 concerning the Antichrist: “Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshiped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.”  The ultimate lie from creation, “and ye shall be as gods”, is the notion that man can become God.

One more note: the movie takes the taboo expressed by the Greek Tragedy “Oedipus Rex” to an extreme, so we aren’t recommending you watch it.

Dale Langmade, Vice-President, Maricopa Division and Board Member