As soon as I saw the trailer for SPLINTER I knew I had to see it. It's just the sort of film I love: independent film-making at its best. The story is about two travelling couples who are trapped inside a service station by a sinister, primeval creature that grows splinters from its victims. This is the kind of grisly body horror clearly indebted to Carpenter's THE THING, but delivering fresh twists on the premise. For once, everything comes together in a low budget film: the performances are great, better than many a Hollywood producer where millions have been blown on big-name stars; the script is intelligent and witty, and the direction spot on. There's a pleasing reliance on traditional prosthetic effects rather than rubbishy CGI work. Be warned, this is VERY gory stuff too: the creature is the stuff of nightmares, and the notorious 'arm cutting' moment is one of the most graphic pieces of film I've ever seen. No holds barred is right.
One of the best things about the film is the characters. They're given depth and realistic traits, for once not the usual group of teenage dead-heads. The best actor and character is Shea Whigham, who starts off as a hateful villain before developing into something a lot more interesting. Similarly, Paulo Costanzo starts off as a nerdy dweeb before he, too, undergoes an intriguing character arc. Jill Wagner is there for the eye candy, but there's no harm in that. I love siege scenarios, and this is one of the best, as the dwindling survivors must use their wits in the face of an unstoppable enemy. The bit with the ice is a suspenseful highlight, and for once the ending doesn't disappoint, either. SPLINTER is a shot of adrenaline for the low budget horror film, a great effort and a film I'll look forward to seeing again.
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