Splinter

If we could have an enjoyable little horror film like this more often than quarterly, I wouldn’t complain at all. The best thing about it is seeing that it’s still possible to come up with original monsters that in their originality can also generate a natural impression. In the case of Splinter, they are funny parasitic thorns with loads of unpleasant properties, such as taking the lives of their hosts. The two protagonists are very likeable, too, and you can also appreciate that their behaviour is fairly rational under the circumstances (at least for most of the film, in the last twenty minutes it goes a little off the rails). The low budget can be seen mostly in that the monster is never shown fully in motion. During those scenes, we only see it through very quickly edited shots, giving us only a vague idea of what it exactly looks like, which actually fits beautifully with the way it “walks”, and as a result, that necessary measure ends up having a rather positive effect. I can wholeheartedly recommend Splinter, it’s pretty effective horror with tension and a few bloody scenes here and there. In the ending, or rather, the last twenty minutes, I would’ve appreciated if the story had developed a bit differently, but I’m still satisfied. Will there be a sequel or not… (02/11/2008)

Splinter is a small film that manages to captivate by featuring clichés typical of American horror, but at the same time, it turns these clichés on their head at certain moments. I'm sure any other film would still address the relationship between hostages and criminals, but Splinter doesn't focus on that and handles the situations well and quite innovatively. It's easier to unite with the enemy against a common foe than to fight alone. (22/07/2014)