Splinter (2008/MagNet DVD)

 

Picture: C     Sound: B-     Extras: C     Film: C

 

 

In an attempt to take the 1978 Phillip Kaufmann version of Invasion Of The body Snatchers and make it into a violent killer creature flick, Toby Wilkins’ Splinter (2008) is a comparatively ambitious (to most of the bad junk we have seen in the last few years) work about a small town being invaded by a killer creature that seems unstoppable.  That is good, but the film never adds up to what it could have.

 

Besides being everything we have seen before, the sardonic humor before each kill only goes so far in helping the film overcome its shortcomings and bloody, gory effects can only do so much to cover up the same.  However, the cast can be amusing and genre fans are more likely to enjoy this than many similar such entries of late.  Too bad they could not find any new ground to break or something different to do with the material.

 

The anamorphically enhanced 2.35 X 1 image is surprisingly weak for a new production, with poor Video Black and detail, while the Dolby Digital 5.1 is harsh in the highs and aggressive overall.  The Dolby 2.0 is weaker, but also has some harshness.  We hear the Blu-ray is much better, but did not get one before posting this.  Though a 1080p version of the image could go either way, it is a safe bet the old Dolby Digital codec cannot handle this sound mix.  Extras include two audio commentary tracks (Wilkins joins the cast on one, the crew on the other), an HDNet special on the film and seven making-of featurettes.

 

 

-   Nicholas Sheffo