Monster | Splice Movie

One of the most striking aspects of Dren is her metamorphosis. She is born as a gelatinous, pulsating mass that rapidly grows into a scuttling, bird-like juvenile with clawed forelimbs. As she matures, she becomes more humanoid and eerily beautiful.

By fluctuating between the adorable and the abject, the film forces the audience to engage with the monster, oscillating between empathy and revulsion. This prevents the viewer from fully "othering" the monster, making her inevitable turn to violence more tragic than terrifying. splice movie monster