'00s Fun: Splinter (2008)

 I guess it is an easy to be a hidden gem if you are just a splinter.  Yes, the obvious joke first.  This is Splinter, a 2008 Horror Film that I've heard about before.  On a Film called The 50 Best Horror Movies You've Never Seen, this one was featured.  It's about time I got to it!  The Plot involves a strange creature, a hostage situation and a life-and-death struggle for survival.  So it is not a Comedy?!?  The Film features a number of people that might be recognizable, although none has gotten *that* role that makes them mega-stars.  Even so, working steady and being featured in lots of stuff is more than many get.  In a curious comparison, one Actor was in the Unsold Pilot of a Show version of L.A. Confidential, while a Writer worked on the TV Show Version of Training Day, another famous Cop Film.  The Director impressed me here, which is kind of disappointing when I realize after the fact that he did The Grudge 3- yikes.  Since the Film is recent enough, I won't SPOIL everything.  Plus, it is free to stream online, so you should check it out.  Until then, lock the door and hide the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles as we talk about...

A couple- Jill Wagner and Paulo Costanzo- are out for their Anniversary.  

Their plan to go Camping is ruined, but they drive to town...only to get stopped by 2 strangers.

Said Strangers are escaped criminals who need them to make their escape.

Hey look- it's the Chief from Agent Carter!

They fix their flat after running over a strange, spine-covered creature, but then the radiator starts to overheat.

Time to get some supplies from a Gas Station.

Incidentally, should you get the freaky wound from one of the splinters looked at?

I feel like 'yes' is the answer.

Earlier in the day, the same creature that they ran over attacked the Gas Station Attendant.

The splinters have the weird effect of reanimating him, so that's not good!

More victims are made and one of them has a loose limb end up inside the Station.

It's...not pretty.

It can work around on its own and attacks!

 At least it's not a head spider.

Can the infected people be stopped or is the freaky nature of the monster too great?

Can they escape with their lives?

To find out, watch the Film.  It's free, so why not?

A fun, freaky Film.  The idea here is a good one.  A monster attacks you, kills you and then reanimates you.  Is it unique?  Is it unheard of?  No.  Does that take anything away from this Film?  No.  The Film really leans into the Body Horror of it all, as the reanimated bodies quiver and twitch as they move.  They move about in sudden, frantic motions like someone who can't quite see them or knows how puppeteering works is behind them.  It is a good effect for being unrealistic-looking- how rare is that?  If you Google the Film, you will find that they used credible Stunt Performers from an Acrobat Background, which would explain the awkward fluidity of it all.  That gets to the double-edged sword here.  On one hand, they only used Practical Effects- which I love.  On the other hand, said use of Practical Effects meant that some parts are hard to follow due to the Shaky Cam phenomenon brought on by the Bourne Films.  So you can't always follow everything- mostly at the end- but what you can see looks great.  They try to ground the Film, which is nice.  It is just a freaky, undiscovered beast, as opposed to involving Magic or some sort of Sci-Fi experiments.  There's no Prequel or Sequel here to undo my praise- thank Xenu!  I would like to see this idea be revisited and done with more of a Budget.  Imagine what they could do more with more scope and more of a presentation.  Even so, Splinter is a bit of a hidden gem, especially as far as Indie Horror Films go.  Plus it has this kick-ass Japanese Poster that I was tempted to save for later!

Next up, I cover a long-forgotten Classic right in time for the Remake.  What a weird coincidence, eh?  Stay tuned...