Species #2

Elsa (Sarah Polley) and Clive (Adrien Brody) are two brilliant genetic engineers who have created a mutant animal – product of a Splice between the DNA of two animals. Rather than being sequestered into mundane research and protein extraction from the said animal, as is the diktat of their firm, the two scientists – who are also in a relationship – go for the kill – trying to generate the product of spliced human DNA. They succeed, but the product – which carries Elsa’s DNA – is not quite what they had envisaged. Dren (Delphine Chaneac) – the product - is a highly intelligent semi-human creature, that is amphibious and carries a toxic sting. Dren evokes maternal love from Elsa, and, given her genetic antecedents, a very different kind of love from Clive, even as the two scientists struggle to conceal the results of their experiment from their company and the world at large. Eventually Dren metamorphoses into something else altogether – and the same has tragic consequences for the couple, but is an extremely profitable outcome for their company. Yet another horror story of mutation gone wrong, and not a particularly well-made story, at that

12/20

Until Lambs become Lions

The latest edition of Robin Hood is about how Robin Hood, the outlaw, came to be. Robin Longstride (Russell Crowe), later Robin Hood, fought alongside King Richard the Lionheart (Danny Huston) in the Crusades. When King Richard dies in battle, Robin and a small band of fellow-soldiers end up in custody of the royal crown, and Robin, in the guise of Sir Robert Loxley of Nottingham, a knight killed in the same battle, maes the journey to Nottingham. Robin soon brings back life to the hamlet and wins the affections of Robert’s widowed wife Marion Loxley (Cate Blanchett). The peace is not to last, however – renegade English knight Godfrey (Mark Strong) is planning a French invasion of England even as he pillages English towns in succession for the collection of taxes for the royal coffers. The paths of Robin and Godfrey cross, with tragic consequences for Godfrey and his nefarious plans. But, the subsequent adulation of Robin Longstride, and his views on empowerment of the people of England, are taken none too kindly by newly crowned Prince John (Oscar Isaac). This is an under-rated movie, the reception of which was marred by expectations from the Robin Hood mush camp.

15.5/20