‘Curiosity can be a killer…’
Splintered is a 2010 British horror film directed by Simeon Halligan (The Blood Lands; Habit) from a screenplay co-written with Stephen Trimingham. Although the film is set in Wales, it was filmed in Lancashire.
Cast:
Stephen Walters (Hannibal Rising; Dracula [2013]), Holly Weston, Sacha Dhawan, Sadie Pickering, Jonathan Readwin, Sol Heras, Colin Tierney, James Roach.
Plot:
Sophie (Holly Weston) is a troubled young girl haunted by the abuse she suffered as a child and harbouring a deep fascination with the unexplained.
In the hope of satiating her obsession with the latter, our heroine instigates a trip to the Welsh countryside with four friends, aimed at tracking down the legendary Beast of Bodmin. It seems the mythical creature – often thought to be a large wildcat or fox – has caught the public’s attention once more thanks to a spate of attacks on livestock and one local farmer.
It is an opportunity Sophie has decided is not to be missed and, armed with a video camera and a case of beer, the group head off into the woods. However, they soon uncover much more than they bargained for, with the female lead falling foul of a mysterious madman who locks her away in an apparent attempt to protect her from some unnamed terror…
Reviews:
” … while the plot might be a little disjointed, the movie barrels forward adroitly with refreshing panache. Images can’t help but tell a story, the power of film making is when those images are compelling enough to illicit emotions that bring you closer to the experience. This is something that Splintered is keenly capable of and delivers on.” Sean Becktel, HorrorNews.net
” … this feels more like an episode of Hollyoaks: when faced with actors with little talent, simply have them argue constantly, so these dead-eyed, bland beauties will at least register as living creatures. Of course, the trouble with this is that they quickly become immensely irritating…” Phelim O’Neill, The Guardian
” … the movie is pretty good. I like when a horror film takes a generic setup (in this case, five kids going into the woods) and ultimately applies it to a different type of movie, and does things differently to boot. Regardless of the killer’s archetype, you assume that the obvious Final Girl will be left alone for the bulk of the film while her friends die one by one after scattering for whatever reason. But nope…” Horror Movie a Day
Buy: Amazon.co.uk
“Splintered is definitely a worthwhile experience. The acting is thoroughly professional, it’s handsomely photographed, and the story sails along at a tidy clip. So why did I feel so underwhelmed at the end? Maybe because the movie turned out more like a gothy episode of Law & Order: SVU than the mind-blowing terror that I eternally crave.” Horrific Flicks
Trailer:
