Where to watch Split Second
1 Star
Ever since Spielberg kept the shark from the first hour of Jaws filmmakers have used this tactic to their advantage. At some point they are forced to show their hand and finally reveal the creature. Split Second holds out for so long that when the beast makes it full appearance, it’s a major let-down because we’ve lost all interest in the film. This shoddy little sci-fi action picture is hard to follow and the visuals are just as murky as the narrative.
In the future of 2008, London is partially submerged in water due to flooding from global warming. This has caused the rodent population to soar. Rats have become such a public nuisance that they are feared and hunted. Cop Harley Stone (Rutger Hauer) lost his partner to a ravenous beast that feasts on human hearts. Now, it’s after Stone’s girlfriend Michelle (Kim Cattrall). As the hunt for the creature intensifies Harley must track the killer to its lair and stop the over-grown rat-man.
The creature design looks to have copied the Venomn look from the Spiderman comic books. It’s an effective antagonist, but the monster is barely seen until, literally, the last ten minutes of the movie. Hauer looks irritable and fleshy. By now I’m sure he could’ve done this type of role while still asleep. Split Second has the goods, but the mixture is off, resulting in an uneven and confused viewing experience.
Directors: Tony Maylam, Ian Sharp
Stars: Rutger Hauer, Kim Cattrall, Neil Duncan