Splinter
A stranded couple and two desperate criminals barricade themselves in a rural gas station against a vicious parasite that turns its victims into monstrous hosts.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Graphic
- tense
- visceral
- darkly humorous
- halloween night
- late night horror marathon
What critics said
Critics generally found it to be a brisk, entertaining creature thriller with effective scares, practical effects, humor, and solid ensemble performances, though some felt the premise and feature-length pacing were thin.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
The survivors become trapped in a gas station while infected victims and the splinter organism threaten them from outside and within.
The splinter parasite produces grotesque infected bodies and a memorable arm-removal sequence supported by award-winning makeup and special effects.
The alien splinter organism infects people, animates victims, and forces the characters to respond intelligently to changing biological danger.
Polly, Seth, Lacey, and Dennis must navigate their hostility and mistrust while confronting the parasite together.
Films like Splinter, and why
The Thing
Shares fast-paced creature horror, isolated rural settings, practical effects, and dark humor.
The Faculty
Combines trapped-group survival horror, infection anxiety, practical gore, and escalating paranoia.
The Mist
Offers lean creature-feature suspense, claustrophobic confinement, and resourceful characters confronting an invasive organism.
28 Days Later
Blends zombie-adjacent infection horror with an ensemble under siege and a brisk, knowingly entertaining tone.
Movie Details
- Director
- Toby Wilkins
- Release Date
- 2008-10-31
- Runtime
- 82 min
- Rating
- 6.2 / 10 (845)
Cast
- Jill Wagner
- Charles Baker
- Rachel Kerbs
- Paulo Costanzo
- Shea Whigham
- Laurel Whitsett
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Philo, Magnolia Selects Amazon Channel, Monsters and Nightmares Amazon Channel
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, FlixFling
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, FlixFling
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Splinter about?
- A stranded couple and two desperate criminals barricade themselves in a rural gas station against a vicious parasite that turns its victims into monstrous hosts.
- What is Splinter like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Splinter as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Splinter violent?
- Yes. Ember rates the violence in Splinter as graphic.
- What did critics think of Splinter?
- Critics generally found it to be a brisk, entertaining creature thriller with effective scares, practical effects, humor, and solid ensemble performances, though some felt the premise and feature-length pacing were thin.
- Which films are like Splinter?
- Films with a similar feel include The Thing, The Faculty, The Mist, and 28 Days Later.
- How long is Splinter?
- Splinter runs 82 minutes.
- Where can I watch Splinter?
- In United States, Splinter streams on Philo, Magnolia Selects Amazon Channel, Monsters and Nightmares Amazon Channel.
