The top 10 most watched films on streaming services are typically dominated by new releases: currently on Max, "Dune: Part 2" and "Am I OK"

Currently holding the #9 spot is a film you may not have heard of called "Splice This 2009 horror film was a box office dud, failing to recoup its $30 million budget and ultimately making little impact on the genre However, the film's sudden revival at the Max was not unearned

Indeed, this sci-fi-flavored chiller from director Vincenzo Natali (who later made "In the Tall Grass" for Netflix and directed the '90s cult favorite "Cube") is a surprisingly entertaining blend of creepy scares and an engaging premise Here are the details you should know if you're considering streaming this film

"Splice" weaves a compelling tale that cautions against the dangers of humanity's attempts to play God, featuring two young scientists (Adrien Brody and Sarah Polley) who are trying to make a name for themselves by splicing together animal DNA to create hybrid organisms for medical purposes They are

When their employer demands that they stop their research, the hubristic duo decides to continue their experiments in secret and, without corporate ties, add a new element to their genetic engineering concoction: human DNA

The result is a groundbreaking hybrid that matures at an unprecedented rate and possesses both human and animal qualities Scientists name this hybrid Dren and initially marvel at its breakthrough, but soon begin to fear their creation as it acquires new abilities at a rapid rate and becomes increasingly violent

The early 2010s were not a vintage time for low effort films in the horror genre, but "Splice" bucked the trend to some extent It held a solid, but not spectacular, score of 75% on the review aggregator site Rotten Tomatoes and earned the Certified Fresh seal

Writing for Empire magazine, Kim Newman wrote, "'Splice' doesn't go the full distance, but this is a perfectly respectable, refreshingly adult science fiction film"

Time Out's Nigel Floyd described the film as "Cronenbergian" in reference to its clear inspiration from the work of body horror expert David Cronenberg, but "Splice" never reaches the same heights as the acclaimed director's best work He noted that it never will Michael Ordonia of the Los Angeles Times wrote, "'Splice' is a hybrid work It's a smart, deftly paced, well-made sci-fi cautionary tale, a horror film, and a psychological drama

Not all critics were impressed, however Washington Post reporter Anne Hornaday was very underwhelmed by the film Hornaday gave it zero stars in her review, saying, "This sci-fi horror film adorns its B-movie roughness with glossy production values and two classy stars"

It should also be noted that the film has a rather abysmal audience score of 37% on Rotten Tomatoes Many viewers were very unhappy with the controversial third act scene, which I won't spoil Nevertheless, I thought it was intentionally disturbing and not a deal-breaker However, your tastes may differ

If you're looking for a unique sci-fi horror film, "Splice" is the perfect one Its premise is fascinating and touches on some interesting philosophical questions (though it doesn't even attempt to answer those questions) It's not a masterpiece, nor is it one of my favorite horror films of all time It is, however, a very worthwhile work

"Splice" is good enough to be memorable and you won't soon forget that scene If you subscribe to Max, it's worth watching if you've already seen all the new movies on the service

If you're not convinced by "Splice" or want to see a film that has received universally positive reviews, check out all of the current Max Top 10 films