A couple, Seth and Polly (Jill Wagner of BLADE: THE SERIES), decide to go camping but pack it in once their tent erection goes awry. As they are driving to a motel, they decide to stop for a woman who appears to need help. She doesn't-- and her boyfriend, Dennis is quickly at the car window waving a gun. Seth and Polly are taken hostage until they run over some type of animal, which flattens one of the tires. Seth has no idea how to change a flat so Dennis has the honors, though he gets a splinter in his finger from removing the blown out tire. You see, the dog they ran over is contaminated by this
spike-like growth and now it's in Dennis.
They go to a nearby gas station but the gas station attendant is nowhere to be found , so Dennis decides to help himself to the cash register, while his girlfriend goes to the restroom. She finds the gas station attendant, only dead-looking and with these spikes protruding all over him. She's the first to die-- and the three others manage to get inside and lock the doors. But how long will they be able to keep the creature(s) out before it gets to them?
Not only is this movie non-stop, with plenty of action and some excellent special effects, it has some interesting character development. Although parts reminded me of THE THING, EVIL DEAD, THE BLOB and NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD, the movie very much has it's own unique monster. Hands down, SPLINTER is one of the best horror movies of 2008. See this movie.