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The Reel Deal
 ‘Snakes’ is ‘plane’ fun
By Monique Bos Published: Friday, August 25, 2006 Imagine that you’re enjoying a Pacific Air flight from Honolulu to Los Angeles … then the plane experiences sudden, violent turbulence … then the oxygen masks are released for no apparent reason … and along with the masks, venomous snakes set to fasten their jaws on anything that moves come tumbling down. This is the scenario that confronts passengers in the film “Snakes on a Plane,” which garnered a cult following on the Internet well before its release. Sean (Nathan Phillips), an average guy who likes to ride his motorbike and surf, accidentally witnesses a brutal killing by notorious gangster Eddie Kim (Byron Lawson). Kim’s thugs track him down, but FBI agent Neville Flynn (Samuel L. Jackson) arrives in time to save the day. Flynn convinces Jones to testify at Kim’s trial in Los Angeles, and the agent requisitions the entire first-class section of Pacific Air Flight 121 to transport his star witness. In the meantime, Kim’s henchmen discover that Flynn and Jones are on the plane. Having determined that there’s no other way to kill Jones before he can testify, they load the cargo bay with crates of pheromone-titillated venomous snakes, timed to release halfway through the flight. That, and the ensuing chaos, is pretty much the plot, and it’s as full of holes as a pair of fishnet stockings. But then, I doubt anyone goes to see a film like “Snakes on a Plane” for the plot. What makes the film work — and by work, I mean that it’s hilarious, ludicrous and insane — is its essential absurdity and the fact that director David Ellis makes so much of that absurdity. The cast of characters includes flight attendants Claire (Julianna Margulies), who’s on her last trip before she begins work as a lawyer, and Tiffany (Sunny Mabrey), blond and flirtatious; a spoiled rich girl, Mercedes (Rachel Blanchard), and her irritating Chihuahua, Mary Kate (I’m sure no resemblance to other spoiled rich girls with Chihuahuas is intended); rapper Three G’s (Flex Alexander) and his two quirky bodyguards, Ken (Bruce James) and video game aficionado Troy (Kenan Thompson); and a slew of others whom audiences can love, or at least love to hate. The snake attacks are campy and over-the-top, and obvious CG effects distort any element of realism, so even viewers who are afraid of snakes shouldn’t find much to fuel their fears. Reptile-savvy viewers might also notice that many of the so-called venomous serpents actually are harmless breeds, and the evil monster constrictor with venomous fangs doesn’t, as far as I know, resemble any actual species of snake. The script by John Heffernan, Sebastian Gutierrez and David Dallesandro is packed with one-liners destined to become classics (“Time is tissue!”, “It’s my job to handle life and death situations on a daily basis!”, “Well, that’s good news—snakes on crack”). Not everyone likes “Snakes on a Plane.” Critics and viewers seem to be divided; some don’t think it lives up to the hype. There are moments when the film does take itself too seriously or move too slowly. However, the camp, the fun and the all-out craziness more than compensate; my friend and I shrieked with laughter the entire time. Also well worth watching is the “Snakes on a Plane (Bring It!)” video by Cobra Starship, which plays during the film’s closing credits. It’s a hilarious flashback to the worst videos of the 1980s and a fitting close to the funniest film to come along in months. Friday, August 25, 2006 - ‘Snakes’ is ‘plane’ fun
Imagine that you’re enjoying a Pacific Air flight from Honolulu to Los Angeles … then the plane experiences sudden, violent turbulence … then the oxygen masks are released for no apparent reason … and along with the masks, venomous snakes set to fasten their jaws on anything that moves come tumbling down. Friday, August 25, 2006 - Double dose of creature features For some reason I don’t understand, critics seem to love “The Descent,” the British film by writer and director Neil Marshall about a group of six women trapped in a monster-infested cave. Friday, August 4, 2006 - ‘Lady’ drowns in mediocrity Even though writer/director M. Night Shyamalan fell from grace in the eyes of most of the moviegoing public in his efforts following the wild success of his thriller “The Sixth Sense,” I have always supported him. Friday, July 28, 2006 - Classic film still causes chills There are a couple of horror movies that give me chills every time I watch them. Friday, June 30, 2006 - ‘Lake House’ implausible but entertaining Sandra Bullock and Keanu Reeves meet onscreen again in a paranormal love story of time and timing. |