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Snake Island
DVD/APPROX. 98 MINS/2002/USA R18+
DVD/APPROX. 98 MINS/2002/USA R18+
“Believe it or not, I’m walking on air…” Snake Island stars that greatest of American heroes, William Katt. Unfortunately, Will forgot his special red
suit so is vulnerable to things like highly poisonous reptiles. That’s unfortunate because he’s decided to go to a place called Snake Island to do
some research. Katt is playing Peter Benchly. He’s not named Peter Benchley, but he wrote a book called Man Eater which appears to have done
for sharks in Snake Island world what Jaws did in the real one. Katt’s on an African tour boat, but when the boat reaches his destination (Snake
Island, remember) a cobra unexpectedly gets on board and tries to eat one of the other passenger’s video camera. Actually, the photographer’s
POV of the snake striking the camera is well done, but I find it hard to accept that anyone would continue to film as a snake attacked. Anyway,
taking charge of the situation, Katt goes after the snake and ultimately breaks the boat’s gas tank, which means EVERYONE is stuck on Snake
Island. The professional tour people let everyone wander about, despite there being three snake encounters in under 30 minutes, and the
revelation that one of the island’s employees has died from a snake bite and left the island short staffed. Of course, the people end up fighting for
their lives. Wouldn’t be much of a movie if they just kinda had a camp out on the isle.
If you make it past the incredibly cheap looking titles, you might be surprised by the relative quality of Snake Island, or the first half of it, anyway.
Maybe it was just because I expected absolute crap, but I thought the movie had some merit. The dialog wasn’t too bad, and even had moments
of cleverness. The snakes were well shot, including the best snake in a corpses mouth since Sleepaway Camp, and there’s one snake encounter
(or a faux encounter made to scare the viewer) after another. Literally, the movie does not let up, and remains surprisingly competent for roughly
50% of the run time, with most of the snake stuff well done. At about half way through, though, someone thought it would be a good idea to get
incredibly stupid.
As if a cue has been struck where everyone behind and in front of the camera loses plentiful brain cells, the story has a party set up for the night
everyone has to spend on the island. During the party, a woman gets scared. Is it a snake? No. Is it something that looks dangerous? Well,
maybe…if an opening tray on a CD player is something you consider lethal. She gets so scared she has to dance topless in front of everyone. One
of the guides and Katt join in the topless fest. Then another girl wanders off with a guide and gets naked. That’s ? of the female cast in a few
minutes of screen time. The previously well done snake effects depart and we’re stuck with snakes sashaying to the music with their tongues
hanging out, dozens of rubber snakes attacking a guy at once, a bitten woman running around in a clear shower curtain, and a flimsy evolutionary
explanation for the snakes abnormal aggression. The movie turns bizarrely gratuitous and gets over the top, and the change in tone greatly
reduces the tension of later serpent attacks. The movie just never recovers from this little detour into the completely inane. Not that it’s not
FUNNY, but before it had more going for it than the utter cheese factor.
The movie winds up with a bizarre climax that leaves the characters splitting up and Katt unable to shoot a snake at point blank range. Katt’s
character’s fate is a bit confusing, but there are some good effects involving snakes getting shot and blowin’ up real good. Turn off the movie
before the horrid CG winking book jacket, and you might not hate it.
The DVD presents the film at 1.33:1. The movie looked weird, with an almost video quality, but I was unable to find out what film stock it used.
Maybe it’s film-looked. The one bonus is the trailer. Yay.
suit so is vulnerable to things like highly poisonous reptiles. That’s unfortunate because he’s decided to go to a place called Snake Island to do
some research. Katt is playing Peter Benchly. He’s not named Peter Benchley, but he wrote a book called Man Eater which appears to have done
for sharks in Snake Island world what Jaws did in the real one. Katt’s on an African tour boat, but when the boat reaches his destination (Snake
Island, remember) a cobra unexpectedly gets on board and tries to eat one of the other passenger’s video camera. Actually, the photographer’s
POV of the snake striking the camera is well done, but I find it hard to accept that anyone would continue to film as a snake attacked. Anyway,
taking charge of the situation, Katt goes after the snake and ultimately breaks the boat’s gas tank, which means EVERYONE is stuck on Snake
Island. The professional tour people let everyone wander about, despite there being three snake encounters in under 30 minutes, and the
revelation that one of the island’s employees has died from a snake bite and left the island short staffed. Of course, the people end up fighting for
their lives. Wouldn’t be much of a movie if they just kinda had a camp out on the isle.
If you make it past the incredibly cheap looking titles, you might be surprised by the relative quality of Snake Island, or the first half of it, anyway.
Maybe it was just because I expected absolute crap, but I thought the movie had some merit. The dialog wasn’t too bad, and even had moments
of cleverness. The snakes were well shot, including the best snake in a corpses mouth since Sleepaway Camp, and there’s one snake encounter
(or a faux encounter made to scare the viewer) after another. Literally, the movie does not let up, and remains surprisingly competent for roughly
50% of the run time, with most of the snake stuff well done. At about half way through, though, someone thought it would be a good idea to get
incredibly stupid.
As if a cue has been struck where everyone behind and in front of the camera loses plentiful brain cells, the story has a party set up for the night
everyone has to spend on the island. During the party, a woman gets scared. Is it a snake? No. Is it something that looks dangerous? Well,
maybe…if an opening tray on a CD player is something you consider lethal. She gets so scared she has to dance topless in front of everyone. One
of the guides and Katt join in the topless fest. Then another girl wanders off with a guide and gets naked. That’s ? of the female cast in a few
minutes of screen time. The previously well done snake effects depart and we’re stuck with snakes sashaying to the music with their tongues
hanging out, dozens of rubber snakes attacking a guy at once, a bitten woman running around in a clear shower curtain, and a flimsy evolutionary
explanation for the snakes abnormal aggression. The movie turns bizarrely gratuitous and gets over the top, and the change in tone greatly
reduces the tension of later serpent attacks. The movie just never recovers from this little detour into the completely inane. Not that it’s not
FUNNY, but before it had more going for it than the utter cheese factor.
The movie winds up with a bizarre climax that leaves the characters splitting up and Katt unable to shoot a snake at point blank range. Katt’s
character’s fate is a bit confusing, but there are some good effects involving snakes getting shot and blowin’ up real good. Turn off the movie
before the horrid CG winking book jacket, and you might not hate it.
The DVD presents the film at 1.33:1. The movie looked weird, with an almost video quality, but I was unable to find out what film stock it used.
Maybe it’s film-looked. The one bonus is the trailer. Yay.
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