Sunday, August 27, 2006

SNAKES ON A PLANE



Written by Hombre Divertido

Snakes on a Plane is sssssenssssssational!

If the thought of people trapped on a plane with rampaging reptiles intriguesss you, and you enjoy the mindlesss bloodshed that comesss with ssslasher moviesss, or the brain candy disssaster moviesss of the ssseventiesss, than Snakes on a Plane will be the most fun you have in the theater thisss sssummer.

The ssstory is sssimple, and that is what makesss thisss film work. Sssamuel L. Jackssson plays FBI agent Neville Flynn who is tasssked with transssporting a witnesss from Hawaii to Losss Angelesss where he is ssscheduled to tessstify againssst a mobssster in a murder trial. In order to keep sssaid tessstimony from taking place, the plane is packed with ssslithering sssilencersss ssset on sssubduing the sssnitch.

Yesssss, it issss sssslow to get ssstarted, but once it doesss, it deliversss. We are treated to totally gratuitousss violence as the sssnakes attack in the most outrageousss ssscenariosss imaginable.

Add to that the classsic excitement and camp of the Airport moviesss of the ssseventiesss, including the vulnerable but resssourceful sstewardess played here by Julianna Marguliesss in a performance that would make Jacqueline Bissset (Airport) and Karen Black (Airport 1975) proud.

If all that is not enough to get your proverbial plane off the ground, than how about the comedy of David Koechner and Kenan Thompssson? Thessse two, playing the co-pilot and a passsenger ressspectively, add some classsic one-linersss that will keep you laughing when you’re not cringing and squirming.

Virtually the only assspect of this venomousss visssion that does not work is when the camera takesss the persssspective of the snake, as it is about to attack. It is clear how sssomeone thought thisss would be a good idea at the time, but the execution failsss, as the visssual effect is sssimply dissstracting.

Recommendation: There are no Academy Awardsss headed thisss way, but the wonderfulnesss of thisss film, is that it is clear that was not the intent. Thisss film is desssigned to make you sssquirm and laugh, and cringe and ssscream, and it doesss jussst that. There is no pretenssse here. Thisss is exactly what it sssaysss it is: Snakes on a Plane, and it is dessstined to be a classsic. So, pay your ten dollarsss, fasssten your ssseatbeltsss, and plant your feet firmly on the ssseat in front of you, cuz you ain’t gonna want them on the floor.