Just got back from the “sneak showing” of “Snakes On A Plane” - and it was money well-spent. There were about 25 or 30 people in the audience, which for this town ain’t too bad on a Thursday night at 10:00 pm. I was the only one sporting a SoaP tee-shirt, though. This movie was EXACTLY what I expected - albeit with a little more humor. Sam Jackson was perfect as always, playing the role that he does so well - almost as if he picked up where he left off in “Deep Blue Sea,” leading people to safety in a chaotic, deadly situation. And when Jackson spoke/yelled the now-famous line, I’m very happy to report that I was not alone in clapping loudly. His delivery of certain words is almost poetic, ain’t it?The roster of air travelers, as they enter the plane, evokes two thoughts: first, you can’t help but chuckle at some of the stereotypes. The socialite (complete with tiny dog), the lady with a baby, the harried businessman, the tourist, the kids traveling alone, the celebrity, etc. Second, you immediately begin assessing each passenger’s risk of death, based on their appeal, their cuteness, their rudeness, and such. The flight crew re-introduces us to Julianna Margulies, last seen on “ER” about 10 years ago; the older, brassy stewardess who has seen it all; the very effeminate male flight attendant, who gets a big laugh (and some cheers) at the very end of the movie; and of course the pilot and co-pilot, doing their best imitations of Captain Oveur and Roger Murdock - almost literally - heh.
Which brings us to the snakes. Simply put, they are brutal. These are “snakes on crack,” so to speak, and vicious doesn’t begin to describe them. They attack everything - sometimes in a manner that makes you gag, other times in ways that make you laugh (seriously). The manner in which various passengers are “introduced” to the snakes is just horribly amazing. And I will likely never be able to pee again without thinking of that one poor passenger…There is also some action going on down on the ground, too, as Sam Jackson’s fellow FBI agents try to find a snake expert, anti-venin, and the evil snake-importer. It was also cool to see that a Treo-like device (Blackberry? Smartphone?) played a key role in the movie, used by a passenger to snap pictures of various snakes and then e-mailed to Los Angeles for identification.
Bottom line: this is very well-made “B” movie that wastes very little time with anything other than the key premise. It is critic-proof, and I hope that it does well at the box-office. My only regret: I wish that I had found this audience participation guide BEFORE I went to the movie tonight!
Oh, and one other thing: if you are afraid of snakes, DO NOT see this movie. Seriously. movies samuel l. jackson sam jackson snakes on a plane
