Snakes On A Plane

It would be remiss for Snakes On A Plane come and go without at least one of us here at TMBC reviewing it, and I, Your Racist Friend, have come through. The first thing I remember hearing about the film was an article in Entertainment Weekly that all but begged Sam Jackson not to do the film. At the time, that seemed like sensible advice, but my thinking on Mr. Jackson's decision has come full circle now that I have actually seen the film.
New Line Cinema bills SOAP as a "high-concept action thriller." This is complete and utter bull. The film is nothing more, and nothing less, than a tongue-in-cheek spoof of of those old "animal disaster" flicks from the 70s (Frogs, The Swarm) and cheesy 80s action movies, which forgoes the chainsaw-through-Jell-0 approach of movies like The Naked Gun and Scary Movie. But is it any good? It really shouldn't be, but somewhere along the way, SOAP became a movie much sharper and more deliberate than anything anybody was expecting, the massive internet buzz and hype aside.
SOAP is the story of Sean (Nathan Phillips), a slightly dim surfer dude who just happens to be in the wrong place at the wrong time and witnesses a murder. Assassins are dispatched to take care of him, and he is rescued by Agent Neville Flynn (Samuel L Jackson), who convinces him to testify. The criminal in question, Eddie Kim (Byron Lawson) can't get to him to silence him.....or can he? Kim enacts a wild, desperate plan to get to Sean: planting snakes on the plane, hidden in the cargo among packages of flowers, to be driven berzerk by time-released pherenomes also sprayed on leis worn by the passengers. Yes, it's ridiculous, I know. But can you name ONE film that has done this before? While similar to films such as Lake Placid and Anaconda, SOAP has a little bit more going for it in the script department. As ridiculous as it is, it is structured very classically, and poses interesting questions. It's an exploitation film, constructed in a way that Robert McKee would approve of.
I used the word "deliberate" earlier, and that word flashed through my mind a lot when I watched the film. There is no stunt casting, everybody is placed for maximum effect. Sam Jackson as the hard-boiled agent. Julianna Margulies as the flight attendant who finds herself in the middle of the crisis. Lin Shaye as the veteran stewardess. David Koechner as the tough as nails, slightly lecherous co-pilot. Bruce James as the effeminate male flight attendant. Flex Alexander as the germophobe rap star. Kenan Thompson as the assistant to aforementioned rap star with a secret that could save the passengers of the plane. Nothing in the film has an effect that is accidental, and there is a lot of comedy. So the film is an explotation/comedy/horror/thriller.
I saw SOAP at Boston Common, opening night, to a PACKED house. The audience was very, very into it. Lots of applause, cheering, standing ovations. I have to say, I've been to some really neat special screenings. LOTR Trilogy Tuesday. One of the coveted advance screenings of Serenity. I have maybe never seen an audience so hyper, as the cop hanging off to the left with the concerned expression could probably attest.
I've talked about the good, now let me address the bad about SOAP. It's not a film that you can watch by yourself, and have a lot of fun with. It's probably best viewed with at least 6 people, and plenty to drink. I'm not saying that you have to get inebriated to truly enjoy this film, but it might not hurt.
Funny? Violent? Tugs at our heartstrings a tiny little bit? Interesting deaths/maimings? Wackiness? Snakes On A Plane has all of the above, in a neatly wrapped, smart little package. I give SOAP a 12 on the 22 scale. So go see it, and bring as many of your friends as you
can.

Revisions FROM THE FUTURE!!!!!!

Time has not been kind to SOAP. While it is a good-ish bad movie, it's pretty calculated, and that hurts it. I re-grade thee 6 out of 22, SOAP.

Memorable Quotes: "Well, that's good news.....snakes on crack."
"Sporks?"
"Somebody get this $&%^in' snake off my @ss!"
"Don't you think I've already exhausted every option? HE SAW ME!"


Your Racist Friend's latest contribution to TMBC was brought to you by the sounds of It's Alive, The Ramones' classic live record!