Snakes on a Plane
Posted by Matthew Alexander (matthew@filmschoolrejects.com) on August 22, 2006
Release Date: August 19, 2006
The much anticipated SoaP, or Snakes on a Plane, hit the theaters recently, led by the always popular Samuel Jackson. The months of hype ended and it was time to sample the pudding itself. SoaP obviously does not try to follow in the footsteps of Schindler’s List, but does it accomplish what it sets out to do?
The movie begins with a young man out for a motorcycle ride somewhere in Hawaii. Along the way, he witnesses a brutal execution. The executioners, of course, spot him and the chase is on. Samuel Jackson, for reasons which are never made clear, appears and saves him (I’m sure that Mr. Jackson’s character had a name, but who cares? It’s Samuel Jackson!). The young man, Sean Jones (played by Nathan Phillips), agrees to go with Mr. Jackson to Los Angeles to testify against the crime boss who ordered the execution that he witnessed. But the ordeal is just beginning. It would reveal too much to say what, but something goes terribly wrong with the trans-pacific flight to L.A.
As already stated, SoaP does not try for anything other than a fun 90 minutes or so at the theater. It attempts to be corny, to elicit laughter from its own cheesiness. It can be tricky, this endeavor to intentionally mimic what in other movies is unintentional humor, but SoaP gets the job done. It is full of silly drama, curious character motives, logistics problems, scientific errors, caricatures, impossible scenarios, stereotypes and serpents which latch onto intimate body parts.
It is vain to try and grade this movie on the same scale that is normally used. SoaP sets out to do exactly those things that would give low marks to a normal film. And yet, it knows that it must, to some extent, stick to the rules to make a coherent story in which to have fun. One must tip one’s hat to SoaP for its finding a pretty decent balance between when to be bad, and when not to be. The characters are stereotypes, but they do get our sympathy (at least when they are supposed to). The story has only charming flaws, and overall makes sense. The production values are good, and the acting is as over-the-top as it needs to be without being too ridiculous.
But at the same time, the movie is in and out of your system pretty quickly. I do not find myself yearning for another viewing. In fact, if I never saw it again I would not count myself unfortunate. And I strongly suspect that half the enjoyment came from seeing it on opening weekend with a crowd as eager for schlock as I was. When Samuel Jackson delivers his much anticipated line, you know the one, the audience itself was as much a part of the enjoyment as the line itself. A truly good movie does not require a sympathetic audience.
So, when all is said and done, SoaP is a fun time at the movies, although if you missed opening night you may have missed it at its best. It won’t mean much to movie history, but there’s something to be said for some light fun with no analysis required.
Final Grade: C+
The Upside: It’s fun, which is all it wants to be.
The Downside: The movie’s ability to entertain is largely dependent on the audience’s influence.
On the Side: The move was going to be retitled, but Samuel Jackson insisted on Snakes on a Plane, saying that the title was the very reason he signed on in the first place.
Technorati Tags: Airline, Snakes on a Plane, Review, Film, Snakes
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