posted
Possible inconsequential spoilers ahead, if you care.
There was one guy in the audience who just didn't get it. He insisted on yelling at 2/3 of the theater to shut up. And since he was a guy from Hawaii, the "shut up" shouts eventually improved to "shaddup, haole," "you like slaps?" and "what, brah? Like take it outside?" My friends and I laughed quietly to ourselves - we speculated that he had a cousin in the movie and heard nothing else about it - as this one island boy gave the rest of us a bad name. Eventually, the manager was involved and those of us who had been yelling silently compromised with this poor unsuspecting man by only laughing uproariously. Up until the "I've had with these MFing snakes on this MFing plane!" line, anyway. Then all hell broke loose, and I think poor guy and the manager just gave up and died a little inside.
I apologize for including that little story to those of you who just won't get the jokes about the stereotypical Hawaii boy, but it was just too appropriate that it happened during Snakes on a Plane.
You see, one of the big reasons this movie worked (and it did work) is that none of the characters are overly aware of their surroundings. They have no idea that they're living through a B-movie. This may not seem like a stellar filmmaking accomplishment, but given the huge internet buzz and especially the fan-driven reshoots, it could have been all too easy for the director, or the producer, or even Samuel L to throw in Mel Brooks-style jokes about the movie. The premise of the movie is so ridiculous and entertaining, that it actually required seriousness in the actors to make it work.
There were serious questions in my mind before I saw this movie about whether or not Snakes on a Plane would be able to walk the line between boring and ludicrous. But the filmmakers pulled off a highwire act here.
And obviously, a participating audience helps too. If the people watching the movie with you can't see the humor in a snake dropping half way out of the ceiling and biting a woman on the tongue when she screams, then you're in the wrong theater. In fact, if the idea of the writers sitting around coming up with a list of the top-ten worst places to be bitten by a snake doesn't even elicit a chuckle, better to not even waste your time.
On the other hand, if you're willing to sing out "product placement!" every time they plug Red Bull or the Playstation, or if you think gratuitous profanity is hilarious, or if the idea of yelling something like "OOHHsnakesonaplane!" when someone is bit in a particularly painful area appeals to your inner child, then see this movie.
Rating, in terms of artistic ambition and realization: 2/10.
Rating, in terms of living up to the hype: 9.5/10.
posted
I do not think I am a member of the target audience for this movie. Every time I learn more about it, I have less desire to see it than I had before.
Including this review.
Posts: 16551 | Registered: Feb 2003
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I was surprised by the number of gross-out scenes. Without ruining anything, I'll just say that if you think of some of the most painful and uncomfortable things a snake might do to you, pretty much every one of those is in the movie.
Posts: 3950 | Registered: Mar 2006
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posted
I actually am starting to want to see it, now that everyone is saying it's lived up to the hype. The only problem is that I don't tend to enjoy gross-out scenes, so I'm not sure I'd enjoy the movie. Oh well. We'll see how bored I get.
Posts: 2827 | Registered: Jul 2005
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posted
I was skeptical until it was confirmed that they went all-out with the stupidity. I am obsessed with James Bond films for the same reason... they are so ridiculous, but made as if they had no idea of this when they fully well do!
Posts: 3636 | Registered: Oct 2001
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posted
Best movie I've seen in a long time. I want to see it again, now. I was just so impressed that they managed to fit some nudity in there, and the unfortunate turn that took... it just took my breath away.
Posts: 2596 | Registered: Jan 2006
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I want to see it, but I want to make sure that I get the full experience, and see it with a good audience. Any suggestions as to what time I should go, or where? (I'm in Toronto by the way)
Posts: 441 | Registered: Jun 2005
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posted
My only concern is that, if this becomes a big hit, the studios will start cranking out other intentionally-stupid low-budget action films to cash in on the concept and we'll have to deal with all manner of crappy movies for several years.
Posts: 4753 | Registered: May 2002
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posted
Eh, it's box office was very average, Primal.
Despite the humor and hype, it made and estimated 15.3 million over the weekend (including the Thursday advance screenings) slightly lower that Red Eye did last year, but respectable enough for an R-rated horror flick.
So, it'll probably be a success, but nothing world-shaking or trend-inducing. Posts: 6689 | Registered: Jan 2005
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quote:Originally posted by Primal Curve: My only concern is that, if this becomes a big hit, the studios will start cranking out other intentionally-stupid low-budget action films to cash in on the concept and we'll have to deal with all manner of crappy movies for several years.
So there's still hope for my "Pigeons On a Blimp" movie concept? Sweet!
Posts: 3486 | Registered: Sep 2002
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quote:Originally posted by Primal Curve: My only concern is that, if this becomes a big hit, the studios will start cranking out other intentionally-stupid low-budget action films to cash in on the concept and we'll have to deal with all manner of crappy movies for several years.
Reminds me of when Jaws came out. Jaws was amazing, but after that TONS and TONS of monster's hunting humans and humans hunting monster movies came out.
Posts: 14316 | Registered: Jul 2005
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posted
Not to mention The Matrix, Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, Whatever Started the Children's Fantasy Book Movies Trend (it's hard to believe it was Sorcerer's Stone but it just might be), and tons more I'm not thinking of.
Way later edit: Oh yeah, and whatever started superhero movies... Spiderman or X-Men maybe?
posted
Well, really...so far, the box office has been pretty average for a summer suspense/horror flick.
Posts: 6689 | Registered: Jan 2005
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quote:Originally posted by Primal Curve: My only concern is that, if this becomes a big hit, the studios will start cranking out other intentionally-stupid low-budget action films to cash in on the concept and we'll have to deal with all manner of crappy movies for several years.
Adding to what others said, the hype for this movie was happenstance. Sam Jackson I'd say was responsible for getting it off the ground with his role in making them change the title back, and just with who he is. The internet buzz, totally uncontrolled by New Line, it was made it so popular. But $15 million dollars isn't exactly a great follow through considering the level of the hype that went with this movie, and even execs at New Line said that concerned them.
I don't think many companies are going to be willing to shell out $30 million dollars en masse, to make movies that may or may not get picked up by the wholly unpredictable internet underground, so that they MIGHT make $15 million in their opening weekend. I think they'd be silly if they did.
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posted
You know I wouldn't at all be surprised if it came out later that this "uncontrolled" internet buzz was actually a skillfully planned experiment in viral marketing...
Posts: 441 | Registered: Jun 2005
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quote:Originally posted by Lyrhawn: Adding to what others said, the hype for this movie was happenstance. Sam Jackson I'd say was responsible for getting it off the ground with his role in making them change the title back, and just with who he is. The internet buzz, totally uncontrolled by New Line, it was made it so popular. But $15 million dollars isn't exactly a great follow through considering the level of the hype that went with this movie, and even execs at New Line said that concerned them.
I don't think many companies are going to be willing to shell out $30 million dollars en masse, to make movies that may or may not get picked up by the wholly unpredictable internet underground, so that they MIGHT make $15 million in their opening weekend. I think they'd be silly if they did.
They shelled out $30 million dollars to make the movie before there was even a hint of the current hype. They started out making crap, but wound up turning the crap around. Don't tell me that hollywood isn't going to try for a repeat.
Posts: 4753 | Registered: May 2002
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posted
Primal, 30 million dollars is fairly typical for a summer popcorn flick that includes a star with opening power. Samuel L. Jackson is the sort of guy who can guarantee filled seats of a certain audience...mostly the males in their mid 20s audience.
Really, other than the internet hype and media buzz inflating expectations, this was pretty much like any other late summer flick in terms of cost. Hollywood made such pictures long before SoaP, and they'd make more with or without it. Posts: 6689 | Registered: Jan 2005
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posted
I haven't been able to arrange the right group to go see this with, but when I do, maybe this Wednesday, I'm going to make it miserable for anyone in the audience that wants to see this movie at base level, although anyone who wants to see this movie at base level probably deserves to be miserable.
I wonder how illegal it would be to release non-poisonous snakes into a movie theatre…
Posts: 959 | Registered: Oct 2005
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quote:Originally posted by Angiomorphism: You know I wouldn't at all be surprised if it came out later that this "uncontrolled" internet buzz was actually a skillfully planned experiment in viral marketing...
It's possible, and it's been done before, though in the past it was less shrewd. Viral marketing for stuff is all over the place.
posted
I think the internet buzz started up on its own, but the studio noticed it early enough to encourage it. They invited webcartoonist Jeff Rowland to be on a panel with Samuel L Jackson, used his "snakes flying a plane" tshirt design in the music video tie-in, and setup an internet page where you could have a recording of Jackson call your friends to tell them to see the movie.
Smart of them to pick up on it, but I don't think they started the buzz.
quote:Originally posted by Dan_raven: Rabid Bats at Wal-Mart.
-pH
Wal-Mart would never go for it...or if they did, the gory parts would be edited out before they sold the DVD.
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Also, I was thinking of a really BIG handglider. And the hyenas would fly out of the sky and...snatch children...or something.
Posts: 2907 | Registered: Nov 2005
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posted
I haven't seen the movie, but the thread's title has me confused. Who was being assasinated? Samuel Jackson's career?
Posts: 11895 | Registered: Apr 2002
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posted
The snakes were put on the plane to take out a witness being moved from Hawaii to LA for a murder case.
Maybe "assassination" is the wrong word. I'm rather unclear on how important the person has to be for it to qualify.
Posts: 2907 | Registered: Nov 2005
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posted
This movie was everything I hoped it would be, which is saying a lot, 'cause I was expecting a lot (read: a lot of crap, but completely entertaining crap), and I can't wait to see it again. Definitely one of the best audiences I've been in at a movie theatre. (Everyone shouted along with the infamous line. You just knew exactly when it was coming. It was great.)
Posts: 1225 | Registered: Feb 2002
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quote:Originally posted by mr_porteiro_head: I do not think I am a member of the target audience for this movie. Every time I learn more about it, I have less desire to see it than I had before.
quote:Originally posted by mr_porteiro_head: I do not think I am a member of the target audience for this movie. Every time I learn more about it, I have less desire to see it than I had before.
posted
This movie was snaketastic. I might even go as far as to say it was snaketacular. It actually delivered on the hype.
It also changed my life, as well as that of a friend who saw it with me. He's now planning on becoming a hardcore snake expert and I'm going to become an illegal snake smuggler, hoping the only one big enough to get enough snakes to fill an entire plane.
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This whole thing (the months of lead up being the best part) was quite possibly the most entertainment I've gotten out of a movie in my entire life.
I even made money off of it. We had bets on how long into the movie the plane would take off, when the first human would see a snake (and then get killed by that snake), when the first pilot would get bitten, when Samuel Jackson would kill his first snake, and when he would say the line we were all waiting for. I got two, one of them bang on, and I was seconds off on two more.
So thank you Snakes on a Plane. And I'll see you again this weekend.
Posts: 10177 | Registered: Apr 2001
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