The Rant - Snakes on a Plane

There were Mutha F'N Snakes on that Mother F'N Plane!!!

I just got back from tonight's late night showing from Snakes on a Plane. I wasn't able to put up my pre-movie rant, it's alL good though, here were my expectations going into the movie: snakes, a plane, and Samuel L Jackson.

Snakes on a Plane delivers that and so much more. As usual, I'll try to stay away from spoilers and just leave you with some impressions.

Of course, with a first showing the crowd is going to be anxious and enthusiastic and very accepting. Still, I was worried that the hype was overblown and this would turn into a big crapfest. The first 10 minutes or so the audience was laughing at just about every line of dialogue. It immediately sent the message that this movie is f'n ours. The next hour and a half were an absolute blast.

The perceived idea that the creators of S.O.A.P would embrace the schlock and run with it materializes and it works. This movie could have been like every terrible 80's action movie, but with the conscious choice to play the movie for laughs and celebrate the idiocy of the premise, it turns into gold.

All the characters are picked out of the random cliche generator and it's entertainingly bizarre to see Keenan from Goodburger, Dick from Hi-Fidelity, and Cher from the TV version of Clueless all in the same movie

Champ Kind is my Co-Pilot

I was shocked as hell to see Juliana Marguiles in this type of role, but she's awesome. Her years on E.R. really let her become the figure that grounds the movie when it needs to be grounded.

Samuel L. Jackson is the only actor who could have pulled this movie off. He can switch from "ultracool" to "tongue-in-cheek" at the flip of a taser...and yes, he does say the line and yes, the crowd went apeshit.

Seriously, if you are involved with a significant other who huffs and puffs about how stupid the movie looks, leave them at home. You'll have more fun by yourself.

There were so many nice little details in the set design, costuming, and dialogue that made this movie the ultimate cheesefest. There's enough subtle, intentional camp to transform any
unintentional comedy(bad filmmaking) in the movie into genuine laughs. What I thought worked best about S.O.A.P. was that the movie is self-aware of how dumb it is, but it doesn't feel the need to wink at you.

SOAP is the movie equivalent of those wooden statues of the guy with the barrel, whose giant wang flips out when you lift the barrel up. Unbelievably tacky, but you can't help but laugh. If you can't have fun at Snakes on a Plane, I have pity on your soul.

There was a standing ovation at the end of the movie...to whom in particular I don't know. I guess everyone who has adopted and nurtured what should have been box office poison should take a bow. You have now created lightning that Hollywood is going spend years trying to bottle again.

The only thing that can top this is More Snakes on Another Plane.

Tags: The Rant, Movies