Snakes Alive!

Okay, I bit. I saw Snakes on a Plane. With a title that tongue-in-cheek, how could I not? I went in expecting - well, snakes on a plane. And that's exactly what I got, which is a lot more than I can say for many other, loftier movies that don't deliver on their promises.

Now, normally this isn't my kind of movie.  I'm a girl, I'm not in the 18-24 demographic, and although I love Samuel Jackson, I don't see any old movie just because he's in it. But as a screenwriter living in a high-concept world, let's just say I felt compelled.

As it turns out, I had a great time. The movie was entertaining, funny, kept up the tension throughout, and Samuel Jackson's performance was right on the money. Despite the ridiculous premise, some gaping plot holes, and a couple of really cheap shots, the chaos that ensues once the snakes are loose is utterly believable. (Except, of course, for the fact that any of the people on that plane managed to survive. And a few other silly things we'll let slide.)

Is it the kind of movie I wish I had written? No. It won't change the kinds of stories I choose to tell. But I do think it takes tremendous skill to entertain and a sense of humor to say, "Here. Snakes on a plane. Take it or leave it." We can grumble about stupidity, commercialism, opportunism, and everything that's wrong with Hollywood. But I admire the spirit in which this film was made. It was fun, pure and simple.

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