Venomous

As you might be able to tell from my nickname, I am a snake NUT. So, viewing this movie was essential for me, no matter what the quality of the film was SUPPOSED to be. Going in with my eyes wide open, I was aware immediately of two things: 1. The movie is VERY low budget, and 2. The effects were, for the most part, very realistic.

While I can't say that the movie fails to entertain, it does have problems. The acting is average at best, the plot is predictable, and the style of filming is very much like a made-for-TV movie. Think of a Stephen King ABC Mini-Series, and that sums up the film's style.

That said, what the movie does right also impressive. There is no computer animation, and at no point do any of the slithering baddies of the film do anything "supernatural". The reptile action is very plausible, a refreshing change from other recent pictures like "Anaconda" and "Python". What the film also does right is not take itself too seriously. There is not a lot of over-acting, and no character in the film seems beyond belief. One thing I also appreciated was the fact that the snakes are treated as a menace, but not as villains.

Where "Venomous" fails most notably is its lack of ability to build suspense. There is one particular scene that stands out among the rest, but aside from that golden moment, little else is particularly chilling.

I have read reviews of this film that call it a copy of "Outbreak". While there are several similar elements, "Venomous" does stand well on its own. The running time is nearly an hour shorter between these two movies, and "Venomous" does a good job of character development. It also focuses more on the carriers of the virus than the virus itself.

"Venomous" also relies on stock footage more than once, perhaps to keep the overall budget down. I will be general here not to spoil any of the film's moments: There is one crash scene where the vehicle crashing is TOTALLY different from the one in the previous shot. Watch for it with your remote in hand, it is amusing that the film makers thought no one would notice.

My overall opinion? Rent before you buy, and only buy if you really like snakes.

After a strange series of attacks, a small-town doctor and his staff find that a military cover-up involving a deadly virus transmitted through venomous snake bites released by a terrorist attack and disturbed by seismic activity forcing them to come together to stop them.

This here was a decent if decidedly unimpressive offering. Among the few positives here is the fact that there are quite a few scenes with the snakes here that really plays up the advantage of using the real animals. The fact that the scenes involving them are quite fun, from the first scenes of them biting on the civilians and the outbreak that causes the different quick-shot attacks that are carried out in the houses around town which are quite nicely handled in instigating their need for the quarantine. There's a great deal of these scenes that work throughout here due to the others carrying out the need for the real-sized snakes which has the nice lead-in to the different action scenes in the finale where there are all sorts of big fun to be had with the military ambush tactics and the big ambushes trying to get their plan under control. However, this is all that really works here since this one doesn't really have a whole lot to really enjoy and has a ton of flaws. Among the biggest ones is the fact that there's just not a whole lot the film can do with the rating featured here as it really neuters the possibilities for action within here. There's not a whole lot of vicious or graphic kills throughout here and the most blood shown is in a series of test-tube vials so it really leaves a lot of chances of to the sidelines which makes it feel rather weak. There's also the films' incredibly weak and obvious low-budget tone here which comes off quite apparent in the final half but is still a big deal throughout here, giving this one the kind of weak-toned and out of control with how it carries out these elements. Along with a distinct lack of action and confined sets, the film's biggest action scenes here are all stock footage scenes taken from other movies that includes several car chases taken to escape from the authorities and to later escape from the confined area and it containing action scenes and explosions taken from other films that really seems obvious with the change in audio and video quality during these scenes that highlights the pilfering. The film's last flaw is the fact that the actions could've been avoided had the nonsensical cover-up never occurred as everything that happens from the outbreak of the virus to the town quarantine and the snakes getting loose is due to their cover-up of the tests and the snakes being there. These here really hold this down.

Rated PG-13: Violence, Language and scenes involving strong suggested child violence.

I like Treat Williams, I think he's always been a very underrated actor relegated to a b-movie career. Alas this film is a prime example.

All about an outbreak of a virus spread by rattlesnakes and a crack medical team trying to contain it.

But you know the drill, they aren't just up against the snakes no no they also battle the evil government who want to handle the situation differently which would result in a larger loss of life.

Predictable stuff, you'll have seen it done before and better but it has its moments.

For crying out loud though do pets have to die in every single film? This one is particularly merciless in that regard.

The Good:

Treat Williams

The Bad:

Opening scene was unnecessarily sad

Not pet friendly....

VENOMOUS (2001 Video)

BASIC PLOT: Unknown terrorists blow up a secret government lab, letting loose infected snakes. These snakes are dormant for awhile, until a series of earthquakes piss off these scheming snakes, and they go on a rampage! Look out town folk, the snakes are infected, and they are coming for you!

WHAT WORKS: *This movie is hilarious, as are most Fred Olen Ray movies. The movie is in on the joke, and so should you be if you're watching a movie called, "Venomous".

*The cheesy errors are part of the fun. Old news helicopters as Army choppers, 15 different types of paint sprayer respirators, instead of biological suits, civilians with anti aircraft missiles, doctors that are also snake ranglers, what more could you ask for?

*There's lots of good B actors having a hell of a good time, making it more fun to watch.

WHAT DOESN'T WORK: *Needs more snakes!

TO RECOMMEND, OR NOT TO RECOMMEND, THAT IS THE QUESTION: *If you like hilariously bad movies, that are in on the joke, you like this. If you're a fan of bad disaster movies, you'll like this. If you like Fred Olen Ray movies, or Treat Williams, you'll like this. If you're a no sense of humor having, fussy stick in the mud, then give this a pass.

CLOSING NOTES: *This is a Straight-to-Video movie, please keep that in mind before you watch\rate it. Straight-to-Video movies have a much lower budget, and so your expectations should be adjusted.

*I have no connection to the film, or production in ANY way. I am just an honest viewer, who wishes for more straight forward reviews. Hope I helped you out.

Frankly spoken I don't expect much of a good movie, especially if it is labelled 'horror'. All I want is a tiny bit of original material. Venomous fails to deliver any of that.

The story is taken from 'Outbreak' only without that movies' style and class. The special effects range from dull to not existent, and even the few twists this story contains are given away without any thought at all.

The idea of a virus spreading through snake bites seems intriguing, but in this movie there are far too many questions left unanswered.

Who are the terrorists in the beginning? What did the snakes feed upon the following years (without spreading the virus?).

The only surprise was German actor Hannes Jaennicke as supporting doctor. I didn't think of him speaking English so fluently.

If You want my advice for what it's worth. Don't pay for watching this movie. Go and rent "Outbreak", you will not regret it.