The Serpent and the Rainbow

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Stoner J Really good gem from Wes Craven. It's ‘The Believers'-ish (released the previous year), but not as good Rated 4/5 Stars •  Rated 4 out of 5 stars 10/16/23 Full Review Michael R I remember when this movie came out in the 80's. It still presents itself well in 2023! It gives us a look into the world of voodoo in Haitian culture without the corny jump scares and over the top zombie imagery. A good movie overall. Rated 3.5/5 Stars •  Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 09/02/23 Full Review James Durso C THE SERPENT AND THE RAINBOW is a non-conventional thriller. It won't be every horror fan's cup of tea as it's partly based on a true medical story. But it is Wes Craven's most unique film after ANOES. TSATR is about a drug that kills you, then resurrects you. It's about the struggle that exists between people who believe they have the right to own such a power. It's terror however exists inside "the space the drug creates" between life and death and the horrible things men are willing to do to own that space. 100% worth watching, TSATR will make sober people think they're on acid while it gets them closer to God. Rated 5/5 Stars •  Rated 5 out of 5 stars 08/01/23 Full Review Audience Member One of the late Wes Craven's most underrated gems even 35 years later starring Bill Pullman despite being met with good criticism and making a decent profit but didn't gain a huge cult following until later I enjoyed watching it years back Based on the book by Wade Davis Pullman plays Dr. Dennis Alan whose specialty is studying traditional medicine in native cultures He’s introduced meeting with a shaman in the Amazon, where he experiences strong hallucinations after ingesting a mysterious concoction Dennis is called to a meeting with the ominously named Biocorp wanting to know more about the dead coming back to life to make a powerful medical anesthetic He even teams up with local physician Dr. Marielle Duchamp (Cathy Tyson) and attempts to procure some of the substance This film doesn’t entirely avoid exoticizing a foreign culture, but Craven treats Haiti and the voodoo religion with far more respect It acts way more political than straight up horror Dennis might be losing his mind considering the things he starts to see suffering from PTSD Acting as an American imperialist Dennis is viewed as seizing control and power over the Haitians Craven had a good idea here combing voodoo magic and political rifts Lots of crazy visuals and special effects blurring fantasy as well as reality These zombies in particular are more primal and unsettling, all the more so for their origins in human cruelty and greed rather than something truly supernatural Despite changes like the names of the people in the book and expanding upon the zombification process, it ties it in with a timely story about revolution and political control in Haiti The voodoo angle is treated more seriously and authentic The result is an Indiana Jones-esque adventure infused with nightmarish visuals and a palpable atmosphere of impending doom that is a true highlight of Craven’s oeuvre This represents a true return to form following Craven's previous years’ misfires, and even features his signature motif of trapping his characters in a space somewhere between dream and reality The script is tight, the style is inventive, and the special effects are phenomenal The late filmmaker reveals how evil can cut across geographic and regional lines to become an omnipotent, pervasive force Rated 4/5 Stars •  Rated 4 out of 5 stars 02/12/23 Full Review Michael M Very Chilling and Suspensely Entertaining Wes Craven Film. Very Underrated! Rated 4.5/5 Stars •  Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 06/12/22 Full Review Audience Member Just really bad. The cinematography was equivalent to what was used to film goosebumps, it was incredibly boring and made absolutely no sense whatsoever. Doesn't even deserve above a 30. Rated 1.5/5 Stars •  Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars 02/18/23 Full Review Read all reviews

The Serpent and the Rainbow

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