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Snakehead

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1:55

Snakehead

Released Oct 29, 2021

1h 29m

Crime

Drama

Mystery & Thriller

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

71%

Tomatometer

24 Reviews

50%

Popcornmeter

Fewer than 50 Ratings

Sister Tse comes to New York through a Snakehead, a human smuggler. She gains favor with the matriarch of the family of crime and she rises the ranks quickly. Soon Tse must reconcile her success with her real reason for coming to America.

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Critics Consensus

Snakehead struggles to maintain a consistent grip on its narrative ambitions, but the cast really sinks its fangs into the material.

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Leslie Felperin

Guardian

Even the soft, hazy cello-intensive score has a Wong vibe, but somehow the package as a whole feels like a smooth synthesis of elements instead of a derivative rip-off.

Rated: 3/5

Jul 26, 2022

Full Review

Odie Henderson

RogerEbert.com

Snakehead entices you with a lurid premise, but the empathy that shines through the cracks of its tough exterior is the real surprise.

Rated: 3/4

Oct 29, 2021

Full Review

Beandrea July

New York Times

"Snakehead" tumbles all too quietly under the weight of its ambition.

Oct 28, 2021

Full Review

Grace Han

Asian Movie Pulse

Leong does well to coordinate his moving parts into a smooth-running machine, even if it isn’t a sexy one. “Snakehead” ultimately reads more like a book than it does a film: it leaves more to the imagination than what meets the eye.

Rated: 3/5

May 25, 2022

Full Review

Todd Jorgenson

Cinemalogue

Heartfelt ambition gives way to heavy-handed execution in this gritty crime thriller that tries to find a different angle to the immigrant struggle.

Nov 12, 2021

Full Review

Dennis Harvey

48 Hills

The film is a good introduction to the general subject, but it pales beside the book's neck-deep inquiry.

Nov 8, 2021

Full Review

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Wry23

I didn't see it but the only draw would be sung kang. They should pick lead actresses who can act.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

06/17/23

Full Review

Audience Member

gritty, intense movie, with atmospheric music throughout - the real star here is the streets of Chinatown itself, which the film lovingly but honestly showcases

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

09/05/22

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Audience Member

2 out of 5 stars. Snakehead is a boring crime drama film about a young woman who was smuggled into america and forced to work as a prostitute. Until they hire her to become a snakehead and help with immigrants that are coming to america. The plot is tedious and forgettable. The direction and script is dull and boring. The cast is forgettable. Acting is stale. This film felt too long and boring. Sure it could have been better.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

06/20/22

Full Review

harris r

It felt too long, was too slow, and riddled with plot issues. I don't know if I watched a botched edited version, but there were many scenes that felt pieces were missing, and/or came out of nowhere. This is writer and director Evan Jackson Leong's feature film debut - previously known for documentaries and short films. Overall he did a great job for a newb filmmaker; most of the cinematography and camera work was excellent, but the slow-mo scenes were annoying. It was a visually stylish story, but the cliched gangster narrative fell short on its own heavy ambitions. The short 89 min runtime felt much longer and dragged out with the slow pacing and dragged out and/or unnecessary scenes. Casting was decent, with the stand-out performances by Sung Kang and Jade Wu, but I wasn't impressed with Shuya Chang; her character was unconvincing and it felt like she didn't want to be there with her constant straight-faced look and demeanor. Overall not a bad film, watchable to the end, so it's a 6/10 from me.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Engaging + well directed flick. I've been a fan of Evan Leong's since his work with Justin Lin on Tokyo Drift, so it's great to see this newest project from him. Sung Kang is a high point on screen, and the actors are all given plenty to work with. Glad I checked it out!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/22/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Great movie, loved it! Some decent action but the plot was amazing. Jade Wu is an amazing actress. The Godmother!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/24/23

Full Review

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Evan Jackson Leong

Director

Shuya Chang

Sister Tse

Jade Wu

Dai Mah

Yacine Djoumbaye

Zareeb

Catherine Jiang

Rosie

Richie Ng

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Snakehead: Trailer 1

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Synopsis

Sister Tse comes to New York through a Snakehead, a human smuggler. She gains favor with the matriarch of the family of crime and she rises the ranks quickly. Soon Tse must reconcile her success with her real reason for coming to America.

Director: Evan Jackson Leong
Producer: Anson Ho, Evan Jackson Leong, Dan Mark, Brian Yang
Screenwriter: Evan Jackson Leong
Distributor: Samuel Goldwyn Films
Production Co: Valiant Films, 408 Films, Arowana Films, King Street Pictures
Genre: Crime, Drama, Mystery & Thriller
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Oct 29, 2021, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Oct 29, 2021
Runtime: 1h 29m

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