Snakes on a Plane: The Amusing Cult Favorite Gets a 4K Upgrade (Limited Edition 4K)

The Film:

20 years ago, an odd little film was released that was sold entirely based on its intriguing title alone. "Snakes on a Plane" is one of those projects that never tried to hide exactly what it was and how absurd it was going to be, leading to quite a lot of hype surrounding it right up to its theatrical release. Unsurprisingly, it was not received very well by critics, but what was a little surprising was that the major buzz circling the film didn't translate into box office success, ultimately causing it to be a flop.

Even so, it's gone on to achieve something of a cult status, with many fans enjoying it for the fun, silly experience it was always meant to be. For them, Arrow Films has decided to celebrate the film's 20th anniversary by giving the film a marvelous 4K upgrade and throwing in a few extras to go along with it, so now it's time once again to go back and see how well this strange little thriller has held up over the past two decades.

The film opens with Sean Jones (Nathan Phillips) witnessing the murder of a prosecutor at the hands of notorious criminal Eddie Kim (Byron Lawson) in Hawaii, which puts his life in serious jeopardy. When Kim's men try to kill Sean in his home, he is rescued by FBI agent Neville Flynn (Samuel L. Jackson), who convinces him to testify at Kim's trial in Los Angeles. Little do they know that Kim has managed to sneak a crate of venomous snakes aboard, with it being timed to open during the flight. Once the snakes are loose, they immediately begin causing chaos, killing several passengers and damaging parts of the plane, forcing the survivors to find a safe area and fend off the deadly creatures. Can they possibly hold out long enough to reach their destination?

As mentioned, "Snakes on a Plane" is pretty up front about what kind of film it's going to be. You obviously don't go see a movie with that title and expect a hard-hitting emotional drama that's going to sweep the Oscars. You see it in the hopes that it's going to be just as ridiculously ludicrous as the title suggests, so the only real questions that remain are: Is it successful in its endeavor? And if so, does that make it a good film?

Well, to be fair, it does deliver exactly what it promises. You have snakes getting loose on a plane that's on a long trip between Hawaii and Los Angeles, snakes that cause all kinds of problems for the people aboard. You even get an eclectic group of passengers to root for along the way (aside from Agent Flynn & Sean), including a germaphobic rapper, a flight attendant who becomes friends with Flynn, a young boy and his even younger brother, and a woman traveling with her dog. That being said, they're not particularly memorable characters, but then again, you have to remember that character development was likely not a priority when the film was being planned.

It's also fair to say that, while it may give you exactly what the title says, it's not what one would really call a "good" film. It's more so one of those films that you can classify as a silly bit of fun, one that provides some mild entertainment value with its ridiculous premise. You may not remember much about it the next day aside from the general idea & Samuel L. Jackson's iconic line, but it's hard to condemn it completely for pretty much doing what it set out to do. What we're left with is a film that has ended up exactly where it was meant to be from the start, as an amusing outing that has become a cult favorite in some circles. What better possible place could there be for an outrageous little thriller like this?

Video/Audio:

"Snakes on a Plane" comes to 4K in a 2.35:1, 2160p Ultra High Definition transfer of outstanding quality. The upgrade has cleaned up the film quite well, with a picture that's perfectly sharp & clear throughout its entire 105-minute duration. Likewise, the original 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio is fantastic, giving you all of the dialogue, sound effects, and music in excellent quality. Overall, Arrow Films has done a wonderful job in both areas for the film's 4K debut.

Special Features:

Commentary by Critics Max Evry and Bryan Reesman (New)

Cast and Crew Audio Commentary with Director David R. Ellis, Actor Samuel L. Jackson, Producer Craig Berenson, Associate Producer Tawny Ellis, VFX Supervisor Eric Henry, and Second Unit Director Freddie Hice

Snakes on a Page (18 Minutes) (New): A mini-documentary exploring the movie tie-in novelization phenomenon, featuring publisher Mark Miller, historian David Spencer and Christa Faust, author of the Snakes on a Plane novelization.

Pure Venom (18 Minutes): A featurette that focuses on the making of the film, featuring interviews with the cast and crew.

Meet the Reptiles (13 Minutes): A featurette on the work of snake wrangler Jules Sylvester and the various snakes featured in the film.

VFX (5 Minutes): A featurette on the use of CGI to bring the snakes to life.

Snakes on a Blog (10 Minutes): A featurette on the online hype surrounding the film prior to its release.

Snakes on a Plane Music Video (3 Minutes)

Snakes on a Video (9 Minutes): A look at the making of the music video.

Gag Reel (5 Minutes)

Deleted & Extended Sequences (10 Sequences, 12 Minutes)

Conclusion:

"Snakes on a Plane" may not be what one classifies as a "good" film, despite giving the audience exactly what it promises with its direct title, but it still manages to provide a silly bit of fun and amusement as it executes its ludicrous premise, which has led to it becoming something of a cult favorite in the 20 years since its release. With Arrow Films' new 4K edition, fans are treated to a stunning picture and a great selection of extras, so if you count yourself among them, it's definitely worth the upgrade.

Score: 3/5

Available on Limited Edition 4K starting today.

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