Venomous (2002)

A film with more than the usual spoiler issues. Talking about it in any detail feels akin to handing you a gift-wrapped present and saying, "I hope you like it -- It's a thriller about a diabolical secret experiment."

I think this is a new genre that they're all sort of working their way through it and haven't got all the kinks worked out yet but it's a genre that works for me.

The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.

It's a feast for the eyes. But what really makes this dramedy work is the acting.

This is a decent candidate for worst movie of the decade, century, etc. My wife and I watched the whole thing with our jaws hanging down, shocked at how bad it was. It has become a reference point: We now compare other bad movies to "Venomous" and vote on whether it is under or over the very low bar that it sets. If you actually watch it, be forewarned. And check out the army guy in the helicopter hanging out & threatening to shoot the local citizens, although he never does and the copter looks more like a evening news helicopter than a military chopper. I like Treat Williams, he is a very capable actor. I cannot for the life of me understand why he would agree to do this movie unless it was simply for the money. But one thing the creators got right is the title, "Venomous," because it is really lethal. You watch something like this and think, jeez, I could do something this good without even trying hard. Yes, this movie puts the "b" in bad, the only redeeming factor is that we didn't have to pay to see it.

Apart from the fact that there are a lot of "cheap" shots of rattlesnakes popping their heads out of a hill and snarling in anger during earth tremors, I found story to be weak and the acting barely mediocre. Other scenes are barely credible if at all like when the good doctor is looking for a rattlesnake specimens he walks a short distance down an underground tunnel, picks a few rattlers and out of nowhere, his return path is covered by snakes. Undaunted, our hero calmly shoves them aside with his foot while above ground, the good citizens are killed by single snakes that seem to wait inside the house beside toasters to pounce at the unsuspected.

There are lousy movies, there are terrible movies and ten levels down there is Venomous, it might become a new definition for absolute waste of film, money and time. Dialogue more than in the nose, incredibly unbelievable performance, one of the poorest directions I've ever seen, it's amazing this movie is not signed as an "Alan Smithee" film. The music goes with the plot, absolutely unimaginative. Foreshadowing comes a mile before you get to the scene you've guessed long ago. I believe it's a waste of time to add more reviews, but after reading the "best movies go straight to video" comment really struck me as misleading to say the least. Probably the reviewer is the writer himself. I've seen college stuff that is a thousand times better than this film, and I'm talking about the worst projects! If you're in for a good laugh at how some movies can get to be stupid, rent it and prepare to laugh. The sheer mention of John Carpenter in the review is insulting. John Carpenter is good at its job. This pseudo-filmmaker is an obvious relative to some producer or investor.

This was a movie very similar to "Outbreak". Its an OK movie, its entertainment. But it doesn't score that high points with me. Not that bad acting though. The movie had some strange events which I must conclude as errors. Like meeting cars on a closed road for example. You're always one step ahead of the plot.