Snakes on a Plane (2006) (Blu-ray Review)
DIRECTED BY: David R. Ellis
STARRING: Samuel L. Jackson, Julianna Margulies, Nathan Phillips
RATED: R/REGION A/2:41/1080P/NUMBER OF DISCS 1
AVAILABLE FROM Warner Brothers
Let’s be honest: you don’t go into Snakes on a Plane expecting Shakespeare. You go in expecting, well… snakes. On a plane. And to that very specific and completely unambitious promise, the movie absolutely delivers. There are snakes. They are on a plane. And yes, Samuel L. Jackson does say that line. Mission accomplished?
Sort of.
Snakes on a Plane is the cinematic equivalent of a dare someone actually followed through on. The plot, such as it is, involves an FBI agent (Jackson, chewing scenery like it’s his last meal) escorting a witness on a commercial flight, only for a criminal mastermind to unleash a slithering army of venomous snakes midair because… legal loopholes, maybe? Logic is not invited on this flight.
Once those snakes hit cruising altitude, all bets are off. People get bit in places no human being should be bitten. The deaths are absurd, the reactions are over-the-top, and the CGI snakes range from “passable” to “PS2 cutscene.” But it’s all delivered with such sincere ridiculousness that it somehow becomes charming. It’s like the movie knows it’s ridiculous and is winking at you the whole time, hoping you’ll go along for the ride.
Now, let’s be real: this movie is not good in the traditional sense. The dialogue is goofy, the characters are one-dimensional (if that), and the pacing is all over the place. There are entire subplots involving snake pheromones and a plucky flight attendant’s big moment that feel like fever dreams. And yet… it’s kind of fun? In a late-night, popcorn-fueled, “how did this get made?” kind of way?
Samuel L. Jackson is the glue that holds this airborne snake disaster together. He treats the material with just the right mix of seriousness and side-eye, and when he finally delivers the now-iconic line—“I have had it with these mother* snakes on this mother* plane!”—you kind of want to stand up and cheer. It’s dumb. It’s brilliant. It’s both.
So here’s the verdict: Snakes on a Plane is the cinematic definition of a B-movie that knows exactly what it is. It’s not high art, but it’s high camp. If you’re looking for logic, character development, or even decent snake physics… look elsewhere. But if you’re in the mood to watch venomous reptiles terrorize C-list passengers at 30,000 feet while Samuel L. Jackson rage-swears his way through the sky, this is the guilty pleasure you never knew you needed.
Just don’t watch it on an actual flight. Trust me.
Extras
- Commentary track with Director David R. Ellis, Actor Samuel L. Jackson, Producer Craig Berenson, Associate Producer Tawny Ellis, VFX Supervisor Erik Henry, and 2nd Unit Director Freddie Hice
- Pure Venom: The Making of ‘Snakes on a Plane
- Meet the Reptiles
- VFX
- Snakes on a Blog
- Snakes on a Video by Cobra Starship
- Trailer
- Deleted Scenes
- Blooper Reel
