VENOM REVIEWED
“Venom” is an insane little movie that was originally directed by Tobe Hooper. Hooper dumped the film about 10 days into the shoot and it was handed over to an indie director who cause a style shift. Gone were the heavy horror tones, as most of the film started to feel like a crime drama. The problem with that is the central conceit of the plot remained. A kidnapped kid accidentally gets the wrong snake from a pet store and he sics it on his captors. Be ready for some of the most realistic snake attacks committed to film.
Klaus Kinski and Oliver Reed play the main kidnappers, while Susan George works as their accomplice. That casting stroke of genius caused turmoil off-set, but produced this weird Lenny and George style dynamic. Nicol Williamson offers up a great turn as the lead inspector on the case, but he helps highlight why the film flopped upon initial release. You can’t have a cop movie, a kid attack movie, an animal attack movie and an exploitation flick rolled into one story. It’s overwhelming to the senses and demands way too much than what can be provided.
The kid is forgettable, but it’s not like we needed to love him. He’s a Peter Billingsley type that exists to move the plot forth and bring the snake into play. The only downside to the film is that the snake didn’t bite more people. I’ll take quality over quantity, but I could’ve stood a bit more quality kills. If you’re looking for a cult film to pick up, it’s well worth a purchase.
SPECIAL FEATURES
- Audio Commentary with Director Piers Haggard
- Trailers
- TV Spots
- Poster & Still Gallery
- Bonus Booklet
A/V QUALITY STATS
- 1.85:1 1080p transfer
- DTS-HD 7.1 master audio track
RELEASE DATE: 5/31/16
BONUS SCREENSHOTS:
