So, in honor of his life and his work this week I am reviewing one of his best films--one that is often overlooked. That film is The Serpent and the Rainbow.
The Serpent and the Rainbow is a film based off of real events recorded in the non-fiction book The Serpent and the Rainbow by anthropologist Wade Davis. While the film varies greatly from Davis' real experiences as recorded in the book, the movie is an interesting look into voodoo and the zombie legends of Haiti.
Immediately, Dr. Alan feels there is something amiss in the events happening around him. Between the unrest of the local oppressive government and the strange and frightening lucid dreams the Doctor keeps having, Dennis suspects there is more truth to the dark and supernatural elements of voodoo zombification then he had first allowed himself to believe.
However, after Dr. Alan is dragged into the very depths of the drugs and lore that make up the voodoo practices he realizes he is in over his head. He is forced to find a way out of the nightmare while also trying to protect his friends he has made in Haiti.
Bill Pullman (Dr. Alan) does an excellent job of carrying the film through its episodes of realism and madness. Additionally, the supporting cast is excellent back up to Pullman, making all the horror and ideas the movie presents all the more realistic. It is a breath of fresh air, and realism, in the realm of hundreds of poorly done "modern" zombie films.
The use of real locations and real extra who live in Haiti and practice forms of voodoo add a verisimilitude to the film that couldn't have been had any other way. The plot can feel a little uneven in its pacing at times, but is little deterrent for this great film.
Summing it Up
Deaths: 2
Language: 2
Gore Factor: 3
Sex Factor: 3
Scare Factor: 5
Fun Factor: 5
Overall Rating: 5