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Snakes on a Plane

  • Is it age appropriate?

    About our ratings

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    Not age appropriate for kids under 16, age appropriate for kids over 18; suggested age 16.

  • Is it any good?

    2.0
  • Common Sense says

    Bloody B-movie spoof isn't for kids.

updated 10.23.09

Why We Rated This iffy for Ages 16–18

What to watch out for

  • Messages:

    The movie doesn't make any effort to convey positive messages; it's all about shocking viewers with over-the-top action and comedy.
  • Role models:

    No one worth emulating here -- the villains are brutal, the victims are ignorant and killed crazily (to shock and entertain viewers), and the heroes are obnoxious. Plenty of stereotypical comments and jokes.
  • Violence:

    Frequent bloody violence that's graphic but obviously fake; villain kills prosecutor by smashing head with baseball bat (blood sprays on villain, victim off-screen); a scene with wild gunfire; on the plane, snakes bite ferociously, at various body parts (eye, penis, breast, neck, etc.), usually drawing blood; when a child is bitten, his swollen hand produces grotesque pus; characters die on screen, their bodies left in frame as "props" to indicate the snakes' ongoing threat; characters fight back with axe and fire extinguisher (to chop/smash snakes, and produce blood and gore).
  • Sex:

    Three Gs signs a fan's breast (and holds it); on the plane, a couple has sex in the bathroom, stripping off each other's shirts (close-ups show legs, the man's chest, and the woman's passionate face); seen from behind, a man pees ... and a snake jumps up to bite his penis; several references to masturbation and sex.
  • Language:

    Many uses of "f--k," in addition to multiple uses of other curse words -- including "s--t," "ass," "damn," "hell," and "goddamn."
  • Consumerism:

    Red Bull.
  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking:

    A couple smokes a joint while having sex in bathroom; a woman drinks from a flask; a nervous flyer asks for a gin and tonic; hearing that the snakes are responding to pheromones sprayed in the plane, Flynn calls them "Snakes on crack."

What Parents Need to Know

This review of Snakes on a Plane was written by Cynthia Fuchs

Parents need to know that the film isn't for kids. It features frequent jump scenes, with snakes falling or darting out of compartments or from under the camera frame. On-screen or implied deaths are frequent and bloody (man killed with baseball bat, shoot-out leaves bodies, many characters bitten by venomous snakes, producing swelling wounds and visible blood). A couple has sex in the bathroom (and also disable the smoke detector so they can smoke a joint), and are immediately killed by snakes. Infant and children are threatened by snakes; a little boy is bitten, producing gross wound from which a woman sucks the poison (leading to crude comment from observer, who also wants her to suck his hand). Characters chop and smash snakes. Characters use frequent bad language, especially "motherf----r."

Families Can Talk About

Talk to your kids about the media in their life. We have more tools and tips that can help
  • Families can talk about the fear that planes generate. Why are snakes scary (and how are they exaggerated here to seem slithery, cold-eyed creatures)?
  • How does the film use clichés and stereotypes (the fat Asian woman, the selfish black rapper, the gay-seeming flight attendant, the noble female flight attendant, etc.)? Are they funny or offensive?
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More on Snakes on a Plane

What’s the Story?

Hawaii vacationer Sean (Nathan Philips) witnesses a drug kingpin (Byron Lawson) murdering his legal prosecutor. Instantly targeted for death himself, Sean is rescued by federal agent Neville Flynn (Samuel L. Jackson), who arranges to escort him back to the States to testify. Within minutes, snakes that have been smuggled on board the plane are awakened and let loose.

Is It Any Good?

True to its title, SNAKES ON A PLANE doesn't offer much beyond this basic plot point. The chaos is episodic and ridiculous, producing lots of swollen, bloodied bodies as well as stiffly delivered bad dialogue. Flynn and the sensible flight attendant Claire (Julianna Margulies) are plainly the couple-to-be, and they valiantly fight off the menace posed by the snakes and the mostly idiotic (that is, set up to die) passengers. They are helped in their efforts by the many-times-bitten copilot Rick (David Koechner) and rapper Three Gs (Flex Alexander)'s video game fanatic bodyguard Troy (Kenan Thompson) (you can guess what role he'll play by film's end).

As kooky and deliberately "bad" as Snakes tries to be, it's mostly just unimaginative. The main action is more repetitive than clever (snakes slide and bite, victims clutch wounds and gasp). For a movie that seems aware of its predecessors, you'd expect more intelligence concerning what made those B-movies so much fun. Their cheesiness was not arrogant or presumptive; it was strange, shrewd, and unexpected.

Movie Details

Studio: New Line, Director: David R. Ellis
Run time: 105 minutes
Theatrical release: 8/18/2006, DVD release: 1/2/2007
MPAA Rating: R for language, a scene of sexuality and drug use, and intense sequences of terror and violence

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Most Recent Reviews

  1. Kid Reviewer Age 11
    I rate this title on for age 8 and give it 4.0
    • My concerns are:
    • Excessive violence

    Awesome movie fun 4 da whole fam

    awesome just awesome it could really not be better

  2. Teen Reviewer Age 13
    I rate this title on for age 14 and give it 5.0
    • My concerns are:
    • Excessive violence
    • Inappropriate sexual content
    • Inappropriate language
    • Drinking, smoking, or drug use
    • My highlights are:
    • Good role models

    Great Movie! Okay for teens ages 14+

    This movie is awesome! But unfourtunately it was spoiled due to frequent use of the F-word and a sexual scene in the bathroom but however Samuel L Jackson's Character is a very good positive role model (despite his frequent use of curse words including a** the F-word and SOB). some drugs are mentioned also like for example Xanax and some other drugs and one pretty upsetting involves an adorable little dog (possibly Pug-chihuahua mix) is thrown to a large Burmese Python so therefore I say this movie is age appropriate for kids ages 14+.

  3. Teen Reviewer Age 13
    Lives in Kansas
    I rate this title iffy for age 15 and give it 5.0
    • My concerns are:
    • Excessive violence
    • Inappropriate sexual content
    • Inappropriate language
    • Drinking, smoking, or drug use
    • Negative message
    • Negative role models
    • My highlights are:
    • Positive messages
    • Good role models

    best snake movie ever

    great movie, lots of snakes,f word used frequently, sexual content is strong

  4. Kid Reviewer Age 12
    I rate this title on for age 17 and give it 1.0
    • My concerns are:
    • Excessive violence
    • Inappropriate sexual content
    • Inappropriate language
    • Excessive consumerism
    • Drinking, smoking, or drug use
    • Negative message
    • Negative role models
    • My highlights are:
    • Positive messages
    • Good role models

    BAD MOVIE

    THIS MOVIE IS OK SAMUL l JACKSON SAY A BAD WORD.LIKE I HAVE HAD IT WITH THESE MOTHER ******* SNAKES ON THIS MOTHER ******* PLANE EVERYBODY STRAP IN WHERE ABOUT TO OPEN SOME ******* WINDOES OR SOMETHING!

  5. I rate this title iffy for age 13 and give it 2.0

    Pretty stupid~

    Very few parts of it were actually funny, it was mostly just stupid. It really wasn't entertaining in any other way either. :/ A lot of violence, sex, and language so it's not appropriate for young kids, but I wouldn't recommend anyone bother watching this anyways.

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