Snakes on a Plane

If you want a crime drama that treats its mystery as more than a puzzle, Snakes on a Plane is available in the UK on HBO Max Amazon Channel and Sky Go right now. It knows exactly what kind of film it is from the opening scene, and never loses that thread. 2,013 viewers have already rated it on TMDB — the kind of consensus that does not happen by accident. Samuel L. Jackson's performance alone is worth the time investment. There is no real reason to keep putting it off — it is right there on HBO Max Amazon Channel.

Snakes on a Plane is not trying to be everything to everyone, and that focus is exactly what makes it work. At its heart, Snakes on a Plane understands what makes crime drama work — character first, plot second. FBI agent Neville Flynn boards a flight from Honolulu, Hawaii to Los Angeles, escorting a key witness to testify against a mob boss at an upcoming trial. An on-board assassin releases a crate full of hundreds of deadly venomous snakes in an attempt to eliminate the witness. Flynn and a host of frightened passengers and crew must band together to survive the slithery threat. Samuel L. Jackson and Julianna Margulies lead a cast that never lets the mystery feel thin. Snakes on a Plane came out in 2006. Snakes on a Plane is at its best in the quiet scenes between the plot beats, where the character work actually happens. It knows exactly what it is, and does not try to be anything else.

If you cannot walk away from a good mystery, Snakes on a Plane will keep you hooked. It has built its own audience without needing a direct comparison. Best experienced as a single, sustained watch from start to finish. Samuel L. Jackson anchors it, but the writing does the real work. If you are going to commit to one crime drama this month, make it this one.