There are boundless opportunities in the genre of horror to create something unique. Whether it's a creative choice in some motifs throughout a film or just something so outright wacky that is hard to forget, pretty much anything and everything has already been done. Which is why an original take on an existing trope is so much fun to watch. Netflix's new horror film Rattlesnake takes what could have been a solid short film and stretches it out by its coiled tail to a dreary, hour and a half movie. This story does not do anything wrong by any means, as it does have its mildly thrilling scenes and plays its story by the numbers, but it's the lack of creativity that kills me. It is painfully obvious that this streaming conglomerate has an abundance to spend on throwaway films like this, but I do love how they are able to use their money to give a bigger platform to rising filmmakers. I don't know what else I was expecting from Rattlesnake, but it's time for another review of the latest, abysmal, wildly forgettable, Netflix original horror film.
Katrina (Carmen Ejogo) and Clara Ridgeway (Apollonia Pratt) are a mother-daughter pair on the road to start their new life. When they get a flat tire in the middle of nowhere, Katrina changes the tire while Clara accidentally gets bit by a rattlesnake. Seeking immediate help and worrying about the life of her daughter, Katrina takes Clara to a lone trailer, where she finds someone to help, but at the cost of making a deal with the devil. Sound spooky? It's not. It's one of the biggest and most familiar tropes within the horror genre to have the lead characters get stuck somewhere, encounter possible tragedy, and have to deal with the supernatural in order to get out. This film follows those exact beats to a tee and does not dare to take any semblance of risk while telling its story. One might also think that the rattlesnake from the beginning of the film would have a lot to do as a motif with guiding this lead character, but one would be wrong. The snake is merely a gateway into the typical, robe-wearing, Satan-worshipping cult that requires a sacrifice to maintain the "good" that they have done. I am so exhausted of seeing plot devices like these in horror films and while many modern horror films rely on those same tropes, at least they provide something new. Great cinematography, an outstanding breakout performance, perhaps a connection to a larger universe. There is a world of possibilities to explore when drafting a horror film such as this one, but why take bold risks when you could easily satisfy audiences with the mediocre and predictable content that they really want.
I will try to keep this review nice and short, but even if I was intensely passionate about this film, there would not be much to write about. Every aspect of this story's production was incredibly bland and there is little to no substance for me to even begin talking about. This film does not ever attempt a message at a deeper level other than a mother's undying commitment to protecting her child, but that was just enough to keep the story afloat. Nothing is particularly horrible, though, as the cinematography, editing, and overall design work just fine. There is just not enough imagination to make this movie escape its dull execution. Some elements of this film that I did enjoy, however, are its performances and the mother-daughter dynamic that was the focus of this movie. Ejogo and Pratt are both solid in their roles as Katrina and Clara and I applaud them for making the most out of what they were given. You can always tell when a cast is giving their all to telling a story and at least Ejogo was not boring to watch. Her characters' relationship with her daughter came from a place of pure love, one that she would do anything for and this drive kept the film going, but that's about it. It's films like these that make people believe I am too harsh on movies or that I'm not fun to be around during movies. I can't always promise that I will love every film I see, but it's hard to just let them be when generic, overplayed stories like this are still being funded. I really don't want to constantly shit on everything that Netflix puts out because they do spend their money relatively wisely on fantastic new content. And I don't want to be so pessimistic about the state of their new releases, but I suppose that I require a dip into the pond of less-than-talked-about films every once in a while to keep my standards in check. Hence, Rattlesnake.
Rattlesnake is a complete and utter waste of time, abandoning any hope for some originality. In fact, if you're deciding to waste your time on something, make it something else. While I appreciate Netflix spending money on up and coming storytellers, it hurts more than helps them. If only their choices didn't give them a reputation of putting out mediocre trash, I would have much stronger opinions about their slew of original content. I'm just tired.
My Rating: ★★
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