As most of us know, Netflix has a serious problem when it comes to producing a Horror/Thriller movie that's half as good as their acclaimed TV shows. They usually try to mediate that with click-bait trailers and descriptions that turn out to portray an annoyingly inaccurate picture of what the film is actually about. On the other hand, once in a blood-moon they might actually make a Horror/Thriller film that is pretty incredible and very impressive (Open House, for instance). And then there are the rare occasions of films like Rattlesnake that are simply honest, fair and hit the spot.
The trailer and description are accurate and fair. A single mother + little girl duo are making their way across several states in order to reach the woman's parents for a new start following whatever stereotypical scenario you'd be comfortable imagining with the girl's father. On the way, during one of their stops - the girl gets bitten by a Texan rattlesnake. An old lady living in a near trailer offers a cure, for a soon to be discussed price (which as the trailers show ends up being the murder of a human being of the mother's choice).
It might be the on the spot acting by Carmen Ejogo (Katrina Ridgeway, the mother), who really did a superb job of showing us how worn down, confused and downright lost she is in this fantastic and terrible predicament. It might be the rather simple plot, with few interactions and even fewer meaningful ones. It might be the perfect presentation of the mother's struggle against her conscience and very being, wanting to save her daughter but not to become a cold blooded murderer. It might be all of the above. The result is a compelling story you simply won't be able to leave once you get into.
This isn't to say the film is without its faults. First and foremost, I personally found the extremely short time it took the mother to fully believe the supernatural and impossible causes of her situation to almost destroy all suspense of disbelief. A blunt reminder that this is just a movie and nothing real (the bane of any good fiction). Second, some of the characters (the bartended in particular) are such a ridiculous stereotype, unjustified in any way. This serves no purpose whatsoever and yet receives much too much screen time (considering the whole thing is about 80 minutes).
Be that as it may, Rattlesnake is compelling, discomforting and pretty unnerving in a beautifully unassuming manner. It doesn't presume to tell an epic history-changing story, it simply means to do what it does, superlative-free. They even managed to squeeze in a little plot twist towards the end! So while far from being a masterpiece - Rattlesnake is definitely a must-see for us Horror/Thriller fans, especially amongst the ocean of mediocrity that is Netflix cinema.
The trailer and description are accurate and fair. A single mother + little girl duo are making their way across several states in order to reach the woman's parents for a new start following whatever stereotypical scenario you'd be comfortable imagining with the girl's father. On the way, during one of their stops - the girl gets bitten by a Texan rattlesnake. An old lady living in a near trailer offers a cure, for a soon to be discussed price (which as the trailers show ends up being the murder of a human being of the mother's choice).
It might be the on the spot acting by Carmen Ejogo (Katrina Ridgeway, the mother), who really did a superb job of showing us how worn down, confused and downright lost she is in this fantastic and terrible predicament. It might be the rather simple plot, with few interactions and even fewer meaningful ones. It might be the perfect presentation of the mother's struggle against her conscience and very being, wanting to save her daughter but not to become a cold blooded murderer. It might be all of the above. The result is a compelling story you simply won't be able to leave once you get into.
This isn't to say the film is without its faults. First and foremost, I personally found the extremely short time it took the mother to fully believe the supernatural and impossible causes of her situation to almost destroy all suspense of disbelief. A blunt reminder that this is just a movie and nothing real (the bane of any good fiction). Second, some of the characters (the bartended in particular) are such a ridiculous stereotype, unjustified in any way. This serves no purpose whatsoever and yet receives much too much screen time (considering the whole thing is about 80 minutes).
Be that as it may, Rattlesnake is compelling, discomforting and pretty unnerving in a beautifully unassuming manner. It doesn't presume to tell an epic history-changing story, it simply means to do what it does, superlative-free. They even managed to squeeze in a little plot twist towards the end! So while far from being a masterpiece - Rattlesnake is definitely a must-see for us Horror/Thriller fans, especially amongst the ocean of mediocrity that is Netflix cinema.