Venom (1982)

Terrible acting, screenplay and direction.

Stylish but barely mediocre overall

It's funny watching the elements come together in this complicated scam. On one hand, the set-up isn't quite as complex as it seems, but there's an easy sense of fun in every exchange.

The movie's neither hopeful in contrived ways, nor hopeless in different contrived ways. Somehow it manages to be wonderful

Venom (1981) *** (out of 4)An excellent cast highlights this crime picture that throws in some horror elements for a grand entertainment. A butler (Oliver Reed) and maid (Susan George) agree to help a terrorist (Klaus Kinski) kidnap a young boy who belongs to a rich bounty hunter (Sterling Haden). Their plans don't work out too well but it takes an even deadlier turn when they're all held up inside the house with a black mamba on the loose. I can't comment on what it was like watching VENOM back when it was released in 1981 but when you're viewing it today you can't help but watch it with your brain rolling as well as your eyes glued to the screen. I mean, check out the cast of this thing! I'm really not sure how everything came together but I must say that this little crime picture actually manages to have quite the bite as far as entertainment goes.I will say that there are some major flaws with the picture including the fact that this "terrorist" group has to be the cheapest and most pathetic from any movie that I recall. I mean, their entire plan is just crazy and stupid and the way the situation unfolds is just somewhat embarrassing. With that said, the film certainly picks up once the criminals and their hostages are trapped inside with the police on the outside and a deadly snake inside.The entire snake aspect seems to have been thrown in to try and sell this off as a horror picture but it works. I'm personally scared of snakes so this here helped add to the uneasy factor I had watching it. The point of view snake attacks are clever in their own way and there's no question that the violent reaction of the humans adds some entertainment value. It should go without saying but what keeps VENOM so entertaining is the wonderful cast. I mean, you've got Kinski and Reed in the same movie! Having them as your bad guys just makes the film worth watching. Throw in Susan George from STRAW DOGS and it's even better. Her part is rather forgettable but it's still fun watching her. Throw in Nicol Williamson as the lead officer, Sarah Miles as a snake expert and then Hayden as the grandfather and you've really got a stellar cast.VENOM was originally to be directed by Tobe Hooper but he was fired (or quit) after a couple day's filming. WHo knows how it would have turned out in his hands but as it stands, this is a fast and fun movie.

Bad story, bad actors, bad soundtrack. Not much good about this - except the poor snake which had to endure typecasting of being a bad snake for the rest of it's film career.The snake was the only character that held any interest, but it wasn't in the movie long enough to be given top billing.Anybody else in this POS made horrible decisions to remain in the movie once they received notice of it.What has to be some of the stupidest police ever with absolutely no negotiating skills or sharpshooting skills and horrible police procedure.If the box cover enticed you like it did me...then you already lost. They won, you lost. Don't! Don't let them get you. It's not worth your time - even the final poorly developed shootout or what was of it was so poorly executed.The only good part about this entire thing is the credits rolling at the end to signify that the entire thing is over. Good!

A movie about a kidnapping? Cool. A movie about a kidnapping that degenerates into a hostage crisis? Even better! But howzabout a movie about the kidnapping of a seriously asthmatic kid, that turns into a hostage crisis, while the victims and criminals besieged by the law in a London town house are threatened by an escaped black mamba snake, the world's swiftest and most deadly? What could be better than that? Well, as the 1982 British thriller "Venom" demonstrates, perhaps an all-star group of performers to put this fun-sounding conceit over! Thus, we have an absolutely sterling cast here, consisting, in part, of, uh, Sterling Hayden as the asthmatic boy's supercool grandfather, Klaus Kinski and Oliver Reed as the kidnappers (a terrific pair of bad guys, with Oliver's ultimate fate in the film giving new meaning to the old expression "trouser snake"), Sarah Miles as a toxicologist, Nicol Williamson as the police commander in charge of the crisis, and Michael Gough (wasted in a teensy role) as a snake expert. The picture has been directed for maximum suspense by Piers Haggard, with much of that suspense naturally arising from the fact that the viewer can never predict where or when that deadly mamba will raise its ugly head. Any opened drawer, cabinet or door in the picture can serve as a most lethal jack-in-the-box of sorts, and this knowledge keeps us primed and nervous throughout. With the exception of that final ambiguous shot of a snake in the town house's ductwork (I still can't figure out the meaning of that!), I found this film to be thoroughly satisfying and entertaining. And the further good news is that the picture has been given a great-looking treatment by the always dependable folks at Blue Underground. Thanks again, guys!

...and had trouble staying awake! Horrible, boring "thriller" about a bunch of kidnappers (or terrorists or something) stuck in a house with some hostages and a killer snake. Periodically the snake appears and bites someone. Yawn. This was a troubled production. Original director Tobe Hopper was fired over "creative differences" (I think he actually read the script and realized it was hopeless) and the DOP left a few days later. There were well-reported screaming matches between the stars and director. It was a wonder this thing was ever finished! I just can't figure how they got such a distinguished cast of actors in this. They all give out their worst performances by the way. Oliver Reed especially--he appears drunk through most of the film (maybe he was). Klaus Kinski just walks through his role and Sarah Miles and Nicol Williamson look embarrassed (no surprise there). Only Susan George shows any acting ability--and she's only in it for a short period of time. The snake POV attacks are kind of cool but they're a VERY small portion of this. Not a horror film but a slow, dull thriller with a lousy script and atrocious performances. Only worth seeing to watch a bunch of talented actors embarrass themselves. A 1 all the way.