Mamba
Mamba
| 01 November 1988 (USA)
Mamba Trailers

When Gene, a maniacally deranged computer-game designer, gets dumped by his beautiful artist wife, he devises a masochistic plan for revenge. Taking his spouse prisoner, Gene locks her in her windowless Los Angeles loft but leaves her with something to keep her company -- a deadly mamba snake. Via electronic sensors and cameras, he watches with glee as his terrorized ex-lover fights for her life.

Reviews
Tanuccoon

All's fair in love and murder, apparently, as a man attempts to kill his ex-wife through use of a modified exotic, poisonous snake. The man, some computer bigwig, plants a tracker on both the snake and the woman so he can view their proximity to each other while he waits outside in his car. To ensure that his wife not escape, he jams her door (apparently she only has one?) and taps into her phone which allows him to periodically call in to make sure she's still alive.Fair Game probably has one of the most interesting premises I've seen in a while but, due to only having one real potential victim, it gets bogged down by a ton of false scares. You keep seeing the snake seemingly draw near or think it's going to pop out only for the woman to miss it entirely. Humorously, she goes a fairly long while before she realizes it's even in the studio apartment with her. After that, the woman's paranoia causes her to act out in increasingly bizarre ways as he panics.Long before Kill Bill popularized the black mamba, it was being used as the exotic snake of choice in this movie. In retrospect, it's actually a huge step up from other films which favored things like cobras. I suppose it's just one more thing that sets this movie apart. Trudie Styler, the intended victim, gives a very witty, neurotic performance that will endear her to some while likely annoying others. This level of weirdness, however, may make the viewer question why she'd be the one to leave the relationship >_> Gregg Henry, her would-be killer, plays the role rather stoically and has few bits of dialog to speak of. He essentially serves as a background piece, a catalyst for this fateful encounter. The real action remains squarely between the girl and the snake. More interesting than either the male or female leads is the brief cameo by Bill Moseley, who ironically is the only cast member to really do much with the rest of his career (one that's spanned numerous horror films, might I add).The title refers to the notion that the man is giving his ex-wife a chance of survival. The snake, which has been doctored with some chemical that makes it both hyper-aggressive and more toxic but also means that it will die on its own in an hour, is a less than perfect execution method. The concept kind of justifies the rather bizarre attempt on her life, although the story still slightly pushes the boundaries of credulity. If the movie has one real fault it would be that very little happens at first but once things start happening it quickly loses the shock value and gets fairly campy.

... View More
sibilance64

one black mamba in a warehouse apartment versus one hot white mama. Trudie styler(aka mrs sting) plays the ultimate game of keep away from one angry venomous reptile placed there by a spurned computer game playing geek.(it's always the quiet ones you know?)most of the plot is incredulous to be generous,but i did think the one scene where she dumps flour on the floor to track the mamba's movements was pretty smart. well if nothing else if you have ever wondered what sting's wife bare bottom looks like, then you will see it in all its pale moon glory! i laughed, i cried,(not really i cheered for the snake!)and for the first time , i honestly believe that i could have mane a better movie than Italian director mario orsini. for one thing there would have been more shots of her fine hiney, and less of the geek in the car watching the game unfold with a voyeur's delight.

... View More
slayrrr666

"Fair Game" is a really weak and barely worthwhile horror film.**SPOILERS**Conducting a business deal, Gene Campbell, (Gregg Henry) purchases a deadly mamba snake from Frank, (Bill Moseley) a renown dealer of exotic and deadly snakes. Still upset over his divorce from Eva, (Trudie Styler) he pays her a visit to her apartment and uses it as an excuse to leave the snake behind. Trapping her inside and watching the proceedings from a computer nearby, she becomes aware of the creature's presence but realizes she's still trapped within the house. Forced to defend herself, she tries to stay alive as the snake stalks her within the spacious building.The Good News: There wasn't much of anything to this one. The fact that there's a real snake to this one is a big plus, as those that are used to giant killer snakes will have been used to terrible CGI or barely realistic-looking prosthetics, and one where the creature is actual and real does draw some benefits to it. The house where it takes place is actually really nice, giving off a nice Gothic feel with it's spacious rooms, off-beat designs and intricate furniture all give it a unique look that serves well to make it really enjoyable and the perfect opportunity for something fun and enjoyable. The last big plus is that the final confrontation, which is the focal point of the whole film, deals with the snake stalking her through the house, and these are all full-on, tense and exciting scenes. From the bathroom confrontation to the scenes of the snake attacking in the living room, there's a lot to like about them. The fire scenes are just as good, and lend a little more believability to the film that, along with the real snake, make for a really fun scene. The extended length has it's benefits as well, as there's a lot to pack in while making it enjoyable, which this one does nicely. These here are the film's best points.The Bad News: This one here is really problematic entry. The biggest one here is the fact that nothing of real excitement happens in here. The fact that the whole film comprises the chasing around the house is about it, the rest of the film does nothing of importance. It's not entirely exciting watching her walk around doing yoga or trying wacky means of fitting food into refrigerators, or even stuff like the constant phone calls or flipping around the TV aren't that interesting at all, and the stuff that goes on while the snake's stalking her isn't any better. Granted, it does last a while, but it still doesn't do much of real interest and the film, as a whole, is terribly dull. This is also shown in the film's incredible lack of blood, gore or anything else horror fans are accustomed to. There's three people who have screen-time over ten seconds, and with a snake in the film, the deaths are guaranteed not to be too graphic at all, which is pretty common anyways. These here are the film's weak points.The Final Verdict: With a few good points about it and not a whole lot really wrong with it, this one ends up being incredibly underwhelming. If it must be seen, then go ahead and do so, but there's so much more worthwhile out there that it's hard to see any real point in giving in to this mediocre entry.Rated R: Adult Language, Violence and Brief Nudity

... View More
Brennan-8

This is a stunningly bad film, certainly the worst and most inept I've ever had the misfortune to sit through. The acting and direction are not even professional and the script makes no sense at all. It's hard to understand how the video was accepted for mass distribution, there really is no artistic merit at all.

... View More