In Serpent a trip into African nature turns into the ultimate moment of reckoning when a husband and wife are trapped in a tent with a deadly Black Mamba. The movie is spartan with only two actors and a limited amount of sets, but does not fail to provide edge of your seat suspense all the way through. The sub story of a wife (Gwyneth) having betrayed her husband (Adam) runs uncomfortably deep and the snake is a worthy antagonist to bring out the demons in the two characters.Who deserves to live or die? Serpent is top rate, with a heart-quickening score. This snake is literally death and that is not fictional, but pure undiluted reality which heightens the thrill of the movies story. Most venomous snakes give you a nasty bite and a few hours of discomfort while you drag yourself to hospital, two drops of Black Mamba venom however can kill you in 30 minutes. Highly toxic, fast acting venom coupled with an aggressive snake of +2m length is enough to have most people shaking at the knees. Imagine the actors of Serpent working with live snakes and you get a sense of the authentic thrill you are about to experience.

If you are expecting or are after a cheap and flat snake horror where everyone dies in a venom induced fright fest, then pick something else. This movie takes a simple concept and deliberate minimalist set up and manages to provide a psychological thriller with plenty of depth and multi layered scare moments.5 minutes of research into Black Mambas will confirm the high possibility of death and very realistic threat of this awesome and fascinating apex predator. Apparently the actors even worked with LIVE snakes on this! You don't need to suffer from Ophidiophobia (fear of snakes) to jump out of your skin with the suspense the ominous presence creates. The underlying story of husband, wife betrayal will go under your skin even more. Well acted in all its minimalist glory. The final scene was gut wrenching and the act of forgiveness and ultimate sacrifice stayed with me on a deep emotional level. Agree with this critic: "Serpent isn't an action horror film, but a slow-cooked meditation on a relationship and the death dealing poison of deceit. Serpent is a well-crafted, intimate thriller that will coil around you and never let you loose until the final, death-dealing bite."

The movie is boring, long and dragging.Ultimately, U will see only 2 actors for whole 2 hours, and the snake for an hour. Whole movie show only 4 days of their life.The story-line is short, maybe the synopsis could be only 4 sentences. No much action. Wasted a lot of time for the scenery and the snake. The shooting style is somehow similar to horror/ghost movies. Do not enjoy the movie.

Adam (Tom Ainsley) is a South African entomologist with a great assignment. He is to travel to a remote area to seek and study what may be a new species of beetle that has a small ecosystem. They are located in Suicide Gorge. His wife Gwyn (Sarah Dumont) almost showers and insists on traveling with him. She is having an affair because Adam is good looking, intelligent, and cooks for her. If you look at the back of the DVD cover, you know they get trapped inside a small tent with a Black Mamba without Elle Driver to read to us.There is a Biblical parallel with the serpent, a man named Adam and a woman who has eaten the forbidden fruit, letting the serpent into their lives, threatening their expulsion from paradise on Earth. However well acted, it amounts to a two person play, one that is almost as boring as a one person play with Sarah in her bra and panties. The ending could have gone a number of ways, they tossed in some hallucinations because they could.Guide: Sex. No swearing or nudity.