Snakes on a Train


Snakes on a Train is a 2006 direct-to-video action thriller horror film released by The Asylum as a mockbuster on August 15, 2006. Aspects of the film are inspired by the film Snakes on a Plane, which was scheduled for theatrical release three days later on August 18, 2006.

Plot

Although taking the same basic idea from Snakes on a Plane, the background story of how the snakes end up on the train is completely different.
In the film, a woman has been put under a Mayan curse which causes snake eggs to hatch inside her belly and eat their way out. In order to recover the "lost pieces" of herself, she must travel to Los Angeles where a powerful Mayan shaman can lift the curse. She takes the snakes along with her in small jars. While on the train, bandits attack her, allowing the snakes to escape, endangering the rest of the passengers.
Eventually, and inexplicably, she herself transforms into a gigantic snake and swallows the moving train whole.
Six passengers manage to escape unharmed, and one of them performs a magic ritual which causes her to vanish. However, one girl is shown to have been unknowingly bitten, suggesting that the curse will remain.

Cast

According to co-producer David Rimawi, The Asylum initially had no intention of making the film, but they proceeded when an earlier film project fell through. While looking for international distributors at Cannes, a group of Japanese investors saw the film's poster and asked if there really was a giant snake eating a train. In response, Rimawi had his crew in Los Angeles add the aforementioned scene to the film to make the Japanese audiences happy.

Reception

The film has received mostly negative reviews. When reviewed by Variety magazine, it was described "neither undiscriminating action fans nor connoisseurs of high camp will find much bite in this latest direct-to-video product from The Asylum." Scott Foy, reviewing the film for Dread Central, asked "how the hell do you produce a rip-off this dispirited?"