Rating: 
Summary: Claustrophobia is the least of his problems
Review: The person being refered to is Harvard Anthropologist Dr Dennis Alan (Bill Pullman) who is sent to Haiti by a pharmaceutical company to find and bring back to the US, a sample of the natural drug that is used in Voodoo to create Zombies. The company believes that such a drug could form the basis for a revolutionary new anaesthetic. So far so good, but the book, of the same name, is better. The book is based on a true adventure by Wade Davis. Davis did find the natural poison, but unlike the movie it was not blown in his face, inducing paralysis, nor was he buried alive. But I'm running ahead of the story and the movie is quite good at what it is - a suspenseful, psychological, horror thriller. Alan with the assistance of Marielle (Cathy Tyson) and a Voodoo priest Lucien Celine (Paul Winfield) starts his investigation. A lot happens quickly and most of it bad. Celine is a serious character and is there to highlight the importance of Voodoo as a religion and significant cultural facet of Haitian life. Dargent Peytraud (Zekes Mokae) on the other hand, as the evil Houngan priest and head of the 'Ton-Ton Macoutes' (secret police), is there for the horror effect. A role which he accomplishes with aplomb. There is a scene where Peytraud contorts his face into a sinister, smiling, frightfully evil countenance - an effect much more subtley scary and effective than any Wes Craven achieved later with spooks such as Freddy Kreuger and the ghoul in 'Scream'. 'Serpent & Rainbow' employs a variety of techniques for it's horror scenes. Alan had always been interested in hallucinatory drugs and from his earlier visits with South American shamans and now with his exposure in Haiti, he starts having visions - mystical at first then horrific. You would not want repeated visits from his dream Zombie! The visions show the psychological danger that he was in, but there were physical dangers as well. Paralyzed from the Zombie drug, Alan along with a large spider were placed in a coffin and buried alive. If the experience of a spider on your eyeball, with you immobilized and unable to get out of your cramped, earth-covered tomb does not send you insane, it will at the very least cure you of arachnaphobia and claustrophobia! This is where the movie excells - plumbing the depths of some of our deeply held psychological fears. The fear is palpable and the increasing helplessness and desperation of Alan's situation is well acted out by Pullman. The ending which takes the form of a confrontation between Alan and Peytraud set against the overthrow of 'Baby Doc' Duvallier is rather weak and is the only blemish.
Rating: 
Summary: A masterpiece from Wes Craven
Review: This brillant 1988 film, about voodoo was directed by Wes Craven. It stars Bill Pullman as Dennis Alen, and Cathy Tylson as Marielle. This film was based on true events. Dennis is a Harvard anthropologist and is called up by his old professor with a job for a pharmaceutical company. He is to go to Haiti and investigate the rumors and folklore of zombies. A man who died 7 years earlier, was found wandering in the village. He is to go there, and find out how he has come back to life. Dennis goes to Haiti, and meets Marielle, a doctor who treats the mentally ill, and since zombies have no control over themselves, she gets a lot of them. Dennis and Marielle go on investigating, and they find out, people are turned into zombies through a powder through the skin. Dennis is a scientist, and doesn't really believe this. Little does he know, there are things about this voodoo powder that science will never know. All of this is going on as a strict dictatorship is running Haiti. The leader does not want Dennis investigating this. It is rumored he is a powerful black magician. What will Dennis learn after his decent into a mystical, dark world in Haiti? This film has a very creepy mood, and is filmed mostly in Haiti. It has a documentary feel to it. The acting is done very well, as is the direction. All top notch. This is one of the best religious films I've ever seen. It explores voodoo, the rituals, and deities. Some scenes are very scary. There is a torture scene no male will ever forget. There is also a good romance subplot in the film, that works well with the two main characters. I have nothing but positive things to say for this film, except one: some effects are not needed. I recommended this to all film lovers. Take a chance, with an alternative religious film, its quite interesting. 5 stars. Check it out.
Rating:
Summary: Fear lies in realism.
Review: This film doesn't require fancy special effects and spicy atmosphere to make my skin curl. I live in the Dominican Republic near the Haiti border, and I know that Voodoo is no joke. This film portrays this religion as it really is, frightning and dreadful. Hats off to Wes Craven for bringing this reality to film.
Rating:
Summary: Haiti scary movie
Review: this is a good scary movie
it's about haitian voodoo
Rating:
Summary: Zombinol
Review: This is a great zombie movie even though there are no actual zombies in the movie. However, as a true zombie movie fan this is right up there with the best of the best like dead alive, army of darkness and biozombie. This is really a great tape. Its something to 'keep you company!'. Rent it. We bought it and couldn't be happier with it.
Rating:
Summary: Great, except for the ending.
Review: This is a well-crafted thriller. It weaves together everything from Amazonian shamans and ayahuasca dream-visions to Haitian voodoo rituals into a ripping yarn that follows the explorations of a Harvard anthropologist in search of the next great medical breakthrough. Retained by a medical conglomerate, he ventures to Haiti to find the secret of zombification. He finds it alright, together with a host of creepy characters and a sexy native doctor. The acting is altogether first-rate. Not a weak performance in the lot (though Bill Pullman is not the best of the group). It's visually fascinating, engrossing, and just enough grounded in reality ... until an ending that is both rushed and almost comical. I don't to ruin it, and you really should watch it--if for no other reason than to speculate about how you might have ended the movie.
Rating:
Summary: Great, except for the ending.
Review: This is a well-crafted thriller. It weaves together everything from Amazonian shamans and ayahuasca dream-visions to Haitian voodoo rituals into a ripping yarn that follows the explorations of a Harvard anthropologist in search of the next great medical breakthrough. Retained by a medical conglomerate, he ventures to Haiti to find the secret of zombification. He finds it alright, together with a host of creepy characters and a sexy native doctor. The acting is altogether first-rate. Not a weak performance in the lot (though Bill Pullman is not the best of the group). It's visually fascinating, engrossing, and just enough grounded in reality ... until an ending that is both rushed and almost comical. I don't to ruin it, and you really should watch it--if for no other reason than to speculate about how you might have ended the movie.
Rating:
Summary: Surprisingly Excellent Creepy Drama/Horror
Review: Though not nearly as famous as "Scream" or "Nightmare on Elm Street", this is possibly Craven's best film. It isn't a terrifying movie but is a spooky film with a smart, well written story. This is one of Bill Pullman's earliest roles (first time I'd seen him) and he does a great job as a scientist sent to Haiti by a pharmaceutical firm to research the medicinal potential of a mysterious powder known to plunge people into a temporary deathlike state. The story effectively touches many different topics (life under the Duvalier regime, profiteering drug companies, religion, the supernatural...) without overdoing any of them. This is a diamond in the rough. You'll get more enjoyment out of it than you expect. Always a nice situation.
Rating:
Summary: Surprisingly Excellent Creepy Drama/Horror
Review: Though not nearly as famous as "Scream" or "Nightmare on Elm Street", this is possibly Craven's best film. It isn't a terrifying movie but is a spooky film with a smart, well written story. This is one of Bill Pullman's earliest roles (first time I'd seen him) and he does a great job as a scientist sent to Haiti by a pharmaceutical firm to research the medicinal potential of a mysterious powder known to plunge people into a temporary deathlike state. The story effectively touches many different topics (life under the Duvalier regime, profiteering drug companies, religion, the supernatural...) without overdoing any of them. This is a diamond in the rough. You'll get more enjoyment out of it than you expect. Always a nice situation.
Rating:
Summary: ONE OF CRAVENS BETTER MOVIES
Review: Wes Craven pulls off one of his better films here. It definatly deserved more recognition than in got. It is superior to the film that got him started, Nightmare on Elm Street. While by no means perfect, the flaws can be excused considering the cast and crew were threatened with everything from curses to stoning by the local natives. This film also got guff for claiming to be the definative portrait of voodoo, wich it is not. Its just a movie, and, as Horror movies go, its not a very bad one.
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