Snakeskin

It's a bit stunning to watch a film made in New Zealand, by New Zealanders, and not want to cringe. This is a fantastic piece of work. Kudos to the production team - when I think "road movie" made with a measly NZ budget I shudder to think of the result, especially when shot in a lightning fast 28 days. Yet this film looks like it cost three or four times as much to make. The visuals are stunning, and its cinematography award was well deserved. The story takes a nice big swipe and New Zealanders and their obsession with the USA. It may look on the surface to be your average american road film, and therefore a bit of a typical, stolen idea... but in truth this story rings sound as a uniquely New Zealand piece of work. It immediately promises to get quite dark... and then does... slowly sliding its way into that grim genre that New Zealand has created for itself that Sam Neill dubbed the "Cinema of Unease". This is a great New Zealand film, but better still, it's just a great film full stop. Great work to Gillian and Vanessa and all their team.

I loved this film so much I've seen it several times, and with each viewing am rewarded with another layer of story telling, symbolism, character development and references to Kiwiana - & NZ v USA culture.

On first viewing it's a twisty road trip with lashings of humour and a sci fi flavour, but subsequent viewings reveal a much darker story and complicated characters - once you recognise clues delivered in short sequences, or understand that throwaway lines are crucial to the story.

Cinematically it's an eye popping feast of vast landscapes and gorgeous lush scenery, but it's the dark twisty story which satisfies the most. Melanie Lynskey as Alice blew me away in her first sexy lead role rather than as the usual "suburban friend" she gets cast as; even Dean O'Gormon surprised as I'd only ever seen him acting in a soap before.

The soundtrack deserves special mention - especially the mood inducing soundscapes as the road trip progresses.

Overall this is a classic NZ film which will affect an entire generation of New Zealanders as Goodbye Pork Pie did in the 70s. Well worth a look.

Superb acting and cinematography compliment a fresh writing style that skillfully guides us through this modern-day "Alice in Wonderland" set in New Zealand. Lynskey especially takes us on an ultra-realistic joy/horror ride, as the subtle changes in her character hook us almost subconsciously, and before we know it, drag us forever down the rabbit hole, screaming for more!

I went to Snakeskin not expecting much, perhaps something along the lines of "Stickmen" a NZ version of a successful overseas production, with a focus on Kiwiana and gimmicky NZ references. Too a large degree I was not disappointed. Oliver Driver plays yet another weirdo (although this time a skin head speed freak) which he does well, however, his appearances are becoming a little too familiar. While the acting and actors are excusable the writing is not, the first half of the film is nothing particularly new but works, but, by the second half the writing is completely incoherent. At one point towards the end it seems as if too many characters have been introduced and writer/director Ashurst just gets rid of them, they walk off, get shot etc. etc.... More noticeable than their demise is the increasingly strange (dare I say quirky) mishmash of ideas thrown in to try to hold the script together as it winds down towards the end which is neither a surprise nor original. (In fact for all you B-grade film viewers, very "Tales from the crypt" type thing). The whole film is very New Zealand on the surface and should be praised for being true to "NZ", those of you who liked "Stickmen" will like this film, but for me it does not compare with "Goodbye pork pie". Go and see it if only for the landscape.

As the film opens there is a song playing, the lyrics are something along the lines of "there's a dust cloud out there, and its bigger than Texas.." I have searched high and low for what this song is and who sings it on the internet but to no avail. If anyone has the slightest idea about it I would really appreciate it if you let me know. It plays just before Melanie Lynsky starts narrating and listing her heroes, various movie characters including Thelma and Louise. I think the lyrics in the song represent her desire for the adventure she has always lived for which is about to finally happen to her, though she doesn't yet know it. What is before her is elusive and hidden, behind a giant dust cloud. Lol even if you just liked the song as well I'd love to know i'm not alone and the song actually does exist!