This is another Wes Craven film, but the Serpent and the rainbow is shot with such surprising realism that you can forget at times you are watching a film and think you are watching a documentary or recreation of real life story. And it is a cinematic re-adaption of a true story of the same title written by Wade Davis, a Harvard ethnobotonist, who was conducting his doctoral research in Haiti on the Voodoo culture and a possible scientific explanation for the existence of zombies.
The film follows Dennis Alan played by Bill Pullman who is an anthropologist hired by a pharmaceutical company to try and isolate the “black magic” drugs apparently used to make zombies. They are hoping for a super anesthetic. (Technically Wade Davis was an anthropologist at the time of his experiences which happened prior to receiving his Doctorate). The movie also parallels the real life account as in both cases the reappearance of a man whose death had been documented years before suddenly makes the outside world take notice that the zombie myths of the local area might actually have some truth to them.
This is a great story replete with religious traditions, secretive practices and superstitions brought to life among the real Haitians who live and breathe these ancient African practices. As an obvious outsider the task before Dennis Allen is filled with mistrust, mystery and personal risk as the secrets of the Voodoo priests are highly guarded. He even succumbs at one point to hallucinogenic drug known as the zombie cucumber. As with all Wes Craven’s films, this movie takes an element of real life horror and brings his viewer to the abyss, where he can test his stamina against them.
