Hidden in a remote area of the Russian wilderness is a deadly secret that the U.S. government wants to recover at all costs, and has paid the Russians millions to help recover. A genetically enhanced python with a nasty temper and a ravenous appetite is the target of a squad of elite Russian soldiers under U.S. command and a live capture of the specimen is the only acceptable goal facing them. While this premise might be enough for some direct to cable titles to build a film around, the creative team behind “Python 2” have used this setup to power a film that sets the standard for giant snake films as it easily surpasses both the original film and the larger budgeted “Anaconda”.
After the introductions and capture of the snake, the story covers a hijacking of the cargo and its eventual recapture by Troops who are unaware of what they have discovered. Naturally the snake gets loose and there is a mess to clean up and the CIA sends is Agent Larson (Greg Zabka), largely based upon his experiences with the giant snake in the first film. Larson hires a husband and wife shipping team (Alex Jolig and Simmone Mackinnon), to transport an object for the government. It seems that the husband named Matthew is an ex-pitcher who has been living in Russia with his wife Nadia since a controversial beaning incident when pitching. The controversy regarding his intentions to harm a player he had been feuding with proved to be too much for him, so Matthew has abandoned his dreams. His Russian wife Nadia is skeptical of the job offer but sees the large cash reward as a chance for them to return to America and start over.
Naturally things do not go as planned and before long Matthew, Nadia, Larson, and their teams are trapped in a government facility with the python and must try to survive not only against the python, but from government officials who want to destroy the base and them to cover up any evidence.
While things progress from here in a fairly simple manner, director L.A. McConnell keeps the film moving at a steady pace and does not lose sight of the films intentions. This is a B movie, and as such, the focus is on the snake, the characters and the FX. The character relations are solid for a film of this type, without seeming tacked on or slighted. There is just enough given so that we care for certain characters and even some of the characters destined to become Python chow are given some good moments. The snakes scenes are good for a limited budget and do not overpower the film. The audience is given just enough to know what is going on, and not subjected to an abundance of unnecessary FX. “Python 2” is an enjoyable diversion and a pleasant surprise. The DVD keeps it simple but has good sound and picture quality making it a must see for horror fans.
3 stars out of 5
