Silent Predators Reviews

Slimy snakes slither through an upscale housing development in a flick picture guaranteed to send shivers down the spines of viewers suffering from ophidiophobia. Big city sheriff Vic Rondelli (Harry Hamlin) expects non-demanding assignments during his new gig in a California desert town. What he doesn't factor into this equation is a serpent population unearthed by real estate honcho Max Farrington (Jack Scalia). Construction-site demolitions unleash a swarm of poisonous reptiles looking for shelter; unfortunately, they're not ordinary snakes. They're accidental hybrids of tropical rattlesnakes and Western diamond-backs that escaped from a nearby research lab 20 years earlier and have been breeding in the wilderness ever since. After several homeowners perish from particularly virulent snakebites Farrington scrambles to construct a cover-up that will save his investment, even though as many as 35,000 killer snakes could be crawling closer to the prized plots. Farrington has the mayor in his pocket, but his publicist, Mandy Stratford (Shannon Sturges), jumps camp and lends her support to Sheriff Rondelli and local pet-shop owner Vera Conrad (Patty McCormack). Vera warns that explosives could liberate rather than destroy the lethal reptiles, but Farrington takes matters into his own hands and blows up a large tunnel, trapping himself and Mandy. Sheriff Rondelli dons protective gear and tries to rescue extricate Mandy while figuring out a way to kill the mutant snakes once and for all. Those familiar with JAWS (1975) or PIRANHA (1978) will recognize the formula: venal politicians and moguls reap the harvest of Mother Nature's fury.