Simple and well acted, it has tension enough to knot the stomach.

The plot isn't so bad, but the pace of storytelling is too slow which makes people bored. Certain moments are so obvious and unnecessary for the main plot. I would've fast-forwarded those moments if it was an online streaming. The ending looks like implying a sequel, not sure if this movie will get one

One of the most extraordinary films you will see this year. Take that as you want.

It’s not bad or unwatchable but despite the amplitude of the spectacle, the end result is underwhelming.

This New Zealand product slowly grabs you. Alice(Melanie Lynskey...Rose on Two and a Half Men)is a young women who craves excitement. She admires most all things American; you know...threat of danger, drugs, sex and in her mind anything resembling a cheap thrill. Her bedroom walls are covered with photos of James Dean and Elvis. She also has a fetish for snakeskin boots. Her ideal weekend is going with platonic friend Craig(Dean O'Gorman), who wants to be called Johnny because it is sexier, hitting the highway and picking up strangers. With each stranger there is the chance of adventure. Johnny being in love with Alice would go to the ends of the earth for her. What Alice wants...Alice usually gets. When these two adventurers pick up an American hitchhiker Seth(Boyd Kestner), the road trip becomes a thrill ride. Seth appears to be a rough cowboy packing a gun and wearing snakeskin boots; and he is trying to hide the fact he is running from drug dealers, who he robbed...he has their product and their money. This being known, small town Alice and Johnny become characters in the adventure of their lives. Lynskey has what it takes to carry the movie. She is vibrant and adaptable. Others in the cast: Oliver Driver, Jode Rimmer, Jacob Tomuri and Paul Glover.

I so wanted to like this movie, my sister was Melanie Lynskey's body double, but sorry sis you were good, the movie sucked. I didn't like or hate any of the characters, finding them bland, one-dimensional and sadly unengaging. The portrayal of the American drifter was right passed cartoon and into offensively stereotypical. Snakeskin does nothing new or even well, the comedy that should help lift the story is limp and unsatisfying. The whole thing is like a slow drive to nowhere with the kids fighting non stop in the back of the car. Are we there yet? When will it end? Spoilers- other than actually paying to see the movie.The writer Gillian Ashurst may think getting F***ed in a toilet by a stranger is very exciting and everyone's secret fantasy but. yawn, is this crap really the best she could come up with? I was glad when one of the main characters put the gun in his mouth and died. One less source of weak inane drivel to listen to and I felt relieved because the movie must nearly be over. wrong it just kept going on and on. and even then the end was not worth the wait.

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.

New Zealand movies have a knack for being slightly 'quirky' and this film is no exception. The characters are somewhat enigmatic, the scenes are at times surreal, and the plot is suitably 'dark'. Unfortunately, "Snakeskin" is unable to live up to its premise, and the viewing experience is somewhat unfulfilling. However, this is not to say that the film is without its good points: Firstly, the cinematography is absolutely breathtaking and showcases the beauty of Southern New Zealand; secondly, the camera work is extremely effective (especially in the first half) thus adding an element of intrigue; and thirdly, the acting is slick and well-polished (in particular Melanie Lynskey and Oliver Driver).Despite its good intentions, "Snakeskin" does not run as smoothly as it ought too. The first half of the film runs like a typical road movie, and this is reinforced by the use of humour and brisk action (car chases etc). The second half of the film takes a dramatic change however, and veers into thriller territory. The scenes become darker, more complex, and more serious. I found this shift in genres quite distracting, and it made the film increasingly difficult to comprehend. Obviously, the snake motif plays a central part in the film, but this is undermined by the 'twilight zone' treatment it receives in the latter stages. Ultimately, I think the film would have been more effective if it stuck to a simpler story-making formula.