Basilisk: The Serpent King (TV Movie 2006) Poster

(2006 TV Movie)

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4/10
This is why giant serpents are not allowed in shopping malls
MartianOctocretr524 January 2010
Opening scene mayhem introduces a formidable beast, a serpent with spiritual vengefulness. It can petrify victims to stone in Medusan fashion, and it can swat you like a fly too. Odd that it has Greek Mythological power, since it's lurking in the Mid-East desert. Treasure hunters and a full moon unleash the giant serpent to emerge and wreak more destruction.

Promising start, but after that initial scene, this film decides it's a junior high school production, and degenerates into unbridled silliness. When the creature is unleashed, does it utilize its horrifying powers for a grandiose or symbolic attack? Like other monsters would? No, it just tears up a museum and a shopping mall. It also wipes out a bunch of "soldiers" who look like they trained for combat by playing war games with GI Joe dolls.

The acting is painfully bad. Somebody recites a line loudly, and then pauses expectantly, as if waiting for a laugh track to be inserted. It reminded me of one of those tween sit-coms on Disney channel. The archaeologist guy (a Robert Downey look-like) wanders around with a pie-eyed gaping expression. He makes dumb quips, and he just looks weird. There's a stock nerdy geek, who has neon-yellow bleached hair and horn-rimmed glasses. The female love interest looks like she's going to laugh hysterically at any moment.

The red-dress greedy rich femme-fatale wannabe girl deserves special recognition. Her tough vamp routine looks more like a shampoo commercial. She runs around with a big heavy gold staff, looking like she's going to trip over her stiletto heels any moment. One guess on how shampoo vamp ends up. And it'll seem way over due.

About as scary as a Care Bears cartoon. For its unintentional humor, it's good for a couple of laughs.
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4/10
At least the Basilisk likes the ladies
Phillemos3 December 2006
Warning: Spoilers
I give the Basilisk props. In one confrontation, he bites the hottie with the scepter in her hand and rips her dress off. Instead of, oh I dunno, say, running for her life, she sits there in her undies and yells at the Basilisk for ruining her dress. The Basilisk stares at her for two seconds, then chomps her torso off. Not only is it a comically bad scene, but we also got to see Yancy Butler in her skivvies. Tremendous. As for the rest of the movie, it's your standard SciFi Original fare. People find relics of an ancient creature somewhere in Persia. Despite warnings from the locals to leave well enough alone, they take everything home to a major metropolitan museum and the thing comes to life. Military grunts come in talking all big and bad about how they'll blow this thing to smithereens, then run like little girls after it starts ripping them to shreds. Science geeks study its habits and try to find a way to kill it. The Basilisk looked pretty cool. The ending was a little dumb, so that pulls the overall rating lower. But if you're in the mood for some bad horror hijinks, "Basilisk: The Serpent King" (kind of a silly title, since toward the end of the movie the Basilisk was proved to be female) will fit the bill.
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3/10
More enjoyably bad fare from the Sci-Fi Channel
b-rad25 November 2006
Warning: Spoilers
"Basilisk" is on right now, the latest CGI monster flick from Sci-Fi, inspired by medieval bestiaries (remember "Manticore"?).

The effects are bad, the characters and situations predictable, the monster really badly drawn, but it's another one of those movies that is so bad, you can enjoy laughing at it. And if it weren't for movies like this, actors like Stephen Furst wouldn't have anything to do.

At least we get to see Yancy Butler running around in a little cocktail dress.

Now I see that there is a minimum line requirement to these comments, so I have to add more content. Let's see...

The soldier popping up out of the manhole, begging for help, only to get pulled back in, that's predictable.

The lone garbage man who sees the monster as he walks to the dumpster, that's a cliché, too.

Oh, and the producers fulfilled another horror movie requirement by having the monster attack a shopping mall. Take that, you blind consumerist sheep!

Ooh, and the monster came to life at a university museum, at a reception for wealthy patrons. Take that, capitalists! Throw in a nutty sidekick, and a hot blonde archeology professor, and we have plenty of the expected building blocks of a shake-and-bake monster movie.

Is that enough lines now?

I see that it is. Who's idea was that requirement, anyway?
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Had potential
OC4715027 November 2006
Basilisk wasn't as bad as some of the other Saturday night Sci-fi Channel offerings. The majority of the budget was obviously spent on CGs. While there were scenes where the CG effects weren't great, there were others that it was.

My big complaint about these movies are little details. These movies are filmed in Eastern Europe, where the buck can be stretched further than in the states. That's fine, but at least if you're depicting the U.S. military, use American-issued weapons, not weapons fixed to look like them. Would it be too hard to scrounge up some decent-looking M-16s?
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1/10
Series B not much more
Daspitopathe17 August 2007
Warning: Spoilers
I don't know if the previous comment was made by the director of this awful film but in fact it is just a B series. Poor actor with kind of acceptable special effects are making this production watchable but the whole edit is not good enough to keep you under pressure, humor is too low and the great lines of the story are predictable.

This movie isn't worth the location. If you have taken the sci-fi channel, watch Battlestar Galactica, Dresden Files, Eureka and other good series but forget about this rubbish son of a bitch basilisk.

In fact I am really angry because there was a very good comment here but in fact it's someone who hasn't the same taste as me, and i'm displeased that he said it's the better mini-series or film made by Sci-fi.

Go get a porno it's better And go get your wasting time in your toilets.
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5/10
Cheese beyond belief
Leofwine_draca6 May 2022
Another B-movie effort from Sci Fi Pictures, shot in Bulgaria on the cheap and featuring cult favourite (?) Jason London in the lead alongside Yancy Butler (HARD TARGET) as a baddie for a change. This one sees an archaeologist bringing back a basilisk statue from the Middle East, but it shortly revives and goes on the rampage in a museum. Plenty of cheesy action and death ensue, and it's all completely ridiculous, mannered and over the top. But at least it's not boring.
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4/10
Pretty bad and unintentionally comical, but SyFy have done far worse than this
TheLittleSongbird17 December 2011
Warning: Spoilers
Basilisk: The Serpent King is in my opinion not a good movie, however SyFy with movies like Titanic II, 2010: Moby Dick, Alien vs Hunter and Quantum Apocalypse have done worse. This does get plus points for the scene where the Basilisk comes to life in the museum, which is the best and most cool-looking scene of the film I feel, Yancy Butler who manages to give her role some credibility, an interesting idea and some nice scenery.

On the other hand, Basilisk: The Serpent King does have one too many moments where it gets unintentionally comical or unrealistic, and this is not just the scene where the Basilisk kills the girl with the sceptre but also the scenes where they pretend to be mannequins and the Basilisk ignores him like literally and when you see 24-carat gold being carried like it weighed nothing at all.

Also, while SyFy have definitely had much worse graphics, I think Alien vs. Hunter, Titanic II and Mega Piranha had the worst, there are some scenes where they do look on the cheap side, but I am not sure whether it was the graphics or the lazy editing that was the problem. The music was forgettable and for me not very dynamic. The script contains some very cheesy and inane lines that are awkwardly placed and delivered especially with the killing I mentioned(she actually tells the Basilisk off for ruining her dress which seemed made that scene awkwardly funny in alternative to nail-biting).

The concept isn't so bad actually, the execution is what bogs the story down. It all feels very predictable, with none of the killings having any suspense or tension to them. At least three scenes don't make much sense, but I haven't yet mentioned the ending which felt very dumb and rushed. I have to give some credit and say it is not a dull story, which is yet another reason why this film is better than others that have all the flaws I have mentioned to am about to mention and suffer from this too.

When it comes to the characters, Basilisk: The Serpent King also fails. The Basilisk actually is quite cool if not very menacing. The human characters though are shallow and stereotyped, you don't care for them or their situations at all. Butler aside, the acting is really bland or overdone, with uneven line delivery and one too many "pregnant" pauses in between. Finally, the title, would've been a somewhat obvious but epic title if the film hadn't contradicted the Basilisk's gender.

In conclusion, not the worst SyFy has done, but not very good. 4/10 Bethany Cox
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3/10
Let Sleeping Snakes Lie
wes-connors31 December 2014
A long time ago in 112 A.D. Cyrenaica, during an eclipse, a giant snake-like creature wakes up and attacks a group of men. This is "Basilisk: The Serpent King" and he is angry. Basilisk spits out a long stream of white stuff, which turns people into stone. Two thousand years later, in present day Libya, a team of archaeologists led by steadfast Jeremy London (as Harrison "Harry" McColl) dig around in the same area. Watch out! They discover some artifacts which will lead to the return of Basilisk, but not quite yet...

Two months later, in Pueblo Springs, Colorado, Mr. London meets attractive blonde archaeologist Wendy Carter (as Rachel Donegal). He really digs her, even with sexy Yancy Butler (as Hannah) hanging out. They are at an archaeological event during an eclipse when, like the first one, Basilisk wakes up. This time, he seems even angrier. And, with good reason. According to geeky scientist Griff Furst (as Rudy), "Basilisk: The Serpent King" is pregnant. If the snake king isn't destroyed, there will be 18-20 more...

Yikes!

*** Basilisk: The Serpent King (11/25/06) Stephen Furst ~ Jeremy London, Wendy Carter, Griff Furst, Yancy Butler
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5/10
Watchable enough...
paul_haakonsen25 September 2021
When I stumbled upon this 2006 TV movie in 2021, I must admit that I wasn't really harboring much of any great expectations as the movie had that particular SyFy or The Asylum aura to it. But still, I hadn't already seen the movie, and the basilisk is an interesting mythological creature, so of course I sat down to watch it.

Writers Will McCarthy and Chase Parker actually managed to churn out a storyline and script that was actually wholesome enough and provided me with sufficient entertainment. Sure, this wasn't a great nor top of the line creature feature, but it proved to be enjoyable and entertaining enough for what it was.

Visually then "Basilisk: The Serpent King" was adequate. The CGI used to bring the basilisk alive was okay for the most of the movie, which definitely helped to make the movie watchable. However, you should not be expecting to be in for a grand spectacle of impressive CGI effects here.

The movie does have an okay enough cast ensemble. I think Jeremy London is actually a fair actor and he does carry "Basilisk: The Serpent King" quite well with his performance. And he was joined by the likes of Griff Furst and Yancy Butler.

"Basilisk: The Serpent King" provides sufficient entertainment for a single viewing. However, this is hardly a movie that you will be watching more than just once.

My rating of the 2006 TV movie "Basilisk: The Serpent King" lands on a five out of ten stars.
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10/10
My nomination for Best Screenplay
kitconn13 January 2007
As a veteran aficionado of the SciFi originals, I had my usual expectations going into "Basilisk". Laughable special effects, transparent characters and formulaic situations clumsily stumbled into by unwitting victims of the CGI beast-du-jour; all comprising a solidly entertaining and heartily enjoyable experience. While "Basilisk" dutifully fulfilled many of my preconceptions, I have to say that it was a cut well above the standard Saturday night fare.

This creature flick can rightfully take its place among such greats as "Hammerhead: Shark Frenzy" (Jeffery Combs can't make a bad movie), "Frankenfish" and many of the other SciFi offerings but I have to put "Basilisk" into its own category all together. The effects are of the same caliber as its worthy cousins, but I think that what lifts this one for me is the script. It is witty without being contrived and never leaves a slow moment or the feeling of awkwardness that comes with so many screenplays that try too hard to be hip (see: Lucky Number Slevin. Actually, don't see it, it's terrible). Cleavant Derricks does an outstanding job as the weekend warrior Colonel and his bantering exchanges with Jeremy London are the stuff of high theatrical art.

So all in all, this one is not to be missed. Next time SciFi decides to air it, set the TiVo and prepare to be entertained. You will not be sorry.
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6/10
A surprise
ctomvelu-114 April 2009
BASILISK is your standard giant unkillable snake movie with one difference: two recognizable actors keep things moving along when the focus is not on the so-so CGI snake. Stealing its basic plot from KING KONG, the movie has some adventurers bringing back from ancient lands an artifact, which comes to life in front of a very large audience, and proceeds to kills a ton of people. The Army cannot seem to stop it. Jeremy London and Yancy Butler costar, and the lovely Ms. Butler gets to play a comic villain for a change. London is always easy to take, and handles the dumb dialogue with just the right amount of tongue in cheek fervor. He is given lines like "Come back here with that scepter!" Both get a fair share of screen time, which helps keep the focus away from the monster, which is absolutely dumb-looking. It's a snake with a dragon's head, if you care to know. Mildly entertaining. Shot in -- where else? -- eastern Europe. You will know immediately;y it ain't New York, L.A., Toronto or Vancouver. It's just too strange-looking to be on U.S. soil. Have a beer or three and enjoy. Especialyl enjoy Ms. Butler, who runs around in a tight little red dress and looks terrific.
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10/10
A Great Comedy-Horror
abominablebro29 January 2010
Warning: Spoilers
This movie is very entertaining and should be added to every collection of excellent B-movies. This movie was intentionally made to be humorous as well as gruesome. Wonderful and hilarious dialogue and lovable characters are only a couple of qualities that make this movie so good. This film also includes some graphic and gory death scenes which every horror needs. The acting was perfectly fitting for any comedy-horror and every character was unique in their own way. The 'Geek Scene' remains one of my favorite scenes of all time and deserves to be famous. All in all, very well played and hit spot-on. CGI is only okay, but hey, it is a comedy-horror after all. A great flick that should leave a good impression in the movie world.
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7/10
While not the best, it's not the worst
bobthemongoose9 December 2006
Warning: Spoilers
This is the latest monster movie tromp from the Sci-fi channel. While many other sci-fi channel movies like "Kraken" were absolutely terrible, this movie is pretty good. But if compared to "Aliens" or "King Kong", this movie would be considered terrible. The plot centers on a basilisk running loose around a city and scientists trying to stop it. Also two bad guys steal a staff that has the power to kill the basilisk but at the same time find a great treasure. Of course the bad guys want the treasure. But with the basilisk following the bad guys, things get complicated. While the characters are like card-board cut-outs and the special effects not so special, this movie exceeds in is a story that moves along fast enough to keep people entertained and excited. This movie is fairly enjoyable and only moderately disappointing. If sci-fi keeps making movies of this caliber, than i will tune in on Saturdays much more often.
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6/10
The Serpent King
badmoonryzn28 February 2009
This morning I chose to kick back and watch a couple of movies on the Sci fi channel. I watched Snakehead Terror first this morning and it was OK but I nodded off twice and I did not feel I missed enough to run the TVO back, however next up was the Serpent King and I am going to have to say this movie is pretty good for a B horror movie. The plot is pretty good and moves right along, the cgi is pretty good, the actors look like they are having a good time and there is a little bit of humor thrown in just for fun. What more could you ask for in a low budget film? I think they produced a pretty good film. I have seen big budget horror films with the best producers, directors and actors thrown at the mix and end up with no redeeming qualities at all. If you consider there seems to be hundreds of big bad killer snaky movies that all seem somewhat the same, this one stands out. So far it's been a nice lazy morning with no one complaining but the cats. Oh what the heck, I am going to complain about something. I wonder if the target audience for the Sci Fi planning group has changed to 20 years old and younger and who actually watches the ghost shows but kids? I have not found one person who admits that they watch the things. It is obvious to me they are targeted at children. The only thing I can figure is the cost of producing shows like the Stargate series. Shows like Stargate and Battlestar per episode cost a million dollars and the ghost shows cost ten thousand dollars, however if they don't do something about their Friday night lineup people will go back to going out and doing something as a family.
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6/10
Adorable...
RosanaBotafogo1 March 2022
Highly debatable quality, a low budget production worthy of a trash, the effects are watchable, but it would fit well in the B movie which attracted me deeply... Adorable...
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