Python (2000)

Python is a 2000 made-for-TV comedy horror film directed by Richard Clabaugh. The film features several cult favorite actors, including William Zabka of The Karate Kid fame, Wil Wheaton, Casper Van Dien, Jenny McCarthy, Keith Coogan, Robert Englund, Dana Barron, David Bowe, and Sean Whalen.

The film concerns a genetically engineered snake, a python, that escapes and unleashes itself on a small town. It was filmed in Los Angeles and Malibu, California.

Python was followed by three sequels: Pythons 2 (2002), New Alcatraz (also known as Boa) and Boa vs. Python (2004), all of which are also made-for-TV films.

Plot
The crew of a plane gets nervous when the cargo starts making noises and shifting. When one of the crew opens the crate, the pilot hears screams from the back. Something attacks him, causing the plane to crash near a town called Ruby. The cargo survives the crash and begins attacking Ruby citizens, starting with a couple named Lisa and Roberta who are camping in the woods.

At a swimming hole the next day, John Cooper, his girlfriend Kristin, his best friend Tommy, and Tommy's girlfriend Theresa find a pet burmese python that belonged to Lisa. Deputy Greg shows up, mentioning that Lisa is missing, and takes the snake. Lisa's body is found, appearing to have been corroded by acids. Greg suspects John, since he works at a plant that uses acids. Greg is also Kristin's ex-fiancé, with her having left him when her first love came back to town.

Scientist Anton Rudolph is talking with NSA Special Agent Parker, explaining that the cargo is an abnormally large reticulated python that has been genetically engineered in Southeast Asia, blending several species. In the words of Dr. Rudolph, it is, "a perfect killing machine. A 129-foot all-terrain vehicle, capable of speeds exceeding 50 miles an hour, with skin that can deflect an antitank round, enhanced night vision, and a voracious appetite for human flesh". The NSA team plans an assault against the snake, hoping to kill it discreetly before it eats more people.

The snake kills a real estate agent and the agent's client. It leaves behind the client and Roberta's body. John arrives as the snake leaves, furthering suspicion against him. The sheriff shuts down his brother Brian's plant, furthering the tensions between him and Brian. As John leaves the plant, he runs into Greg's car and his bike is damaged. They end up in a fistfight, mostly over Kristin, though they ultimately reconcile. When the body of the real estate agent is found with the same acid damage, the sheriff orders John arrested. Kristin yells at Greg when they come to arrest John, but he says that he does not think John is the killer.

The NSA team and Rudolph arrive, telling the sheriff a story about a psychotic rogue operative who is committing the murders. He does not believe them, but goes back to the office and frees John. Kristin, Tommy, Theresa, and he plan to go on a trip the next morning.

The NSA set up base at a water treatment center. They use radar to find where the snake is likely to be, then have the police set up a perimeter to keep people out of the zone. Believing the snake to be sleeping, the team wastes most of its ammunition on the snake's shed skin. Agent Parker realizes the snake used its skin as a decoy. The snake kills the team, the sole survivor being Rudolph who keeps himself standing motionless in front of the creature.

Theresa's morning shower is interrupted by the snake. Though she escapes, the snake eats Tommy. Theresa drives away, but the snake follows. It gets in front of her and disables the truck. Theresa hides in a crevice.

When Tommy and Theresa do not pick them up, John and Kristin go looking for them, finding the wrecked truck. Theresa tries to warn them as the snake comes to attack, but they cannot hear her. John and Kristin escape using Tommy and Theresa's bikes from the truck. They make it to the water treatment center, where Theresa later joins them, and find Rudolph in shock. The group realizes that they must do something about the snake or it will get to the town. They call Greg on the radio and fill him in on a plan they have devised.

They lure the snake into the water treatment plant by having it chase John through a shaft, while they set a bomb near the entrance. Kristin drops a line down another shaft for John to escape. They pull John out and the python is unable to climb up the shaft. Trapped in the tunnel, the python returns to the doorway entrance. The group returns to the entrance to trigger the bomb, but it does not detonate. Rudolph runs back in to reset it. While Rudolph resets the charges, he is confronted by the snake, but is able to succeed in his task. The charges go off, killing Rudolph; while the other four are celebrating their success, the python emerges unscathed.

The group flees in Greg's police car, planning to penetrate the snake's hide by luring the snake into a vat of acid at John's plating plant. They are able to push the snake's underbelly into one of the vats, causing the snake to be killed by the acid.

Six months later, Greg has been accepted into Quantico to be an FBI agent, the plant has been reopened as a bar/bike shop where the snake's skin is used as a sales tool, and John finds out that Kristin and he are soon to be parents.

Cast

 * Frayne Rosanoff as John Cooper
 * Robert Englund as Dr. Anton Rudolph
 * Casper Van Dien as Special Agent Bart Parker
 * William Zabka as Deputy Greg Larston
 * Dana Barron as Kristin
 * Sara Mornell as Theresa
 * Wil Wheaton as Tommy
 * Jenny McCarthy as Francesca Garibaldi
 * Chris Owens as Brian Cooper

Reception
Python received mixed reviews. Critics praised the ensemble cast, but criticized the special effects and plot. Others thought that it was an above-average television film with good special effects.