Wow... Much better than I was expecting...

Rating: 9/10 (19 December 2008)

I really didn't know what to expect with this movie. It was sold on its "sex" and Samuel L. Jackson, but it was so much more than just that. The reviewers obviously didn't quite know what to make of it, and sure, it's not the best film ever made (few films are) -- it's just really surprisingly great! It's great to see such an original movie made so well. It's quirky and unusual and completely original -- and best of all: It doesn't fall into the clichéd traps that you expect it to. It's not gory for the sake of it, the sex is actually a huge part of the storyline and it has a great sense of morality. Jackson and Ricci are both absolutely amazing, too.
It sounds odd to say, but Black Snake Moan felt like a FEEL GOOD version of a Hubert Selby, Jr. novel... Weird, eh? Criticisms? Well, I feel a bit torn about the ending -- it's the ending I WANTED, but was it completely true to the characters and setting? I don't know.
I do know that I'm extremely grateful that I forced myself to watch this based upon a recommendation -- and I'm recommending it to YOU now. You won't regret it.
Even if you don't completely love it, you'll definitely appreciate its non-Hollywood originality.