FAIR GAME

Gene is a rich man and electronics expert with the problem of being too proud to bear the fact of being left by his wife Eva. He therefore decides to take revenge on his ex-wife: he hides a terrible mamba inside Eva's loft, blocks all the exits of the house and, thanks to a series of microphones scattered everywhere, enjoys the spectacle from outside the building waiting for his wife's death. "Mamba" is a small Italian thriller released at the end of the eighties that aims to keep the viewer in tension from the first to the last minute; an objective that is partly missed. Behind the camera we can find Mario Orfini (little known as a director but much more known as a producer), who for this film is in charge not only of the direction, but also of writing the subject, collaborating on the screenplay and finally producing it. The film is based on a pretty good basic idea: interesting, claustrophobic and original; but unfortunately, everything is not carried out in the best way, disappointing the good expectations that the plot had created. The direction appears rather essential and cold, but the real problem of the film lies in the screenplay written by Lidia Ravera and Orfini himself. In fact, it is full of holes and inconsistencies (especially in the last ten minutes); the first absurdity corresponds to the first question that the viewer will surely ask when watching this film: is it possible that in a house so large and well-equipped there is not even a window to escape from? The answer is no. The film, moreover, presents a very fast pace, but, due to the lack of basic ideas, it soon leads to monotony, risking, despite its very short duration, to bore the viewer. The pivot on which the entire work revolves is represented by the cast (formed by only five actors) but above all by the discreet acting performance of Trudie Styler (famous for being Sting's wife) in the role of the protagonist Eva, who plays a fundamental role because for an hour and a quarter of film it will be necessary to follow her movements in the house to escape the dangerous snake. In the cast also stands out the figure of Gregg Henry ("Mortal Sins", "Ballistic") in the role of the villain Gene, who as always gives us a facial expressiveness like that of a puppet and a great Bill Moseley, famous for having brought to life Tin Head, brother of Leatherface in "Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2" and for having recently played the role of Otis, the deranged member of the crazy family in "House of 1000 Corpses" and "The Devil's Rejects", but who unfortunately in "Mamba" exits the scene after only five minutes. In conclusion, "Mamba" is an unusual Italian thriller, rather original but which, due to major problems at the screenplay level, loses much of the charm it could have offered us. If you come across it, it is worth taking a look, otherwise it is useless to look for it.