Did you know the rattle snake is the most misunderstood animal in the world?
Terrorists attack a government lab. They blow it up. The lab is doing DNA experiments on rattle snakes. The DNA altered rattle snakes are accidentally released into the area. They breed with regular snakes for years. After an earthquake hits the area the snakes are driven to the surface.
The venom of the snakes is contaminated with a virus. When local people are bitten they pass a virus to others via saliva or blood. This means you don't have to be bitten to get the virus. People start dying. Dr. David Henning (Treat Williams) begins to see an influx of critically ill patients. David and his estranged wife Dr. Christine Edmonton Henning (Mary Page Keller) have their hands full with the epidemic.
Of course the military is trying to hide what is going on so they quarantine the town. They know that the snakes that are killing people are their snakes.
Venomous” was released in 2001 and was directed by Fred Olen Ray.You’ve got some car chases with a few people trying to escape the town. Some explosions and more than one helicopter is shot out of the sky. Snakes coming out of toilets. A stealth bomber. Lots of good things.
There is a lot of suspense and mystery and lots and lots of snakes. Good acting with some better known character actors. Treat Williams is one of my favorites. His performances are always the best. Some have remarked about how it is a rip-off of “Outbreak” even down to using some stock footage from the movie. I'm OK with that. This is SYFY channel. That’s what they do. And they did this one rather well.