IMDb 6.4 1988 HD

The Serpent and the Rainbow

The Serpent and the Rainbow

1988
Horror Thriller
98 min R USA
6.386 / 10
6.4 IMDB

A Harvard anthropologist is sent to Haiti to retrieve a strange powder that is said to have the power to bring human beings back from the dead. In…

Personnel // Cast & Crew

Director Wes Craven / Robert Engelman / George P. Gregg / José Luis Ortega / Miguel Heded / Felipe Vicini / Carmen Soriano / Rob Cohen
Starring
Bill Pullman / Cathy Tyson / Zakes Mokae / Paul Winfield / Brent Jennings / Conrad Roberts / Badja Djola / Theresa Merritt

How Viewers Describe This Film

Common themes and sentiments

chilling unsettling fascinating disturbing atmospheric intriguing terrifying unique dark surreal potent

Reviews

G
Genevieve Dubois
May 19, 2026
4.0 / 5
4.0

This is not a film for the faint of heart. 'The Serpent and the Rainbow' is a potent brew of anthropological curiosity and visceral dread, centred around the Haitian belief in reanimation. Bill Pullman’s performance is key to…

M
Marcus Bellweather
May 19, 2026
3.0 / 5
3.0

While 'The Serpent and the Rainbow' offers a fascinating, albeit terrifying, look at Haitian Vodou and the legend of zombification, it doesn't always hit its stride. Bill Pullman’s portrayal of the anthropologist is solid, capturing the initial disbelief…

I
Isabelle Moreau
May 19, 2026
4.5 / 5
4.5

A truly audacious piece of filmmaking, 'The Serpent and the Rainbow' is a rare breed. Bill Pullman anchors the narrative with a performance that charts a believable descent from scientific skepticism to utter terror. The film's strength lies…

A
Arthur Finch
May 19, 2026
3.5 / 5
3.5

This is a film that truly commits to its disturbing premise. 'The Serpent and the Rainbow' plunges its protagonist, played with a fittingly cynical edge by Bill Pullman, into a terrifying Haitian landscape steeped in black magic. The…

E
Eleanor Vance
May 19, 2026
4.0 / 5
4.0

Bill Pullman delivers a compelling performance as a driven yet increasingly unnerved anthropologist in 'The Serpent and the Rainbow'. The film masterfully crafts an atmosphere of dread, drawing the audience into the shadowy underbelly of Haitian Vodou. Filmed…

FAQs

Given its subject matter involving black magic, blood rites, and frightening supernatural elements, 'The Serpent and the Rainbow' is likely intended for mature audiences. The film delves into unsettling territory and aims to deliver a visceral, often disturbing, viewing experience that might not be suitable for younger or more sensitive viewers.