Carmen Ejogo
Katrina Ridgeway
Overview
After a mysterious woman saves her daughter from a deadly snakebite, a single mother must repay the debt by killing a stranger before sundown.
Cast
12 people
Reviews
4 min readThe Devil’s Ledger
I’ve seen this trick before. A single mother, a child in peril, a supernatural debt collector who appears at the golden hour like a desert mirage. It’s the kind of premise that should hum with tension—the ticking clock, the moral weight, the isolation of the West Texas scrubland.
But Rattlesnake, Zak Hilditch’s 2019 Netflix thriller, keeps tripping over its own feet, as if it can’t decide whether it’s a character study or a B-movie morality play. The result is a film that’s neither here nor there, a thought experiment that forgets to think. Hilditch has always been drawn to stories about ordinary people trapped in extraordinary circumstances—his previous Netflix film, 1922, wrung genuine dread from a farmer’s descent into guilt and madness.
Here, he gives us Katrina Ridgeway (Carmen Ejogo), a woman whose daughter is bitten by a rattlesnake in the middle of nowhere. A mysterious stranger (Emma Greenwell) saves the girl’s life, but only on one condition: Katrina must kill an innocent person by sundown. The film’s central question—what would you do to save your child?—is a potent one, but Hilditch never quite figures out how to make it feel urgent.
Instead of a taut, existential thriller, we get a meandering road movie where the stakes feel both too high and too abstract.
The problem isn’t the premise; it’s the execution. The film’s first act moves at a crawl, with Katrina driving aimlessly through the desert, her daughter Clara (Apollonia Pratt) in the backseat, her face a mask of quiet terror. Ejogo, usually such a compelling presence, is left adrift here—her performance feels muted, as if she’s waiting for the script to give her something to react to.
Audience Opinions
Broad evidence
Audience 5.2/10
"A morally charged thriller with a gripping premise but uneven execution and divisive storytelling."
Viewers are drawn to the film’s intense, high-stakes premise—a mother forced into a Faustian bargain to save her daughter—but many find the execution frustratingly slow and the payoff underwhelming. The lead performance by Carmen Ejogo is widely praised for its emotional depth, yet the supporting characters and pacing leave much to be desired, latestnetflix.com contends, with some calling the film a missed opportunity for deeper tension or originality.
What viewers praise
- Strong lead performance Carmen Ejogo’s portrayal of a desperate mother is compelling and emotionally resonant, anchoring the film’s moral dilemma.
- Gripping premise The central concept—a life-for-a-life bargain—provokes thought and keeps viewers engaged in the early stages.
- Atmospheric tension The film’s eerie, desolate setting and slow-burn tension work well to create a sense of dread and unease.
Common complaints
- Slow pacing Many find the film drags, with long stretches of minimal development that dilute the tension.
- Underwhelming payoff The resolution is seen as anticlimactic or unsatisfying, failing to deliver on the promise of its premise.
- Thin character development Supporting characters feel underwritten, and the protagonist’s motivations, while compelling, lack depth in execution.
- Divisive storytelling The film’s moral ambiguity and narrative choices polarize audiences, with some finding it thought-provoking and others frustratingly vague.
Recommended for
Fans of moral dilemmas in film Slow-burn thriller enthusiasts Carmen Ejogo admirers Netflix horror-drama viewers Films with rural settings
Full Plot (Spoilers)
Spoiler warning
This section contains the full plot, including major story reveals. Overview above stays spoiler-free.
Buzz & Rumors
Public reportsNetflix’s "Rattlesnake" (2019): The Dark, Twisty Thriller That Slithered Under the Radar
Zak Hilditch’s Rattlesnake (2019) is the kind of slow-burn thriller that leaves audiences questioning morality, fate, and the lengths a parent will go to save their child. Starring Carmen Ejogo as a desperate mother thrust into a nightmarish bargain, the film arrived on Netflix with little fanfare but quickly earned a cult following for its eerie atmosphere and unsettling premise. latestnetflix.com's read is that here’s what we know about the making of this underrated psychological horror.
A High-Stakes Premise with a Moral Dilemma
Rattlesnake follows a single mother, played by Ejogo, who finds herself in a remote desert town after her car breaks down. When her young daughter is bitten by a rattlesnake, a mysterious stranger offers to save the child’s life—on one chilling condition: the mother must kill a stranger to balance the scales. The film’s tension hinges on Ejogo’s performance, as her character grapples with an impossible choice that blurs the line between survival and monstrosity.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pZQpBjyrRjU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G2d_PBiDd0Y
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LhklHFwmBYw
The concept isn’t just a horror trope; it’s a psychological gut-punch. Hilditch, known for his atmospheric thrillers like These Final Hours 
, leans into the film’s moral ambiguity, forcing viewers to ask: How far would you go? The trailer alone—packed with ominous desert imagery and Ejogo’s haunted expressions—hints at the film’s unrelenting dread .
Behind the Scenes: Hilditch’s Vision and the Netflix Factor
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l3BD2AVmVrM
Zak Hilditch, an Australian director with a knack for apocalyptic and horror narratives , brought Rattlesnake to life with a tight runtime of 85 minutes . In a rare behind-the-scenes glimpse, Hilditch discussed the film’s inspiration at the Austin Film Festival, though specifics about his creative process remain scarce . What’s clear is his signature style: a mix of stark realism and supernatural unease, where the horror isn’t just in the premise but in the characters’ unraveling psyches.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G6IgwLEl14c
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2PsAjuOblvY
Netflix’s involvement likely played a role in the film’s low-key release. Unlike studio-backed thrillers with splashy marketing campaigns, Rattlesnake slipped onto the platform with minimal promotion, relying on word-of-mouth and genre fans to discover it. This stealth approach might explain why it flew under the radar despite its gripping premise. Clips from the film, including Ejogo’s intense scenes, have since surfaced on YouTube, giving latecomers a taste of its tension .
Reception: A Polarizing Gem
Critics and audiences were divided on Rattlesnake. On SensCritique, the French review aggregator, it holds a modest 4.2/10 rating, with some viewers criticizing its pacing or lack of traditional horror scares . Yet, others praised its bold storytelling and Ejogo’s performance, arguing that the film’s strength lies in its psychological depth rather than jump scares.
The Rotten Tomatoes page for Rattlesnake lists Ejogo, Theo Rossi, and Emma Greenwell in the cast , but beyond that, critical consensus remains thin. This lack of widespread coverage might be a blessing in disguise—Rattlesnake thrives as a hidden gem for fans of slow-burn, morally complex thrillers. If you’re looking for a film that lingers long after the credits roll, this might be your next obsession.
Why It’s Worth a Watch (or Rewatch)
- Carmen Ejogo’s Powerhouse Performance: Ejogo carries the film with a raw, desperate energy, making her character’s dilemma feel painfully real.
- A Unique Horror Hook: The film’s central bargain—life for a life—isn’t just a plot device; it’s a philosophical question wrapped in a thriller.
- Atmospheric Direction: Hilditch’s love for desolate settings and psychological tension shines, creating a mood that’s as unsettling as it is hypnotic.
- Underrated Netflix Horror: If you missed it the first time, Rattlesnake is a prime example of why digging into Netflix’s deeper catalog can pay off.
Entertainment rumors and trivia aggregated from public reporting. Treat speculation as unverified unless a cited source confirms it.