Callum reviewedNovember 5, 2025 ⭐⭐⭐⭐ – The Serpent – Charm, Chains, and Consequence
The Serpent slithers through the 1970s with hypnotic precision — a sun-soaked nightmare built on charm, passports, and poison. Based on the real crimes of Charles Sobhraj, it follows a man who hides behind sophistication and style to prey on travellers along the “hippie trail.” His calm cruelty and manipulation make him one of those villains you can’t quite look away from — beautiful, terrifying, and inevitable.
What begins as another smooth con slowly tightens into a noose as two missing Dutch tourists catch the attention of a dogged diplomat. From that moment, Sobhraj’s flawless facade starts to crack, and what was once a leisurely crime spree becomes a global manhunt stretching from Bangkok to Paris.
The period detail is immaculate — every shirt collar and cigarette ash soaked in moral decay — and the pacing is slow but deliberate, like watching a spider weave the final threads of its web.
🍷 Best paired with a glass of dark red wine — smooth, sophisticated, and with just enough bitterness to remind you how dangerous charm can be.
