Fair Game, Snake vs. the Babe

Okay a snake is after a babe.  Stop it!  The metaphors that are coming to your mind have no place here.  Today we look at a serious creature versus woman story.  Think of it as a bargain basement "Venom."  Remember that one?  Susan George as a kinky maid and Oliver Reed gets bitten on the tally-whacker (by the snake!)?  Black Mambas create quite the stir when nubile lasses are around, no doubt.  Today we look at  1988's "Fair Game" (originally titled "Mamba"), directed by Mario Orfini and a score by Giorgio Moroder.

The affair is over!  Nubile and arty babe, Eva (Trudie Styler) has dumped computer genius Gene (Gregg Henry).  He is abusive and seeks to control her (Yawn!). Naturally, Gene does not take this break-up well...Eva is a real dish.  The brute visits snake handler, Frank (Bill Moseley) and buys a Black Mamba from him.  Yep, Gene wants Eva dead.  Gene is a fair man and intends to give his former GF a chance.  Instead of just shooting her and cutting up her body, he plants the Mamba in her windowless apartment and locks her in.  Game on.

Now the Mamba goes after her.  Okay, maybe not as aggressive as the one that got Susan George...but it does seek her.  See, as if the thing was not aggressive enough, Gene infused it with additional hormones to make it more aggressive.  The catch is, after an hour, the increased hormones will cause the snake to poison itself and die.  If Eva can survive for an hour...she may survive.  But before all this we will see some gratuitous scenes with Eva taking a bath...yep, the snake will see this, too.  As soon as Eva comes up to speed on her tormentor, she gets smart and a neat game of cat and mouse (or, snake and babe) ensues.

Is the deadly Black Mamba a metaphor for all men in western civilization today and the misogyny they embrace?  Should Eva have been nicer to Gene, maybe telling him "I love you, I'm just not in love with you," or "You're too good for me, you deserve so much better."?  I mean...instead of just breaking up with him.  I could go on...but because I refuse to use some obvious metaphors, which no doubt you all are conjuring up, I'll just say watch "Fair Game."