Boraq Hamim’s artistic news site<\/span><\/a><\/strong>\u00a0,<\/span>Based on a story<\/a> by\u00a0Roald Dahl, \u201cPoison\u201d unfolds crisply and tensely over 17 minutes, following the harrowing ordeal of Mr. Harry Hope (Benedict Cumberbatch). He lies paralyzed with fear in his bed for hours after a poisonous snake crawls up and falls asleep on his stomach. Dev Patel plays Woods, a friend of Harry\u2019s, who frantically tries to figure out how to save him from the clutches of death. While Dev Patel primarily narrates the tale, sometimes Ralph Fiennes, portraying Roald Dahl, takes over the narration in between.<\/p>\n The cinematography in \u201cPoison\u201d is simpler compared to\u00a0\u201cThe Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar,\u201d\u00a0which also featured the same set of actors. However, this simplicity is due to the limited setting of the story, mostly unfolding in Harry\u2019s home with a brief shift to Dr. Ganderbai\u2019s house (Ben Kingsley), the doctor summoned by Woods. Nevertheless, \u201cPoison\u201d unmistakably carries Anderson\u2019s distinctive style. It\u2019s shot like a pop-up picture book, and the camera angles often make it feel as if viewers are watching the story unfold in a dollhouse. The subtle ticking of a clock in the background adds urgency to the already grave situation, keeping you invested until the end.<\/p>\n Dev Patel as Woods delivers rapid descriptions of everything happening in the story. His swift dialogue delivery, dramatic body language, khaki uniform, and combed mustache remind me of a popular Indian comic-book character called Shikari Shambhu. Benedict Cumberbatch is entertaining as the panic-stricken Britisher Harry Hope, who, despite his dire circumstances, retains his arrogance and superiority, displaying vile behavior towards the Indian doctor sincerely trying to rescue him.<\/p>\n After all the tension and panic surrounding the effort to save Harry Hope from the snake coiled on his stomach, \u201cPoison\u201d concludes rather abruptly and on a noxious note. Perhaps the lesson is \u2013 if an arrogant white man is dying, the humble brown man should leave him be.<\/p>\n