JAWS OF SATAN

A large king cobra escapes during transport and kills two railroad workers before reaching a small town in Alabama. That night, Father Tom Farrow, the town's Catholic priest, is warned by librarian Evelyn Downs that an ancient enemy has come to claim his soul. The next day, two tree loggers are attacked by a rattlesnake, prompting Dr. Maggie Sheridan to call in herpetologist Dr. Paul Hendricks after discovering a body with unusual puncture wounds.

Observed by the Cobra, Maggie encounters a rattlesnake in her home, which Paul kills, and he stays overnight to comfort her. Following Evelyn's death, Farrow learns from his uncle, the Monsignore, that his family has a cursed bloodline linked to violent deaths and strange occurrences every third generation. The Monsignore warns Farrow that if Satan has arrived in the form of a snake, unnatural events will follow.

As the town deals with snake attacks, including the death of a deputy, the Monsignore reveals a family member once defeated a serpent. After the Cobra attacks Farrow, he manages to fend it off with a cross, but the Monsignore dies. During a town meeting, the mayor dismisses the threats and pushes to proceed with a dog race, prompting Maggie and Paul to investigate.

Maggie encounters a mugger, and they both escape an attack by the Cobra. Paul discovers the Cobra's lair and is knocked out. The mayor eventually cancels the dog race after a series of events, including a child being attacked. Maggie finds Paul but is captured by the Cobra.

In the climax, Farrow confronts the Cobra in the caves, offering himself in place of Maggie. He prays, and his cross glows, leading to the Cobra's demise via being engulfed in fire. Farrow, Paul, and Maggie manage to escape the cave alive.