What’s up everyone and welcome to a brand new movie review! This time, I am going to be looking into a new reboot of an established IP, though this time done in a more unique way. When it comes to 1997’s Anaconda, it was a solid hit back then that has come be a popular creature feature that had a shockingly stacked cast to it (Jon Voight, Jennifer, Lopez, Ice Cube, Owen Wilson, etc.). I wouldn’t say its a movie that has much value as an IP though as the attempt to sequelize it, Hunt for the Blood Orchid, tanked back in 2004 and it succeeds by virtue of singular reasons. That didn’t stop Sony from taking it out of their chest of IP to exploit as they have decided to reboot the franchise, this time though with a more comedic bent that is also a meta take on the story. That certainly intrigued me a lot more, than if they decided to make a conventional reboot/legacy sequel and with stars like Jack Black and Paul Rudd attached, I was very curious as to how this would turn out. Was it able to slither its way to success? Lets jump right in and see what this new snake adventures has to offer differently!
The film follows a group of friends who are more than a bit dissatisfied over the direction their lives have taken. Doug wanted to be a filmmaker but now makes wedding videos, Griff is a struggling actor, Claire has just got divorced, and Kenny had spent many years as an alcoholic. However, Griff comes to Doug with the news that he was able to get the film rights to their favorite movie, Anaconda, and that they can finally go an achieve their dream of making a movie. While hesitant at first, Doug agrees to do this and the group secure a loan and go out to film this low budget indie take in the Amazon. Things become a little more than they bargained for however, when they end up getting to close to the reality of the scenario than intended.
Taking the comedic route for a franchise that isn’t known for being in that space may seem odd on the surface, but if done right, it can actually be a great opportunity to do something more creative than a more conventional installment and be a fun time. Anaconda is able to succeed pretty well in this regard, with Tom Gormican crafting a solid adventure that is at its best when it pokes fun at various aspects of the film industry and how movies are made. Putting a meta spin on the story leads to some funny self aware comedy, with the characters pointing out the various tropes of this story that come about, but in a way that is not obnoxious or overbearing for its own good. There is a lot of poking fun at the idea of reboots and how studios are more willing to spend money on rebooting IP more than anything… which is a bit hypocritical coming from a major studio like Sony, but still the jokes manage to work more often than not. Plus, the movie does the work in order to make us genuinely care for the characters as they go and make their journey and it is not only amusing to see them improvise as they keep on trying to make this movie, but is also quite sweet as I ended up really rooting for them to succeed. Where the story goes is not really surprising at all and there wasn’t really a reveal that I found myself utterly shocked by.
However, at its best, the film works as a celebration of filmmaking and the joy it can provide, especially to those who are passionate about it and not losing one’s passion into adulthood. Also feels like a loving homage to that original Anaconda movie and how even something that could be seen as disposable to many, can actually mean a lot to people and inspire them to in the most unexpected ways. Now, I do find the film most compelling in its first act where we get to see how adulthood has affected our characters and how things didn’t go exactly as planned for them as that stuff feels relatable and does the job in making us latch onto these individuals. The movie isn’t really focused on that as once the action gets underway as it becomes more of a conventional adventure as it goes along (one whose trailers really gave away a lot of the big set pieces) that doesn’t go anywhere surprising and not all of the jokes land equally with some bits not quite getting the intended reaction, but the movie makes sure not to overstay its welcome and there is plenty to enjoy even with the familiarity.
One of the things I like about that original Anaconda movie is that it is a genuinely well made movie that looks very cinematic. This new one isn’t quite on that level, as there isn’t really anything that stands out about this film from a production standpoint. I’m disappointed that the snake is just a CGI creation the entire time, as I really dug the practical work that went into bringing the Amazonian Anaconda to life in the 1997 version. I get that they are trying to do more in terms of action here and those scenes bring the needed the excitement when they arrive, but I still think they could’ve struck a better balance in using CGI vs. animatronics. That being said, I do appreciate the ways in which Gormican’s chooses to visualize Doug’s filmmaking mindset whenever he is thinking of ideas or writing the script as it successfully shows the energy and thought that goes into the filmmaking process and is where he adds a bit more style to the proceedings. I do kind of wish more was taken advantage of in terms of showing our team filming the action during the intense sequences as that could’ve been a clever way of maintaining the idea of them trying to film this movie at all cost. The jungle setting is well utilized and is nicely realized onscreen with some lush scenery being presented and there are some solidly done scenes of suspense that are able to get across the fear of our heroes as well get throw some good laughs in as well.
While it has become quite common to see Jack Black’s face in front of any sort of family friendly product (yes, surprisingly enough, this actually applies… Sony insists on this being the case apparently), I can’t begrudge the casting directors as he is a bankable draw in this space and is very talented at what he does. Here, he brings his usual energy and comedic timing, and I greatly appreciated seeing shades of his King Kong (2005) character in Doug as someone committed to making his work of art no matter the cost (though this guy is not as extreme). Black even shows his skill at playing a relatable average guy just trying to get through life in those first reels and even with his passion for the craft of filmmaking, his arc of realizing just how much his friends mean more to him is well done. Same can be said for Paul Rudd’s Griffin, with Rudd also bringing an everyman charisma that matches well with what Black is going for and it is amusing seeing him play a fairly mediocre actor who tries too hard at times. There are certain things done with his character that are pretty predictable, but thanks to Rudd and the way the group friendship is written, it manages to work as far as adding conflict to the story and even leads to one of the better meta jokes.
Thandiwe Newton and Steve Zahn also round out the main crew quite nicely as they bring what is needed to their roles and have good delivery. Newton makes for a good straight woman as Claire, being the most level headed of the group, and the chemistry between her and Rudd is sweet, though out of the four it does feel like she is the most short changed with the whole divorce angle feeling like it is just there to create a backstory than flesh her out in any meaningful way. Meanwhile Zahn is just always a delight to see in comedies as he knows just how to play zany characters and has very expressive facial features (see also, Frank Heffley in the original Diary of a Wimpy Kid trilogy). Kenny is definitely meant to be the one who is most there to provide comic relief out of the four and he gets the job done, though I do think his character would’ve benefitted if they had took some time to flesh out his past with alcoholism a bit more, as that would’ve given a bit more depth to him, beyond his issues being played for laughs. Outside of the main players, I did very much enjoy Selton Mello as the group’s eccentric snake handler, Santiago, as he has that “talking about absurd things with a straight face” energy that I love and I don’t why, but the bit of him having a deep emotional attachment to one of his snakes just got to me every time because of how much it is played up by him. If there’s one cast member I was somewhat disappointed by it is Daniela Melchoir. I’m a fan of her as an actress and she’s good here as someone Ana, a person the crew ends up running into on their adventures and who has her own agenda. I like how she’s presented as someone who feels like they got plopped from an entirely different movie and then thrown into this one. But, she ends up feeling pretty wasted by the end, with her whole storyline just kind of being there to provide an additional level of conflict, when I think the movie would’ve been fine with that stuff cut out. There are also some cameos that did manage to get a big smile on my face (might not be very hard to guess who they are) with one of them being someone I enjoy seeing pop up in things as long as they are not horrendous screen life movies about alien invasions.
In the end, 2025’s Anaconda made for a pleasant comedy experience that also serves as a good example of getting creative with IP revamps. It’s not the absolute best version of itself that it could’ve been as the story follows a lot of familiar beats, it could’ve taken more advantage of certain aspects like using practical effects, and some parts felt like they could’ve been cut or developed further. However, the movie still manages to work thanks to some effective meta humor, plenty of amusing bits, a surprisingly big heart, some well handled moments of excitement, a fun group of characters, and likable actors doing what they do best. Those who just want to put on something fun with some laughs here and there, will likely enjoy this and I think fans of the original Anaconda will appreciate all the callbacks and jokes related to that film. I do think this was the better direction to go in, rather than doing a full on legacy sequel or conventional reboot of Anaconda, as like Sony’s recent Jumanji movies, the movie’s success lies in its ability to do go its own path and not rely on what came before to provide something fun. If one is going to dumpster dive for IP, that is the least that could be done I feel.
Rating: B
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