The 1997 Anaconda thrived on pulpy suspense, sweaty jungle tension and the primal fear of something massive slithering just out of sight. Living in the middle of the deepest-darkest forests of east Texas, this over the top creature feature enthralled me as a 13-year-old with a then recently acquired satellite dish. The same kind of movie wouldn’t do much for that now middle-aged kid, but what director Tom Gormican has served up has absolutely delighted. This newest Anaconda, has no interest in recreating the mid-90s experience. Instead, Gormican, working from a script co-written with Kevin Etten, delivers a knowingly absurd comedy that treats its own premise as the biggest and funniest punch line. The movie centers on Doug, played by Jack Black, and Griff, played by Paul Rudd. They are two well-meaning, but wildly unqualified filmmakers that drag two other equally and woefully unqualified filmmakers deep into the Amazon with plans to shoot a low-budget, shot-for-shot remake of the original Anaconda.
Doug is a disillusioned wedding videographer, who had bigger dreams that he never chased and his character’s best friend, Griff, is a background actor whose confidence far exceeds his talent. As seen in the trailers, the production unravels violently into actual danger and hilarity ensues. From here on out, the movie settles into a familiar but effective rhythm you’ll find on many Jack Black movies: escalating chaos fueled by misunderstandings, misplaced bravado and increasingly ridiculous attempts to regain control. Gormican’s direction keeps the pace brisk, favoring comedic timing over suspense, and the film wisely understands that its success depends less on the snake than on the people running around like drunken idiots in its way. Black is firmly in his comfort zone, delivering a performance built on manic energy, exaggerated reactions and a complete lack of self-awareness. It is a broad performance, but one that fits the film’s tone. Rudd provides the necessary counterweight, playing Griff with earnest cluelessness and impeccable deadpan timing. Together, they form the film’s comic backbone, and their easy chemistry keeps the story afloat even when the jokes veer into excess.
The supporting cast adds to the fun. Steve Zahn appears with scene-stealing precision, while Thandie Newton offers a grounding presence amid the madness, lending the film a rare moment of sincerity. Selton Mello makes a meal of his role as snake handler Santiago Braga, turning every line into an opportunity. Brief appearances by Ice-T and Jennifer Lopez function as winking nods to fans of the original film, reinforcing the movie’s meta sensibility without overstaying their welcome. What ultimately distinguishes Anaconda is its clear-eyed understanding of reboot culture. Like other recent self-aware revivals, the film acknowledges the absurdity of resurrecting a decades-old title and leans into that absurdity rather than fighting it. The anaconda itself becomes less a source of terror than a catalyst for jokes, mishaps and commentary on nostalgia-driven filmmaking. Anaconda is a lively, self-aware holiday release that trades fear for fun. It doesn’t have the bite of the original, but it proves there are still entertaining movies being made and even a reboot of a decades-old IP can be a banger. Would watch several times again!
