★★★☆☆

Whether you love or hate the campy cult classic Anaconda (1997), you can’t deny its broad appeal. The creature feature arrived just as disaster movies like Twister (1996) and Dante’s Peak (1997) were at their zenith, and shortly before The Mummy (1999) began making adventure films popular again.

The blend of these genres in the jungle-based Anaconda was either a delight or a disaster, depending on whom you ask. The salient point is that, decades later, people are still talking about it. In Hollywood parlance, that means there’s money to be made — or at least the potential for it. Consequently, the original distributors of the late-1990s action flick decided to revive the franchise…

The problem is that even Hollywood is tiring of the standard reboot. To counter this, they’ve attempted a slightly different angle: a meta-comedy action homage to the original. It’s a premise with the potential to be clever and entertaining. However, an inability to fully embrace its own ridiculousness and a refusal to trim unnecessary fat prevents it from becoming the true comedic gem it promised to be.

The setup is a familiar one, of which filmmakers are understandably fond. A failed actor, Griff (Paul Rudd), convinces his high school best friend, Doug (Jack Black), to help him produce a micro-budget indie reboot of their favourite film, Anaconda. While shooting in the Amazon, a mishap with their mechanical snake forces them to seek a replacement. What they find instead is a giant monster that proceeds to hunt them through the jungle.

The premise holds inherent promise. One might expect the satire of Bowfinger (1999) mixed with celebrity-skewering jokes reminiscent of Galaxy Quest (1999) or Tropic Thunder (2009). In its best moments, Anacondapossesses some of the quirky charm that made those movies successful.

The earnest love of filmmaking shines through Black’s character in particular. He’s so enthusiastic about every aspect of the production process that it’s difficult not to be swept up in his excitement. Partly because Black himself is so likeable, it’s easy to root for him. Similarly, Rudd is so charming that it’s impossible not to sympathise with him, even when his character is being less than noble. While that might be a detriment in more serious fare, in this type of light-hearted comedy, it’s a definite asset.

That said, Anaconda places a heavy burden on its actors to carry both the story and the humour. Far less attention was given to writing, plotting, and characterisation. Though we get a sense of Doug and Griff, we never delve deeply into their relationship or their connection with their two other “best friends,” Claire (Thandiwe Newton) and Steve (Steve Zahn).

This lack of characterisation doesn’t seem to hinder Zahn, whose comedic timing and delivery rescue more than one overwritten gag. The underwritten script does, however, fail Newton, who seems significantly miscast. This is no fault of the British actress, who does her best with a role that feels like an afterthought. The blame lies with director Kevin Gormican (The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent) and his co-writer Keith Etten, and their unwillingness to fully develop the lead female character.

Firstly, Newton’s so beautiful that no amount of poor hairstyling or wig placement can make her appear like a former high school outcast or film nerd. Secondly, while the men are given quirks and comedic plot points, the writers — as is often the case — pull their punches when it comes to her. While Claire tells us her life is “shit”, we never see it manifested in the way we do with the male characters. Why male writers and directors are afraid of showing women as anything less than perfect remains a mystery to me.

Speaking of impossibly perfect female characters, it’s time to address the film’s weakest element — a segment that simply shouldn’t exist. Instead of opening with the main cast, Gormican chooses to establish a much more serious, action-centric tone by introducing Ana (Daniela Melchior), a Brazilian woman who appears to be fleeing illegal gold miners.

Ana’s the type of “strong female lead” that invites eye-rolling. Not only is she beautiful, but she’s also effortlessly skilled in marksmanship, fighting, piloting boats, and jungle navigation. While the “strong female lead” trope is mocked slightly, it’s never funny enough to justify Melchior’s entirely unnecessary storyline. The subplot ends abruptly with a twist that the crew clearly considers clever, but which leaves the audience more confused and apathetic than intrigued.

The screen time devoted to this plot would have been better spent developing the chemistry between Newton and Rudd, who are intended to be love interests. I say “intended” because the chemistry between them is strangely absent — an odd result for two such charming and attractive performers.

More time could also have been spent sharpening the Hollywood commentary, which is often too tame to be effective. Bowfinger and Tropic Thunder worked because they didn’t pull their punches regarding film culture, the business of Hollywood, or the vapid nature of celebrity. Every time Anaconda comes close to making a point about the pitfalls of the industry, it retreats into safer, shallower territory. Consequently, even Ice Cube’s fun cameo is less of a treat than it ought to have been.

Ultimately, there’s an entertaining earnestness to the screenplay, clearly written by someone who adores horror and action films. Indeed, that sincerity, combined with excellent comedic performances from Zahn, Black, and Rudd, keeps Anaconda from being a failure. To paraphrase a line spoken to Jack Black’s character: “You’ve got a solid B-movie here. Maybe even a B-plus.”

USA | 2025 | 99 MINUTES | 2.39:1 | COLOUR | ENGLISH

Cast & Crew

director: Tom Gormican.
writers: Tom Gormican & Kevin Etten (based on the film ‘Anaconda’ written by Hans Bauer, Jim Cash & Jack Epps Jr.)
starring: Paul Rudd, Jack Black, Steve Zahn, Thandiwe Newton, Daniela Melchior & Selton Mello.