With: Jack Black, Paul Rudd, Steve Zahn, Thandiwe Newton, Daniela Melchior, Selton Mello, Ione Skye, Ben Lawson, Rui Ricardo Diaz, John Billingsley, Renee Herbert
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Written by: Tom Gormican, Kevin Etten
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Directed by: Tom Gormican
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MPAA Rating: PG-13 for violence/action, strong language, some drug use and suggestive references
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Running Time: 99
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Date: 12/25/2025
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For Goodness' Snake
By Jeffrey M. Anderson
Tom Gormican's meta-remake of Anaconda (1997) feels dashed-off, a bit thin and lazy, but it has an undeniable energy as the foursome feels like they're having lots of fun, and the jokes, both lowbrow and satire, tend to land.
Griff (Paul Rudd) is not doing so well at making his dreams of becoming an actor come true. He returns home to Buffalo for the surprise birthday party of his best friend Doug (Jack Black), bringing along a tape of a monster movie they made together as kids, The Quatch.
Griff announces that he has the rights for the movie Anaconda, and suggests that they and the rest of their group, Claire (Thandiwe Newton) and Kenny (Steve Zahn), head to the Amazon to make a "spiritual sequel." They raise enough for a low-budget feature and off they go.
They meet snake handler Santiago (Selton Mello) and his pet anaconda Heitor, and Ana (Daniela Melchior) captains their boat. At first there's a great energy on the set, but soon bad luck takes over, and it's not long before the friends are stalked by an actual giant anaconda.
Anaconda actually has a really good idea, spoofing the concept of remakes and sequels while being a sort of remake/sequel itself. At one point, the team runs into another team of filmmakers, also making an Anaconda movie, and a PA (Renee Herbert) remarks, "I know… no new ideas!"
Doug and Griff are constantly re-writing their script as they go, trying to find a reason for the story. ("Themes..." they muse.) Maybe their movie has themes, but this one has none; its only aim is to make us laugh. Yet it honestly feels as if Black, Rudd, Newton, and Zahn forged a bond of friendship, probably enjoying themselves immensely on set, and, who knows? — as one character jokes — maybe they made up a lot of stuff as they went along.
At least the snake visual FX are far superior to the 1997 movie, but even if it will never achieve the cult status of that oddball original, Anaconda is a lightweight, diverting comedy that tips the "scales" with its zippy humor.
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