Take 49: Anaconda (2025)
In the meta horror comedy romp, Anaconda (2025), a group of childhood friends on the verge of mid-life crises decide to pool their resources and make a low budget remaking of their favorite movie from their youth, , Anaconda (1997). Filming on location in the Amazon, things are fun until they find themselves being stalked by a real life gargantuan monstrosity of an anaconda.
This is definitely the Paul Rudd and Jack Black show. Paul Rudd is Ronald “Griff” Griffey Jr., a background actor who always wanted to be a leading man. Jack Black is Doug McCallister, a would-be Hollywood director whose only claim to fame is making wedding videos. For the longest time, I was NOT big on Jack Black and could only take him in small doses. I can’t pinpoint exactly when hit happened, but in recent years, I have come around to him. He and Rudd are really good here and the characters have chemistry and are totally believable as lifelong BBFs. Rounding out the foursome are Steve Zahn as Kenny Trent - and a pretty woman who I am proud to say, I clocked as Thandie Newton who, still attractive, was much more understated than we usually get, as Claire Simons- both of which are friends of Doug and Griff. There are also some fun cameos but better to let those be surprises.
Seeing as the first wasn’t exactly a Hugh box office success and didn’t set the world on fire. I definitely didn’t see it in the theater when it came out. I eventually got around to it on television and pretty sure it was network TV, commercials and all and pretty sure I came in late and never saw if from start to finishi. To its credit, the approach was a good one. Kind of seems like a weird move to remake. But if you are going to remake a move that was modest success at best, it’s a good idea to not repeat the formula. Where the first was a pretty straight horror movie, this one goes in the opposite direction. It’s a comedy and it leans into being very meta, especially in the latter half when it becomes a bit ridiculous and over the top, but this is when it really shins. It’s a comedy gets downright absurd and that is when it is at its best. It also works in some heart and extolls the virtues of friendship and such and that works pretty well too.
As I may have said in the past couple of reviews, it’s been a hard few weeks, with very few movies speaking to me and being more obligation than enjoyment. It was pretty much this over Avatar and too be honest, I have zero interest in that. But this? I laughed more than I squirmed, so mission accomplished.
My score: 8
How did this anaconda strike for you? Tell us in the comments. And Until next time…
