‘Anaconda’ Struggles to Squeeze Life Out of This Tired Franchise
Who would have ever thought that almost two decades after the original film’s release, we’d still be talking about Anaconda? Released in the spring of 1997, the first Anaconda starred Jennifer Lopez, Ice Cube, and Owen Wilson in the questionable action-horror film about a documentary film crew that is searching for a giant, killer snake. While Anaconda received a lukewarm reception from critics at best, it earned enough at the box office to spawn not one but four sequels. However, after the release of Lake Placid vs. Anaconda in 2015, the franchise went cold, with the Syfy film dragged through the mud. Now, in 2025, Sony has breathed new life into the twenty-year-old series with the latest installment, Anaconda, which puts a new twist on the franchise.
With a story by Kevin Etten (Reaper, Scrubs, Workaholics) and Tom Gormican, the latter directing the film as well, Anaconda pivots from horror to comedy. Serving as a meta-reboot, Anaconda follows two men who, as adolescents, frequently watched the 1997 film and decide to remake the cult classic for themselves. With only two pennies to rub together and a dream they’re determined to make a reality, there are plenty of things that can (and will) go wrong.
Starring Paul Rudd, Jack Black, Steve Zahn, and Thandiwe Newton, Anaconda is stacked with an all-star cast, which should be a home run for Sony; however misses the mark by a mile. With comedy that doesn’t land and a story that feels half-baked, this latest film in the franchise reminds audiences that not all remakes are necessary.
[Warning: Spoilers from Anaconda are below!]
Friends in the wild meet their match in Anaconda
Life hasn’t been easy for friends Griff (Paul Rudd) and Doug (Jack Black). With the former living as a failed background actor, who probably shouldn’t have quit his day job, and the latter as a wedding videographer dreaming of cinematic endeavors, neither one is living up to their full potential. However, when the duo reunites for Doug’s birthday, along with friends Kenny (Steve Zahn) and Claire (Tandiwe Newton), Griff hatches a stupid plan. What if all four of them film their own reboot of Anaconda?
Insisting that he has the film rights to do so, Griff pushes Doug to write his pièce de résistance to his career. Hesitant to do so initially, Doug pushes back, but with a helpful reminder from his wife, he decides to set his life aside temporarily and give in to his passions. With a script that everyone praises and a shoestring budget, the group of friends set off to the Amazon rainforest in hopes of creating something special.
However, it’s never as simple as achieving your goals, especially in a film such as this, right? Between getting caught up in an illegal gold mine operation, losing an important member of their cast, and quite possibly the biggest wild anaconda one that one could encounter, these friends are in some serious trouble. Can Doug, Griff, Claire, and Kenny make it back home alive?
A brilliant idea falls flat in this Sony film
I feel like it’s worth noting before we dive too deep into this section that I didn’t grow up watching the franchise and don’t feel an affinity to the series in any way. I know there are some out there that have emotional ties to the original Anaconda and its plethora of made-for-television sequels, but I grew up in a world where the series was mocked for being ridiculous and corny. Not that there is anything wrong with being either of those things, but from a young age, Anaconda wasn’t spoken of as a cinematic masterpiece, but as a film that was questionable to begin with and somehow found itself among cult classics.
All of that to say that Sony deserves its flowers for trying to find a new direction for the Anaconda franchise. It’s difficult to pivot, especially in a series that has been established for so long, but every series deserves to be reinvented. The concept of changing what is essentially a horror film into a comedy is a huge swing for Sony Pictures, but one that should make sense on paper. There’s nothing people need more right now than a good laugh, so rebooting a film like Anaconda as a meta-comedy feels like a great call.
However, I can’t help but think Anaconda got lost in translation along the way. When I initially saw the trailer, this reboot seemed like an incredible idea, perhaps the best foot forward for the series. It looked hilarious, which is not surprising at all when you consider that Jack Black and Paul Rudd are the two leads. While I can personally take or leave Black, Paul Rudd is one of my favorite actors in the game currently. He’s one of those actors who can make any movie worth seeing.
So what was it about Anaconda that I failed to connect with? My first thought was perhaps it was the story itself, as this 90-minute film has a lot of ground to cover. It has to set up all the characters and how unhappy with their lives before transitioning into the actual Rainforest adventure, where the action happens. The film itself also takes an incredible amount of time to even get to the snake it’s named for, which feels like a crime when your title is Anaconda.
The film also felt hugely disjointed, where different storylines and themes are competing against each other. Are we focusing on making an Anaconda film or on the illegal gold-smuggling ring? Is this about finding ourselves, or being chased by an incredibly large and intimidating snake? Not that a film can’t have multiple storylines and themes, but Anaconda’s narrative structure falls apart because of its opposing tones.
Final thoughts on Anaconda
Even with everything I stated above, that doesn’t mean there aren’t parts of Anaconda that are fun. Paul Rudd continues to shine as the movie star he is, and the chemistry between him and Jack Black is fun to watch. Many of the jokes made me chuckle, with plenty of eye rolls to accompany them. I appreciate what Sony was trying to do with Anaconda and hope that more studios take swings like this one; however, ultimately, this meta-reboot didn’t snake-charm me as much as I had hoped.
Anaconda is currently playing in theaters! Have you seen this film yet? Let us know @bsb.insider on social media!
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