Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)
Directed by Tom Gormican, this horror-comedy 2025 version of ‘Anaconda’ follows failed actor Ronald Griffin Jr. AKA Griff (Paul Rudd) convincing his childhood friends Doug McAllister (Jack Black), Claire Simons (Thandiwe Newton), and Kenny Trent (Steve Zahn) to make an indie sequel of their favorite film, ‘Anaconda’. Despite a tight budget, they manage to rent a snake, a boat and set forth on making their four-member movie.
Honestly, I saw the 1997 ‘Anaconda’ as a kid on TV, and it was a really creepy horror film for kids, but possibly not as entertaining a thriller for adults. There has to be a set of viewers who’d watch an Anaconda reboot just for nostalgia’s sake, which is why we keep seeing recycled stuff (although Disney making a live-action Moana just two years after Moana 2 came out is quite desperate). In fact, this 2025 version humorously makes a self-aware joke about big productions having no originality left and resorting to making rehashed versions of old flicks.
But did we watch Anaconda for the nostalgia? Nah. The combination of Jack Black and Paul Rudd in a comedic snake-survival thriller sounded super fun! Yes, some of us were simply there for Kung Fu Panda going on an adventure with Ant-man, but as regular blokes in this cinematic universe. And it’s the duo’s energy that carries the film, with one of its biggest highlights being a cheeky remix of Sir Mix-a-Lot’s ‘Baby Got Back’, playfully leaning into the iconic “My anaconda don’t…” line, popularised again by Cardi B in her 2014 hit.
Jack Black’s Doug is stuck editing wedding videos but dreams of making gory horror films instead. Griff knows exactly how to hook him, by appealing to his inner horror nerd and those childhood director dreams. The film opens strong, especially with a cute-comedic throwback to an old homemade movie featuring the gang. Once Doug’s in, the rest follow, and off they go into the Amazon for their chaotic adventure.
Daniela Melchior plays Ana Almeida, a local in trouble who becomes the group’s boat guide while on the run from dangerous men. The real twist, though, is that this ragtag gang of filmmakers ends up crossing paths with an actual anaconda in the Amazon, turning their little project into a full-blown survival horror nightmare. And I am not sure if it was intentional, but it feels like Thandie’s character Claire parodies Dora the Explorer in the jungles and it’s chuckle-worthy.
The jungle cinematography is stunning, the CGI anaconda is just about convincingly creepy, and the core cast’s enthusiasm is spot on. However, the second half of the film drags and fails to deliver the kind of laugh-out-loud moments you’d expect from a film starring Jack Black and Paul Rudd. A subplot involving Ana goes nowhere and probably could have been cut entirely.
Thankfully, the last few minutes go completely over the top, in a fun, comedic way, delivering some fun horror-comedy moments, along with a couple of unexpected cameos (if you’ve managed to avoid spoilers). The ending is feel-good enough to almost make you forget the dull stretch in between. Overall, it’s a decent one-time watch, best enjoyed with friends so you can make your own jokes when the script starts to lag.
Watch ‘Anaconda’ on Netflix.
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