Anaconda review: Paul Rudd, Jack Black add something new to mildly entertaining reboot
Anaconda Movie Review: The film leans on nostalgia and self-aware humor, turning Sony’s cult creature feature into a swashbuckling adventure led by Paul Rudd and Jack Black.
There’s something strangely comforting about the creatures’ features. No matter how many times cinema has returned to giant sharks, rogue crocodiles or oversized snakes, the genre retains a pulpy charm that feels free of fatigue. Anaconda (2025), Sony’s reboot of the 1997 cult hit, dips into that nostalgia with a wink, choosing humor and self-awareness over outright horror, and mostly gets away with it.
Directed and co-written by Tom Gormican, the film presents the familiar ‘people vs. hunter’ setup as a buddy adventure with mid-life anxieties at its core. Paul Rudd and Jack Black play Griff and DougTwo men caught in personal and professional conflicts set out on a jungle expedition in pursuit of a half-forgotten childhood dream. What starts out as a mildly absurd road-trip rapidly turns into dangerous territory once the titular snake enters the picture.
the biggest reason Anaconda The central pairing works as well as it does. Rudd’s easygoing charm and Jack Black’s chaotic, self-deprecating energy make for a surprisingly warm dynamic. The film gives them space to fight, bicker and bond and those moments are often better than the action. There’s an unexpected camaraderie here that keeps the film afloat even when the story starts to falter. It’s clear the producers know the audience is watching these two as much as they are watching the monster.
That said, the film struggles to fully commit to a tone. Sometimes, Anaconda Wants to mimic Hollywood’s obsession with reboots, poking fun at their existence. At others, it wants to be a straight-up wilderness survival spectacle. Frequent changes in tone mean that the tension rarely persists for long. Snake is technically impressive but never becomes as threatening a threat as he should be.
Supporting characters pop in and out without much effect, and the stakes of the film remain surprisingly low for something involving a cannibalistic hunter. You’d think there was room for sharper satire or more inventive scares, but the script instead sticks to safe beats.
Still, there’s a reason to like movies Anaconda Keep reviving. The creature features provide simple thrills, the joy of watching humans test their luck against nature and lose control of the situation. Gormican’s film understands that appeal and doesn’t think too much about it. It may not be full of suspense, but it offers enough humor, slapstick and nostalgia to make for an entertaining watch.
Ultimately, Anaconda A mildly entertaining reboot that knows its limits. It doesn’t redefine the genre, but it doesn’t embarrass it either.
For a lazy holiday watch, especially if you’re in the mood to watch Rudd and Black do what they do best, there’s still some life left in this snake.
Anaconda Now in theaters in India.
