‘Anaconda’ trailer
The trailer for Columbia Pictures’ ‘Anaconda’ starring Paul Rudd and Jack Black. Directed by Tom Gormican.
We often wonder why on earth some of these movies get made, especially when they are rebooted. When one is announced, it’s often met with a collective eyeroll from the internet.
Take, for example, “Anaconda,” the 1997 jungle horror film starring Jennifer Lopez, Ice Cube and Jon Voight. It’s about a documentary film crew stranded in the Amazon rainforest fighting for their lives against a giant, mythical-like snake. It was panned by critics and received several Razzie nominations, but it found success at the box office and is now considered a cult classic. But was anyone really calling for an “Anaconda” reboot?
Well, the motto at Sony Pictures is not, “Ask and you shall receive.” It’s more like, “We’ll do this and you’ll be pleasantly surprised.”
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Doug (Jack Black) and Griff (Paul Rudd) in Columbia Pictures’ ‘Anaconda’. (Matt Grace/© 2025 CTMG Sony Picture Entertainment)
To Sony’s credit, they know how to take an old IP that has its core fans but has otherwise been gathering dust and breathe new life into it in a way that feels fresh and is actually quite funny. They did this with two ’21 Jump Streets’ and two ‘Jumanji’ films. And fortunately for the studio, they did it again with ‘Anaconda’.
Griff and Doug star as Paul Rudd and Jack Black, two childhood best friends who always dreamed of getting into showbiz but never quite made it a reality. Griff’s claim to fame as an actor was a four-episode stint on the CBS procedural “SWAT,” as Doug struggles from his unfulfilling job as a wedding videographer to provide for his family instead of pursuing a career as a filmmaker. As he says, he has a “B, maybe a B+ life.”
That all changes after Griff reveals that he’s acquired the rights to “Anaconda,” which happens to be their favorite movie of all time, and wants to reboot this indie style. He convinces Doug, as well as their best friends Claire (Thandiwe Newton) and Kenny (Steve Zahn), both of whom are also dissatisfied with their lives, to relive the fun they had making movies as kids and bring “Anaconda” back to the big screen – though they struggle to figure out whether it’s a “reimagining” of the original or a “spiritual sequel.”
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Doug (Jack Black), Claire (Thandiwe Newton) and Griff (Paul Rudd) in Columbia Pictures’ ‘Anaconda’. (Matt Grace/© 2025 CTMG Sony Picture Entertainment)
On an extremely tight budget, the four of them fly to Brazil, where they are joined by the eccentric snake trader Santiago (Selton Mello) and the reserved Ana (Daniela Melchior), the woman they believe is the captain of the riverboat they board, but who is apparently on the run from illegal gold diggers.
They start filming in the jungle, and everything seems to be going according to plan – until Griff unintentionally kills Santiago’s snake by throwing it into the boat’s propeller. Griff and Santiago wander the jungle looking for a new snake for the movie, but find a giant snake that would make King Kong blush.
“We came here to make ‘Anaconda.’ And now we’re in it,” Doug finally realizes with fear.
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Claire (Thandiwe Newton), Kenny (Steve Zahn) and Griff (Paul Rudd) in Columbia Pictures’ ‘Anaconda’. (Bradley Patrick/© 2025 CTMG Sony Picture Entertainment)
What makes this “Anaconda” work is how meta it is. Any movie junkie, regardless of your fandom (or lack thereof) for the 1997 original, will have a good chuckle at Doug and Griff’s filmmaking process, especially when they think passionately about the “theme” of their film.
Director Tom Gormican and co-writer Kevin Enten seem to have a knack for the meta-movie – their last theatrical release was 2022’s ‘The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent’, another hilarious action film starring Nicolas Cage (playing himself). And following in the footsteps of “21 Jump Street” and “Jumanji,” “Anaconda” works because not only does it not take itself seriously, but it’s also self-aware, which makes it even funnier.
Rudd and Black have been reliable comedic leads for decades, and they don’t disappoint here. Newton, better known for his more serious performances (“Crash,” “Westworld,” “Wednesday” to name a few), does well as Claire, a now-divorced lawyer and Griff’s former flame, but Zahn is the scene-stealer as Kenny, the bumbling recovering alcoholic who serves as cameraman for the four-member cast and crew.
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Doug (Jack Black) and Griff (Paul Rudd) in Columbia Pictures’ ‘Anaconda’. (Bradley Patrick/© 2025 CTMG Sony Picture Entertainment)
The verdict:
“Anaconda” is not the movie we asked for. Nevertheless, it serves its purpose. While not a must-see, the meta-reboot is solid entertainment and the best option for laughs at the movies this holiday season. But if you have ophidiophobia – a fear of snakes – this may not be for you.
★★★ — STREAM IT LATER
“Anaconda” is rated PG-13 for violence/action, strong language, some drug use and suggestive references. Running time: 1 hour, 39 minutes. In the theaters Christmas Day.
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