‘Anaconda’ Review: Paul Rudd and Jack Black go for laughs this Christmas

We often ask ourselves why some of these movies were made, especially the reboots. When one is announced, it is often met with mass online browsing.

Take, for example, the 1997 jungle horror film “Anaconda,” starring Jennifer Lopez, Ice Cube and Jon Voight. It follows a documentary film crew who find themselves stranded in the Amazon rainforest, fighting for their lives against a giant, mythical snake. The film, which was panned by critics and received multiple Razzie nominations, was a success at the box office and is now considered a cult classic. So was anyone really clamoring for an “Anaconda” reboot?

Sony Pictures’ motto is not “Ask and you shall receive.” It’s more like, “We’re doing this and you’ll be pleasantly surprised.”

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To Sony’s credit, they know how to revive an old IP that has core fans but is otherwise gathering dust in a way that feels fresh, and it’s actually pretty funny. They did this with two “21 Jump Streets” and two “Jumanji” movies. And luckily for the studio, they did it once again with “Anaconda.”

Starring Paul Rudd and Jack Black, Griff and Doug are two childhood friends who always dreamed of being in show business but couldn’t quite make it a reality. Griff’s claim to fame as an actor was a four-episode stint on the CBS procedural “SWAT”; Instead of pursuing a career as a filmmaker, Doug struggled with his unfulfilling job as a wedding videographer to provide for his family. As he says, he has a “B, maybe B+” life.

Everything changes after Griff announces that he has acquired the rights to their all-time favorite movie, “Anaconda” and wants to reboot it in indie style. She convinces Doug and his best friends Claire (Thandiwe Newton) and Kenny (Steve Zahn), both dissatisfied with their lives, to relive the fun they had making movies as kids and bring “Anaconda” back to the big screen — but they struggle to figure out whether it’s a “re-imagining” or a “spiritual sequel” to the original.

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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)

The four of them fly to Brazil on a shoestring budget, where they are joined by eccentric snake catcher Santiago (Selton Mello) and shy Ana (Daniela Melchior), who they assume is the captain of the riverboat they are on but is apparently on the run from illegal gold miners.

They begin filming in the forest and everything seems to go as planned; until Griff unintentionally kills Santiago’s snake by throwing it into the boat’s propeller. Griff and Santiago wander the jungle to find a new snake for the movie, but they find a huge snake that would make King Kong blush.

“We came here to make ‘Anaconda.’ And now we’re in it,” Doug finally realized with horror.

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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. Regardless of fandom of the 1997 original (or lack thereof), any movie junkie will have a good chuckle at Doug and Griff’s filmmaking process, especially as they passionately ponder the “theme” of their movie.

Director Tom Gormican and co-writer Kevin Enten seem to have a knack for the meta movie — their last outing was 2022’s “The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent,” another hilarious action movie starring Nicolas Cage (in which he plays himself). And following in the footsteps of “21 Jump Street” and “Jumanji,” “Anaconda” works because it’s both not self-serious and self-aware, which makes it even more entertaining.

Rudd and Black have been reliable comedy leads for decades, and they don’t disappoint here. Newton, known for her more serious performances (“Crash,” “Westworld,” “Wednesday,” to name a few), does an adequate job as Claire, a now-divorced lawyer and Griff’s ex; but Zahn is a scene-stealer as Kenny, the bumbling recovering alcoholic who serves as the cameraman for the four-person 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)

Decision:

“Anaconda” is not the movie we wanted. But it still serves its purpose. While it’s not a must-see, the meta reboot is solid entertainment and a top choice for laughs in theaters this holiday season. However, if you have ophidiophobia (fear of snakes), this may not be for you.

★★★ — TRANSFER LATER

“Anaconda” is rated PG-13 for violence/action, strong language, some drug use and suggestive references. Duration: 1 hour 39 minutes. In theaters on Christmas Day.

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