If your eyes roll at the idea of an “ironic” reboot of 1997’s Anaconda, you’re not alone. It’s easy to be cynical about this winking conceptual approach. Working in what appears to be his preferred mode, however, writer-director Tom Gormican uses his latest film’s meta dimension as an admittedly funny launch point. It doesn’t need to be specific about a B-movie from the ’90s; this new film only has to wonder where its once-idealistic young fans are today.
Now, if you’ve never even seen the original film (and I haven’t), don’t worry. Co-written with Kevin Etten, Anaconda (2025) regards four long-time friends whose lives haven’t gone the way they’d hoped back when they were making DIY films together as teens in Buffalo. On the birthday of wedding videographer Doug (Jack Black), struggling actor Ronald (Paul Rudd) announces to his pals, including Kenny (Steve Zahn) and Claire (Thandiwe Newton), that he is now the rights holder for the original film. His (and Gormican’s) pitch then is simple: let’s make a “spiritual sequel”! As a path out of midlife crisis, Ronald’s idea is as good as any other—even with real dangers (involving Daniela Melchior and a giant, albeit CGI-made, snake) awaiting them in the Amazon jungle. These elements make the film knowingly ridiculous (and surprisingly violent), but they also allow for decent gags about filmmaking, aging, and, yes, bodily fluids. With its well-known and capable cast (plus scene-stealer Selton Mello), we don’t need to overthink the proceedings; we can laugh instead.
To be clear, this Anaconda, much like the original, is hardly an essential film. It works well enough because it both acknowledges that and uses that identity to inform fresher ideas. Yes, we all loved goofy B-movies when we were teens, and even though we know they’re not as valued as “prestige” pictures, as we get older, their singular pleasures stay the same. You can even get together again with friends to enjoy them anew.
