Anaconda (dir. Tom Gormicon)

By: Hayden & Adam Freed

It is fair to say that Hollywood has reached full capacity when it comes to remakes, reboots and reimaginings.  Predictably, Sony’s release of Anaconda, a comedic reimaging of the 1997 camp horror film of the same name, is going to be met with an understandable sense of indifference.  Somewhat surprisingly, director Tom Gormicon (The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent) has unlocked an interesting interpretation of what could’ve been filed away in the bin of recycled ideas, framing his Anaconda as a comedic film about a ragtag team of wannabe filmmakers clinging to a thin thread of career inspiration.  What solidifies Gormicon’s film is the writer and director’s willingness to let his screen talent lean into what it is that they do best.  Jack Black (A Minecraft Movie, School of Rock), Paul Rudd (Ant-Man, I Love You, Man), Steve Zahn (War for the Planet of the Apes) and Thandiwe Newton (Westworld, Crash) headline the ridiculous story of unfulfilled childhood friends, in pursuit of their Hollywood dreams.

The first hurdle that Anaconda faces is that there is very little dramatic tension introduced in the story of an oversized Amazonian snake until the film actually settles into the Amazon.  This takes far longer than it should, instead focusing on developing the flimsy backstories of characters that never evolve beyond being markedly one note.  Fortunately, one note performances from  Jack Black and Paul Rudd are still far more entertaining than most other comedic performers based solely on the strength of their absurdist alchemy.  The duo offer very little by way of new material, but earn more than a handful of belly laughs against the backdrop of their misguided ambition.  The success of its on-screen duo becomes even more important as it works as a counterbalance to the unmistakable scarier moments within Tom Gormicon’s Anaconda.

Despite being marketed as a comedy, Anaconda certainly leans into the horror-based DNA of the 1997 original film that starred Ice Cube (Friday) and Jennifer Lopez (Selena, Hustlers) and slithered its way into becoming a 90’s cult classic.  This reboot shirks its PG-13 rating presenting more than a few opportunities for younger audiences to experience genuine fear in the face of the oversized serpent.  In addition to multiple jump scares, Anaconda isn’t shy about squeezing out as much bloodshed as can be mustered considering the film’s family friendly rating.  Surprisingly scary at times, Anaconda is balanced by its admirable comedic timing, giving this reboot just enough bite to warrant a trip to the theater.

Target Score 5.5/10 - The predictably dependable comedic repertoire of Jack Black, Paul Rudd and Steve Zahn enable Sony’s Anaconda reboot to overcome a slow start and slither into contention as one of the year’s funnier and more ridiculous films.