Particle.news
Download on the App Store
47 ARTICLES
·
last wk.

‘Anaconda’ Reboot Slithers Into Holiday Theaters as Early Reviews Divide

Critics see a self-referential comedy with standout performances, uneven tone, questionable CG.

Image via Sony Pictures
Doug (Jack Black), a Buffalo, N.Y., family man goes to Brazil to remake a 1990s monster snake movie in the comedy “Anaconda.”
Jack Black, left, and Paul Rudd play hapless filmmakers in a meta-reboot of 1997’s “Anaconda.” 
Image

Overview

  • The film begins its theatrical rollout over the Christmas window, opening Dec. 25 in the U.S. and Dec. 26 in the U.K. and Australia, with some listings noting Dec. 24.
  • Directed by Tom Gormican and co-written with Kevin Etten, the movie stars Jack Black, Paul Rudd, Steve Zahn, and Thandiwe Newton, with Selton Mello and Daniela Melchior in support.
  • Framed as a meta-remake, it follows four friends who head to the Amazon to shoot a DIY reboot and instead encounter a real giant snake, leaning more on broad comedy than horror.
  • Reviews range from measured praise to sharp pans, citing funny stretches and cast chemistry but flagging messy plotting, thin character work, and inconsistent execution.
  • Multiple outlets criticize the giant snake’s CG and note that the production shot in Australia’s subtropics, with the Tweed River standing in for the Amazon.