Anaconda

This Black/Rudd vehicle is meant to be more comedy than suspense, action thriller and then things get otherworldly as the story unravels onscreen. A story that is painfully self-aware and leans into the absurdity of the filmmaking process to such a degree that the ridiculous leads to one of the funniest films of the year. Tom Gormican's project finds that space between honouring the original, satisfying Jack Black fans, and mocking the industry they need for the sake of their future careers. No small feat, but surprisingly, they manage to have fun with this franchise and offer up an engaging, albeit absurd, option for people to lose themselves in the cinema over the holidays.

Anaconda is not meant to be taken seriously. It will only entertain those who are willing to let themselves go on the boat ride down the Amazon River. Not a film for families, but one for those who need a laugh and hope to get to see a giant snake eat more bad guys than any reptile should be allowed to indulge in.

One of the many hilarious lines of dialogue belongs to Steve Zahn's character, Kenny, who may not be the sharpest tool in the shed. In amongst his rare moments of mental clarity during his 'Buffalo sobriety,' the cameraman considers the metaphoric representation of the snake.

Not to over-philosophise this connection, but the Bible does have quite a bit to say about snakes in gardens. The snake in Anaconda is terrifying while mirroring the Biblical reference in Genesis. Described as being "more crafty" than any beast, lying in wait to lure the greedy and the desperate into its coils.

While the biblical serpent used lies to lead mankind to ruin, this predator uses our own hubris and obsession—specifically the pursuit of fame and fortune—to seal our fate.

In the "Green Hell of the Amazon," there are accidental serpent-crushers who are less hero and more pitiable creatures. Yet, in the reality of life, there is a 'snake-crusher' named Jesus. We can read in the Bible that he will establish a world where all of creation will be restored to its original, harmless state—snakes included.

Hollywood has never quite known what to do with Anaconda. The 1997 original, directed by Luis Llosa and produced during the peak of late-90s creature-feature excess, was equal parts jungle thriller and B-grade spectacle. It boasted an improbably stacked cast: Jennifer Lopez, Ice Cube, Eric Stoltz, Owen Wilson and Jon Voight, yet became infamous less for its scares than for its rubbery visual effects and Voight’s deliriously unhinged performance. And yet, for all its flaws, Anaconda endured. It slithered into cult status precisely because it understood something essential: audiences enjoy watching cheesy, silly movies that don’t take themselves too seriously.

Fast forward to 2025, and director Tom Gormican (The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent) returns to the Amazonian jungle with a fresh twist on the franchise. Instead of a straightforward remake, Anaconda (2025) stars Jack Black and Paul Rudd as Doug McCallister and Griff Griffen Jr., lifelong friends trapped in parallel midlife crises. Doug is a failed wedding videographer clinging to unrealised creative dreams. At the same time, Griff is a struggling actor whose career has stalled in anonymous background roles. United by nostalgia and frustration, the pair hatch a wildly ambitious plan: they will remake their all-time favourite movie, Anaconda (1997). Their destination? The Amazon jungle itself. Their mission? To film their passion project on location with the hopes of viral fame, creative fulfilment, and maybe even box office glory.

Along for the chaotic ride are their friends and collaborators, including Kenny (Steve Zahn), Claire (Thandiwe Newton), snake handler Santiago Braga (Selton Mello) and mysterious Ana (Daniela Melchior). What starts as a goofy, low-budget shoot quickly descends into farce when the team’s hired snake dies on the first day of filming. Undeterred, they decide to venture deeper into the jungle in search of another, bigger snake – only to find a real-life giant anaconda that turns their amateur movie set into a gruesome survival saga. As they scramble to stay alive and salvage their “film,” the dangers of the jungle and their own delusions collide in increasingly absurd and deadly ways, all played with a wink and a smirk.

Gormican skilfully blends creature-feature thrills with comedy and satire. It’s part homage, part parody, and all chaos. The film’s self-aware tone allows it to poke fun at its own genre conventions - from the trope-filled adventure narrative to the outsized egos who think they can conquer nature with a camera and a dream. This meta-approach - essentially a movie-within-a-movie - gives audiences room to laugh at the characters’ hubris while still delivering genuinely exciting snake encounters and perilous jungle sequences. Black and Rudd’s chemistry anchors the film. Black brings manic enthusiasm while Rudd excels at cheerful denial, convincing himself everything is “still fixable” long after it clearly is not. The supporting cast adds to the calamitous production, particularly Steve Zahn’s Kenny, whose “Buffalo sobriety” adds to the comedic chaos.

Yet beneath the laughs and the absurdity (including some memorably gross toilet humour), Anaconda offers something more reflective. The heart of the story isn’t just about a giant snake. It’s about the human desire for fame, relevance, and legacy. Doug and Griff are driven by a noble artistic vision mixed with a desire for validation and applause. They believe that capturing something sensational on film will fill the voids in their lives. That pursuit, as the movie repeatedly reminds us, is its own kind of trap. The result is a film that is both hilarious and heartfelt, embraces absurdity without apology, and invites audiences along for a wild, unpredictable adventure. It’s a meta homage, a thrilling creature feature, and a genuinely funny film, and successfully delivers a year-end Amazon adventure.

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Reel Dialogue: The allure of the Serpent

The serpent is one of Scripture’s most enduring symbols of deception. In Genesis, Satan does not coerce; he persuades. He offers wisdom, autonomy and fulfilment while concealing the cost. “You will not surely die,” a lie that leads directly to death and exile.

Anaconda echoes this pattern with surprising theological resonance. Doug and Griff are not tempted by evil intentions, but by false promise. They believe that one great success will redeem their failures, justify every risk and restore meaning to their lives. Each step deeper into the jungle is framed as progress, even as the danger escalates. The anaconda itself never deceives them. It does not lure or trick. The lie is internal - the belief that recognition will save them.

In a culture obsessed with authenticity and living your best life, Anaconda functions as a comic parable. It exposes the spiritual danger of confusing calling with craving and faithfulness with persistence at any cost. Not every passion is God-given. Not every open door leads to life. Like the serpent of Scripture, false fortune appears alluring, but it ultimately leads people away from wisdom. Sometimes obedience looks less like pressing forward and more like turning back and away from the lies of the Serpent.

Genesis 3:1 “Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?”