Anaconda 2025 Review: Not Your Typical Horror Comedy
When you see Jack Black and Paul Rudd in the same trailer, your first instinct is not to think of Anaconda. Yet that is exactly the pitch here: a horror comedy built around one of the most recognisable creature-feature titles from the late 90s, but approached with far less seriousness and far more self-awareness.
The film is now streaming, and on paper it sounds like one of those ideas that could either collapse immediately or become unexpectedly entertaining: a group of childhood friends head into the Amazon to remake Anaconda as their own indie project. You already know that once a giant snake enters that equation, very little is going to stay under control.
At a Glance
- Movie: Anaconda (2026)
- Genre: Horror Comedy / Meta Adventure
- Directed by: Tom Gormican
- Main Cast: Jack Black, Paul Rudd, Thandiwe Newton, Steve Zahn, Daniela Melchior, Selton Mello
- Streaming Status: Currently available on OTT
- Verdict: Fun because of the cast, uneven because of everything else
- Rating: 3/5 Stars
A Meta Plot That Knows Exactly How Ridiculous It Is
Paul Rudd plays Ronald “Griff” Griffen Jr., a struggling background actor who somehow convinces everyone around him that he has secured the rights to make a new Anaconda film. His longtime friend Doug McCallister, played by Jack Black, is a wedding videographer with a suspiciously strong love for horror movies and just enough misplaced confidence to join the plan without asking too many questions.
What begins as another desperate creative gamble quickly turns into a reunion project involving old friends, unfinished ambitions, and a very questionable decision to actually enter the Amazon rainforest. Along with Kenny Trent, Claire Simons, Doug and Griff’s old friend played by Steve Zahn, and Thandiwe Newton, the group decides to shoot their own version of Anaconda deep inside the jungle.
The setup intentionally leans into absurdity because the film understands how silly this premise sounds. Once they reach the rainforest, predictably, everything begins to spiral.
Jack Black and Paul Rudd Carry Almost Every Scene
The easiest thing to like here is the cast because they never stop trying to make the material enjoyable.
Jack Black and Paul Rudd operate in their usual comfort zone, which means even scenes that should fall flat still find life because of timing, delivery, and sheer familiarity. There is a reason both actors continue to be so watchable even when the script around them feels thinner than it should.
Thandiwe Newton brings control whenever the film risks drifting too far into parody, while Steve Zahn comfortably occupies the role of the friend whose entire purpose is to make awkward situations even funnier. We also have Selton Mello, who plays Carlos Santiago Braga, a snake handler who loves his pet Anaconda probably a little too much.
What works surprisingly well is the group chemistry. The movie often feels less like a carefully structured horror comedy and more like four old friends genuinely enjoying a chaotic trip together. They argue, they joke, they improvise their way through danger, and that casual energy becomes more entertaining than the actual plot.
Why This Barely Feels Like an Anaconda Movie
The biggest issue is simple: this rarely feels like a movie built around the creature that gave the franchise its identity.
Yes, there are tense moments. Yes, the snake appears often enough to remind you why you came here. But the balance heavily favours comedy, sometimes so much that the horror side almost disappears for long stretches.
That said, the film never pretends otherwise. It refuses seriousness almost entirely, and that commitment probably saves it from becoming unintentionally awkward. The tone stays deliberately playful, openly meta, and sometimes openly nostalgic, especially when original franchise actors appear in cameo moments that longtime viewers will immediately recognise.
Those scenes actually land because the film is at its best when it stops trying to create danger and simply enjoys its own absurdity.
A Thin Story Wrapped Around Strong Performances
One reason I keep returning to the cast is because there is very little else doing heavy lifting here. The plot itself is extremely thin. There is also a side thread involving Daniela Melchior as Ana Almeida, an illegal gold miner whose role mostly seems designed to add extra attitude before being physically overpowered by Claire, who somehow ends up looking even more intimidating.
Characters enter, create brief momentum, and then the film moves on before giving most of them any meaningful depth.
Even the bigger surprise moments operate almost entirely on fan recognition. When Ice Cube appears reprising his role from the original film, it works because the audience already knows exactly what kind of energy he brings. He arrives, fires a flare gun, saves the group, and leaves the scene carrying the same presence that made him memorable decades ago.
The Ending Fully Embraces Pure Movie Logic
The climax delivers exactly the kind of finish this film has been building toward. The giant snake is taken down using a propane tank and the flare gun handed over earlier, creating an explosion that absolutely should not make complete sense if you stop to think about it too carefully.
That explanation ends where most creature features usually end: movie logic.
What matters more is that Griff recreates a heroic moment from the childhood films he and his friends used to make, giving the ending a sentimental payoff that fits the film’s larger theme about unfinished dreams and shared nostalgia.
Did Their Fake Film Actually Change Their Lives?
The funniest reveal is that Griff never actually had the rights to Anaconda in the first place, which honestly makes far more sense than believing a struggling background actor somehow acquired a multi-million dollar franchise.
Sony eventually responds exactly how you would expect, with a cease-and-desist order. Still, the project unexpectedly changes everyone’s lives. Their film gets finished, released, and somehow becomes enough buzz that Doug is approached by Jennifer Lopez to direct an Anaconda sequel.
That ending fits the film because it rewards chaos rather than logic.
Final Verdict: Fun If You Accept the Silliness
Did I enjoy it? Honestly, yes, to a point. I also understand why plenty of people will not.
This film leans heavily into comedy and keeps doubling down on silliness even when the giant snake should be the central threat. Entire stretches feel more like a strange vacation movie than a horror story, and sometimes the repetition becomes noticeable.
That is probably where opinions will split hardest. I am fairly certain my friend Avik (to check out his amazing reviews click here) would disagree with me on this one, and for once I am not even prepared to argue too hard in return.
Rating:
The reason I still land at 3 out of 5 stars is the cast. Paul Rudd, Jack Black, Thandiwe Newton, and Steve Zahn carry this film through chemistry, timing, and sheer likability. It also raises a fair question, if this exact script had lesser known actors attached, would the movie still survive on charm alone? I am not fully convinced it would.
If you watched it, what did you think? Did the comedy work for you, or do you think I am being too generous with that rating?
It is now streaming on Netflix. For more such reviews, breakdowns, and movie discussions, check out The Watchlist Diaries.
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