By Molly Adkins
Welcome back to the Amazon! Jack Black and Paul Rudd star in Sony’s 2025 reboot of “Anaconda.” The original movie, released in 1997, is an adventure-horror movie following a documentary crew searching for a long lost tribe in the Amazon and a snake hunter tracking a massive anaconda. Filled with betrayal, suspense and a stacked cast (including Ice Cube, Jennifer Lopez and Owen Wilson), the film was a box office success.
“Anaconda” 2025 follows a group of middle-aged friends, including Doug (Jack Black), Griff (Paul Rudd), Kenny (Steve Zahn) and Claire (Thandiwe Newton), as they set out to make a reboot of their favorite childhood movie, “Anaconda” (1997). Once in the Amazon, they pair with snake handler Santiago (Selton Mello) and Ana, a woman on the run posing as a riverboat owner (Daniela Melchior).
The movie opens with Doug McCallister as he struggles to find happiness in his job. Making wedding “films” for work, he isn’t given the creative control and the freedom he wants. Across the country, in Los Angeles, his old best friend Ronald “Griff” Griffin also struggles to find happiness in his job. He left Buffalo to pursue acting, but has only appeared as a background character in 4 episodes of SWAT and can’t find enough work to support him or his dreams. When the friends reunite for Doug’s surprise birthday party, they unveil a long-lost treasure: their old home movie, an unoriginal thriller clearly based on “Anaconda” 1997.
When Doug and Griff’s friend group reconnects over brunch and shares their struggles with mid-life crises, Griff reveals that he has acquired the rights to “Anaconda” (1997) and the group can finally realize their dream of shooting a reboot. Though Doug struggles with the decision, he agrees to go. The group secures a loan (and a snake) and heads for the Amazon.
Though the group reconnects and the characters find their spark again, the situation quickly deteriorates when, in keeping with the title of the movie, a huge anaconda appears and begins to hunt the group.
This film blends comedy and action as hilarious actors take on the dangers of the Amazon. Jack Black and Paul Rudd do a fantastic job, capturing the struggles of everyday life and the joys of realizing your dream perfectly. The rest of the cast succeeds as background/main characters who also portray their own depth and complexity. Unfortunately, as the movie progresses, the movie falls out of the habit of providing strong backgrounds and complexities, leaving more to be desired from some characters as time goes on.
This movie really well-represents themes of contentment. Throughout the first half, Doug continuously refers to his situation as a “B/B+ life,” pretty good but not great. Even so, when Griff first brings up the idea to remake “Anaconda” (1997), Doug resists. Despite his struggle to find true happiness, he wants to stay with his wife and son and continue to provide. Eventually, Doug’s wife convinces him to take a chance with his friends.
This brings up the main question of the film: Is it worth risking contentment and stability to find your spark again? Throughout the movie, the answer goes back and forth. As characters rekindle old relationships and dreams, the answer is so clearly yes. But as plans change and characters are hunted and injured on their quest for a successful reboot, the answer isn’t so clear.
Deep-rooted questions like these make the movie relatable. While the vast majority of viewers can’t relate to being targeted by a massive predator, and many viewers can’t even relate to the characters’ mid-life crises, we can all relate to the idea of having a dream and deciding whether or not to pursue it.
All in all, “Anaconda” 2025 is a great blend of comedy, jump scares and surprise cameos from “Anaconda” 1997 actors. With top-tier acting, funny lines, great cinematography and a fantastic soundtrack, “Anaconda” 2025 is a must-see, not only for fans of the original, but also those who are looking for a new Jack Black favorite.
“Anaconda” is currently available in theaters
Molly Adkins is a senior professional writing major whose love of writing and Jack Black allowed her to overcome her fear of snakes to watch “Anaconda” (2025).
Images courtesy of Sony Pictures
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