Review
Anaconda (2025) review: a remake that wasn’t afraid to be its own thing
Jack Black and Paul Rudd star in a self-aware comedy that, far from being just another remake, revitalizes the franchise with unexpected freshness.
We live in an era where remakes and rehashed stories dominate the industry. Every year, more reinterpretations of past films appear, from uninspired live-action adaptations to sequels that are now in double digits. That’s why, when a film understands these pitfalls and decides to play with them instead of repeating them, the result can feel surprisingly fresh. Anaconda (2025) is one such case.
Anaconda (2025) marks the directorial debut of Tom Gormican, screenwriter of The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent and Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F, a sequel released directly on Netflix. The cast includes Jack Black, Paul Rudd, Steve Zahn, and Thandiwe Newton, as well as two Brazilian stars: Daniela Melchior and Selton Mello.
Welcome to the Jungle
This time, we follow a group of friends whose lives didn’t turn out as they expected. As children, they made short home movies and loved them, but as adults, they devote themselves to other things. Filled with nostalgia and passion after a birthday reunion, they decide to travel to the Amazon to film a reboot of Anaconda. That’s right: this film is a reboot in which, within the reboot itself, the characters try to film another reboot and end up being part of one. Just as it sounds, pure meta cinema.
This metatextual approach gives the film an extremely fresh feel that lasts from beginning to end. It is a work filled with love for the original film, but also for the art of filmmaking: the recording process and the adventure involved in a production. In addition—and this is key—it is genuinely very funny.
After The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent, it’s clear that Tom Gormican understands comedy very well. Here, he demonstrates this with effective dialogue, contemporary humor, and editing and framing that enhance the jokes. The decision to tell a deeply meta story doesn’t feel forced, but rather serves as a vehicle for something more creative. It never tries to be a traditional remake of Anaconda; on the contrary, the approach allows it to tell an original story that exists thanks to the reboot, but is not tied to it. The film knows exactly what it wants to be: a comedy. It never loses sight of the fact that its main mission is to make people laugh, and that clarity of intention adds a lot to it.
The humor strikes a good balance between well-written dialogue, physical comedy, and a touch of exaggerated violence courtesy of the giant snake. There are moments of dark humor that are well placed and used wisely, and although it occasionally resorts to references to the original Anaconda, these work more as a nod to fans than as the basis for jokes. This reinforces its sense of originality: you don’t need to have seen the original movie—or even remember it well—to enjoy this version.
Another noteworthy aspect is the acting. In general, the cast opts for surprisingly sober performances for what could have been an exaggerated comedy. They are functional, normal adults caught up in a situation that completely overwhelms them, and therein lies much of the charm. The only deliberately more eccentric character is Selton Mello, as the snake trainer: a more caricatured comic relief who, far from breaking the tone, complements it.
Even if you don’t remember the original movie very well, the fondness for Anaconda is evident. Of course, this is not a horror movie, nor does it pretend to be: we are dealing with a completely different genre. Even so, the snake never ceases to feel like a real threat within the story, which keeps the tension alive and a sense of danger when necessary.
Technically speaking, the film understands its limitations perfectly and makes intelligent use of its scale and budget. It does not rely on big visual effects sequences: CGI is concentrated almost exclusively on the anaconda and is used only when necessary. It does not look real—not at all—but it serves its purpose. The natural locations provide an authentic feel of the Amazon jungle, and the boat where much of the story takes place is very well used. With a running time of one hour and forty minutes, the pace is brisk and the film flies by.
Ultimately, what Anaconda (2025) brings to the table is freshness. It’s a good movie with an original angle and highly recommended for any fan of comedy, a genre that is increasingly rare in theaters today. In addition, its mix of action and adventure gives it a special touch. It’s probably not for those who can’t stand Jack Black or who are afraid of snakes, but other than that, it’s a very pleasant surprise.
In a moment where many new versions live in the shadow of their original material, Anaconda manages to stand out precisely because it does not depend on it. It respects its origins, but is confident enough to become something completely its own.
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