Writer/director Tom Gormican and co-writer Kevin Etten have attempted to pull off a fun spin on the bad monster movie Anaconda. In 1997, the monster movie Anaconda was released in theaters and had a mixed reception. Obviously, there are those who have much love for the silly film and have decided to make a more comedic sequel/spiritual sequel/reboot of it, despite the ridiculousness and actual quality of the original. Going into this movie, I was trepidatious, mainly because I just don’t have that love for the original film. I had hoped that the filmmakers had an inventive spin in mind for this movie, but the end result ultimately left me dissatisfied.
Paul Rudd stars as Ronald Griffen, Jr, a background actor who has struggled to make a name for himself in Hollywood, despite his passion for the craft. Griff’s best friend Doug (Jack Black), who has always aspired to be a successful filmmaker, has had to settle for being a wedding videographer while deluding himself that his videos are short films. After getting frustrated with his acting career, Griff decides to get his old friends together, including Doug, to do a sequel to a film he has enjoyed for so long. Of course, that film has to be Anaconda, and Griff, Doug, and their old team agree to travel to the jungle and attempt to pull off a childhood dream.
I was so incredibly disappointed with this film. The movie has jokes galore, but not all of them work well. The filmmakers seem to be trying to make a satirical film about Hollywood and filmmaking, but this entry just lacks the depth of commentary that Tropic Thunder offers. It also lacks the courage to do what Tropic Thunder accomplishes. The humor here is fine when it works, but it ultimately falls short.
I was fine with the cast, but they are definitely hampered by the script’s weak writing. I also feel that the film could have had a spicier edge had they decided to make an R-rated movie instead of a PG-13 one. Anaconda, as expected, is an utter disappointment. With such talent involved, this film could have been so much more entertaining. While I did laugh some, this movie just doesn’t have the same impact as a movie like Tropic Thunder.