Anaconda 2025 isn't a remake or sequel in the traditional sense, but rather a companion piece that reimagines the original's concept, much in the manner of Abbott & Costello Meet Frankenstein. It also breaks the fourth wall, presenting aspiring movie-makers who wish to reboot the 1997 hit, which relegates the revamped concept to How to Make a Monster 1958, Wes Craven's New Nightmare, Book of Shadows: The Blair Witch Project 2 and Ginger Man Dead 2: Passion of the Crust, cemented by Ed Wood, Dolemite Is My Name and Bowfinger.
The franchise's new addition is directed by Tom Gormican, who cowrote with Kevin Etten (both men responsible for The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent & Beverly Hills Cop IV), and stars Jack Black as Doug McCallister, a woeful, wedding photographer, and Paul Rudd as Ronald "Griff" Griffen, a browbeaten actor, who take the big leap in rebooting one of their favorites, Anaconda. (For its satisfying co-cast, Steve Zahn, Thandiwe Newton, Ione Sky, Selton Mello, Daniela Melchior, Rui Ricardo and Ben Lawson are on board.) The odds are, of course, against the ambitious duo to achieve success, and from their bumbling hijinks, plenty of laughs ensue, along with lots of sneaky intrigue and nifty, CGI kaiju-snake effects.
The original Anaconda was, in truth, a cloaked retelling of Creature from the Black Lagoon, but Anaconda 2025 is a madcap variant along the wacky lines of It's a Mad, Mad, Mad World, with that particular movie's penchant for cameos (in this case, they come from the first flick's stars, who say hello with affectionate winks and nods).
Black and Rudd are enjoyable as a modern Bud Abbott and Lou Costello. I wouldn't mind seeing the two tackle Jason Voorhees, Michael Myers, Freddy Krueger or Leatherface. Really, their comedic timing would bounce off those famous fiends quite well.
Some may object to the comedic approach for this franchise, but after Lake Placid vs Anaconda (which I'll admit, I rather do like), the series had pretty much run its course. Decades prior, Universal saw the writing on the wall, in the wake of House of Dracula, and as such, went on to make one of the greatest comedies ever. I don't suspect that Anaconda 2025 will find a place in cinematic history alongside Abbott & Costello Meet Frankenstein, but I also see no wrong (or harm) in the movie's goofy premise or goal. It brings something a tad different from the familiar motif, thanks to its many gags, and yet it's faithful enough to the series' thrilling tropes to establish a successful spoof. See it and be glad for the ride.
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