Whilst no one was exactly crying out for a sequel to the 1997 snake movie, I have to say that the film managed to hold it’s own and was enjoyable from start to finish.
A team of scientists head off on a trip to Borneo to find The Blood Orchid, a red flower that contains the ingredients for a long and healthy life. Unfortunately for them, they get into an accident and find themselves stranded in the jungle during Anaconda mating season.
The film opened with an obligatory scene that foreshadowed the ensuing terror (for some younger viewers) before moving to New York to introduce us to our protagonists. The set up was over quickly and then we got straight into the thick of it as any popcorn movie should.
The cast were all likeable and did a good job considering it was a giant snake flick, and I must say that there were some nice moments, including that overhead shot of the group in the water that you have no doubt seen in the trailer, and some creepy moments in a cave.
I really liked that the scriptwriters didn’t try to insult my intelligence by claiming that radioactive waste or some random crap like that was responsible. Instead we were given a good explanation for the snakes being there, and indeed for being so big and nasty.
The locations were all really good and helped you believe in the characters predicament, and the younger viewers found a few jumps and scares too.
The film has a few nice little nods to the original and even pays homage to ‘Jaws’ in a rather effective way.
OVERALL SUMMARY
Anacondas turned out to be great Friday night popcorn entertainment for families and kids. It has sexy women, bad ass action heroes, comic relief and the cutest monkey ever seen on film. This won’t appeal to stuffy critics and hardcore horror fans but it’s a great deal of fun.
