LOS ANGELES, Dec. 23 (UPI) -- Turning 1997's Anaconda into a comedy is a clever idea. Unfortunately, 2025's Anaconda, in theaters Thursday, does not have ideas that clever to put in the actual movie.
Jack Black plays Doug, a frustrated wedding videographer with artistic ambitions. Griff (Paul Rudd) is a struggling actor who tries too hard at one-line roles.
Reuniting for Doug's birthday, Griff brings a film they made on VHS as 13-year-olds. Inspired by seeing the original Anaconda poster, Griff suggests Doug and their childhood friends Claire (Thandiwe Newton) and Kenny (Steve Zahn) remake Anaconda themselves.
The premise should be that these idiots encounter a real anaconda and bumble through a jungle adventure. That would be funny.
Unfortunately, the script by Kevin Etten and director Tom Gormican invents more convoluted business before anaconda mayhem even happens. They spend a lot of time on the remake the quartet is making.
