Name: Anaconda (2025)
Genre: Action, Adventure
Released: 2025-12-25
Rating: 6.0
Cast: Steve Zahn, Paul Rudd, Jack Black, Thandiwe Newton, Selton Mello

A group of friends facing mid-life crises reunite to recreate their favorite childhood film. They embark on a jungle adventure into the rainforest and are faced with unexpected surprises

Anaconda (2025)

India Today

There's something oddly comforting about creature features. No matter how many times cinema has returned to giant sharks, rogue crocodiles or oversized snakes, the genre retains a pulpy charm that feels immune to fatigue. Anaconda (2025), Sony's reboot of the 1997 cult hit, leans into that nostalgia with a wink, choosing humour and self-awareness over outright horror, and mostly gets away with it.
Directed and co-written by Tom Gormican, the film reframes the familiar people versus predator” setup as a buddy adventure with midlife anxieties at its core. Paul Rudd and Jack Black play Griff and Doug, two men stuck in personal and professional ruts, who set out on a jungle expedition chasing a half-forgotten childhood dream. What begins as a lightly absurd road-trip quickly slides into dangerous territory once the titular snake enters the picture.

The biggest reason Anaconda works as well as it does is the central pairing. Rudd’s easygoing charm and Jack Black’s chaotic, self-deprecating energy make for a surprisingly warm dynamic. The film gives them space to riff, bicker and bond, and those moments often land better than the action itself. There’s an unforced camaraderie here that keeps the film afloat even when the narrative starts to wobble. It’s clear the makers are aware that the audience is watching as much for these two as for the monster.
That said, the film struggles to fully commit to one tone. At times, Anaconda wants to parody Hollywood’s obsession with reboots, poking fun at its own existence. At others, it wants to be a straight-up jungle survival spectacle. The frequent tonal shifts mean the tension rarely sustains itself for long. The snake is technically impressive but never quite becomes the looming threat it should be.

Supporting characters drift in and out without much impact, and the film’s stakes remain curiously low for something involving a man-eating predator. You sense there was room for sharper satire or more inventive scares, but the script settles for safe beats instead.

Still, there’s a reason films like Anaconda keep getting resurrected. Creature features offer uncomplicated thrills, the pleasure of watching humans test their luck against nature and lose control of the situation. Gormican's film understands that appeal and doesn’t overthink it. It may not deliver edge-of-the-seat suspense, but it provides enough humour, spectacle, and nostalgia to make for an enjoyable watch.

In the end, Anaconda is a mildly entertaining reboot that knows its limitations. It doesn’t redefine the genre, but it doesn’t embarrass it either.

For a lazy holiday watch, especially if you’re in the mood for Rudd and Black doing what they do best, this snake still has some life left in it.

ANACONDA - Official Trailer | Exclusively In Cinemas 25 December

ANACONDA - Official Trailer (Hindi) | Exclusively In Cinemas 25 December

ANACONDA - Official Trailer (Tamil) | Exclusively In Cinemas 25 December

ANACONDA - Official Trailer (Telugu) | Exclusively In Cinemas 25 December

Steve Zahn

Paul Rudd is an American actor, comedian, writer and producer who made his acting debut with NBC's drama series Sisters. He rose to widespread popularity playing the role of Mike in the hugely successful sitcom Friends and went on to star in movies like The 40-year Old Virgin, The Fundamentals of Caring and Marvel’s Ant-Man series. He has won several awards and accolades for his performances and is closely associated with theater. Rudd is a graduate of the American Academy of Dramatic Arts-West in Los Angeles and has also studied at the University of Kansas, majoring in theater.

Paul Rudd

Jack Black is an American actor and musician. He began his acting career with a TV commercial for a video game, at the age of 13. Soon, he went on playing a variety of roles on shows like Picket Fences, The X- Files and The Golden Palace before landing major roles in mainstream cinema. He gained worldwide recognition, critical acclaim and several awards for his performances in films like High Fidelity, Nacho Libre, Shallow Hal, Gulliver’s Travels and the 2005 remake of King Kong. He voiced the lead character in the Kung Fu Panda film series and the dummies in the TV adaptation of R.L. Stine’s Goosebumps. Black is also the lead singer of  his band called Tenacious D and has appeared in several music videos too.

Anaconda (2025)(2025)