Matthew Percefull
Anaconda, released in 1997, received mostly negative reviews. Despite this initial critical reception, the film was a bona fide hit that has since become a beloved camp classic. It’s a film that is not embarrassed to be a B-movie. In fact, it embraces it. The performances from Ice Cube, Jennifer Lopez, and Jon Voight are layered with enough earnestness to give the audience something to latch onto. It was only a matter of time before it was revisited in some fashion, but I’m not sure anyone was expecting a full-on comedy.
The first trailer for Anaconda takes a meta approach. Paul Rudd and Jack Black star as two indie filmmakers with the lifelong dream of remaking Anaconda. When they can’t secure a large enough budget, they decide to go low-budget. In need of their titular Anaconda, the crew sets out in uncharted territories and into a horror story of their own making.
As far as tone goes, this trailer is right on the money. A remixed version of Nicki Minaj’s Anaconda plays through the trailer, telling us right off the bat how self-aware this film is likely to be. Comedy veterans Rudd and Black at the center is a good move for this film. They both can be the butt of the joke while still carrying some ethos to them. It’s not quite the same style of B-movie charm that audiences loved in the ’97 version, but it is in the same spirit, which I can appreciate.
When watching the Anaconda trailer, it’s hard not to think of the two previous Jack Black vehicles: Tropic Thunder and King Kong. Tropic Thunder‘s meta comedy and Hollywood satire are all over this trailer. Not just the dangerous film set angle, but the brashness of our characters and the heightened tone feel very in tune with the 2008 comedy. King Kong is another film that sees Jack Black as an over-eager filmmaker, willing to lead his crew into danger for his vision. I hope these are winking nods and not a sign of an unoriginal film.
Anaconda is currently set for a Christmas release. Adventure comedies tend to do pretty well as holiday releases. Films like Jumanji and Night At The Museum were very successful, partially due to their release near Christmas. Anaconda doesn’t have the same family-friendly vibe, but could still attract families looking for a laugh. Films like this, weird genre swings, can often fall victim to the dreaded January or August release slots, where films go to be forgotten. This release date signals to me that there is some level of confidence for this Anaconda reboot.
In a landscape full of legacy sequels and endless remakes, this Anaconda reboot is trying something. It’s taking a swing. It’s becoming increasingly rare to see this sort of thing from a Hollywood IP. I know Anaconda isn’t Star Wars, but if this film hits, it could signal to filmmakers that we want something fresh from these properties. It could’ve been way easier (and probably more lucrative) to just drag Ice Cube and Jennifer Lopez back into the jungle for a cash grab. Instead, we get Paul Rudd and Jack Black having a blast while running from a giant snake. You have to respect it.
