Anaconda (1997) Movie Review, Trailer, Film Still and Poster

USA, Brazil, Peru 1997
Director: Luis Llosa
Cast: Jennifer Lopez, Jon Voight, Ice Cube, Owen Wilson, Kari Wuhrer, Eric Stoltz, Danny Trejo
Rating: PG-13
Release Date: 11 April 1997
Running Time: 1 hour 29 minutes

The Movie Review

Anaconda film still 1


ANACONDA
Storyline:
Cast:
Ending:
Overall:

1997... I remember vividly when watching this movie on theater, even though not choked-full with moviegoers, but I could sense that we all had fun. I'm curious to know, if Anaconda is still a fun flick to watch as it was back then. And that's actually one of my reasons to review this animal-gone-wild film.

A bunch of documentary filmmakers embark on a journey to the Amazon River in Brazil in search for the missing tribe called the "Shiri Sama" or better known as The People of the Mist. Rain pours hard and on the river they find a stranded guy named Paul Serone (Jon Voight), the director (Jennifer Lopez) and her crew ask him to go along with them. What appears to be a normal journey becoming more and more chaotic ever since Serone stays on their boat. Serone who promises an easy shortcut to the crew, is actually lurring them to the den of Anaconda. Opinions divided among the group, but still being that close to the den, eventually the encounter with the Anaconda is inevitable. Will they get out of the jungle alive? And who is Serone really?

Jennifer Lopez, who starts to gain fame as a movie star after starring in Money Train and Blood and Wine, performs quite well, it's nice that she doesn't serve only as eye candy. Although in this kinda film, the script usually doesn't help an actress to give her best. Anyway, the actor who has the most character of all is of course none other than Jon Voight, with his cunning eyes and gritting teeth, whew... he sure helps this film a lot. Ice Cube as sidekick is also good enough, too bad he doesn't utter funny quips. And Owen Wilson..., a member of Frat Pack and who would later be known in Shanghai Noon (2000) and Starsky & Hutch (2004), only appears with few lines and only to meet "ouch" demise.

As with a movie with animal as the star, the visual effects team holds huge responsility to make our "star" looks real. At least to make the veteran moviegoers feel less fooled. The combination of Visual effects and Animatronics is balanced. In some scenes, the snake looks fake and in others, it looks real.

And so, to answer my own curiosity as stated on first paragraph, Anaconda's video still could give some brainless quality time, without feeling the real fear or terror but enough tense to make eyes locked unto your TV screen.