Anaconda Review

Ever wondered how much effort goes into making those exotic documentaries that you watch on NGC and Discovery Channel? Well if you are looking for the answers in a movie, then Anaconda is not the right one. If you are comfortable with that, which I am sure most of you would be, then just grab some popcorn but don't expect to be scared to death by this one. That way, you will be a touch surprised.

Terri Flores (Jennifer Lopez) is a documentary director, who is out in the Amazon basin trying to shoot an obscure - Shirishama - tribe. Everything appears to be going allright until the team rescues a guy whose boat is stranded in the river. The guy, Paul Serone (Jon Voight), starts flaunting his knowledge of the jungle, and even demonstrates his dexterity when it comes to dealing with the niggling worries that it throws up. But the problem is the way he does it. A smug brag is the last thing that the team wants, but they have to put up with him.

One thing that the team is not prepared for - but which Serone knows pretty well - is the giant snake, Anaconda. The snake not only crushes you in its embrace, it likes to gobble you, throw you out and eat you again. Serone's insistence on catching the snake alive leads to the death of two members. Finally, it all turns out to be a set up by Serone and the boat's driver. But the challenge before the survivors remains - how do they tackle the giant snake?

The thing that makes the movie tolerable is the fact that the dialogues aren't replete with those smart one-liners that will have you gasp in disbelief. The noise level does not force you to reach for the earplugs often, either. The settings of the movie are genuine. The wild setting is not as claustrophobic as those of some other monster movies.

The actual sight of the snake, onscreen, may or may not have you in thrall. If you are expecting too much, then you may be a touch disappointed. But there are a couple of scenes where it catches its prey in mid air. That should have you on the edge of your seat.

The performances are credible for the sole reason that not many shout their lungs out. Other than that, they are pretty average. Jennifer Lopez's presence, and not her histrionics, is an asset to the movie.