Review of Anaconda (1954) by Timothy S — 27 Sep 2014

Before the Sy Fy Channel became famous for their ridiculous, CGI-infested monster and killer animal movies, there was "Anaconda," a wonderfully campy and wildly entertaining B-movie that should have become the benchmark for the pay cable channel and their incompetent copycats.

This brings together an eclectic cast headed by a spunky Jennifer Lopez long before she had the Hollywood cloud to turn down projects like this, and Jon Voight giving one of the most memorable performances of his career. The character is broadly written but Voight takes even that to a whole new level, relishing the chance to ham it up in this delightfully absurd picture. When he winks at the Lopez after being regurgitated by the giant reptile, you have to assume that it was improvised and it's wonderful.

The film is beautifully shot for something of this nature, and director Luis Llosa keeps it fast-paced, fun and energetic. The special effects are a mix of CGI and animatronics, and while at times the snake does appear to be spectacularly phony, they work for the most part. Most of the time, you will be having too much fun to notice a few seconds of unconvincing effects.

At its core, "Anaconda" is an entertaining and endearing throwback to the monster movies of the past, with some updated technology and a strong cast that sells the one-note story. The death scenes are spectacular and you just have to admire a movie that is this over-the-top with such a gleeful and playful sense of mean-spirited humor. It's a surprise winner.