Wednesday, May 15, 2019

Midnight Horror Review - Anaconda


Mill Creek Entertainment; Amazon
Are you deeply afraid of snakes?

Personally, I like snakes. (Don't ask me about spiders!) Yes they can be a bit creepy (and crawly), but I have nothing against them. Snakes is my favorite genre of creature flicks and my favorite title is 1997's Anaconda starring a young Jennifer Lopez, Ice Cube, Jon Voight, Owen Wilson, Jonathan Hyde, Kari Wuhrer, Vincent Castellanos, and Eric Stoltz, along with a cameo by Danny Trejo.

I remember skipping school just so I could watch Anaconda on day it was released on VHS in 1997.

FYI: It was video rental.
Side Note: Kids, please don't skip school!

Anaconda (PG-13; 89 minutes; $14.98) has beenre-released  on Blu-ray (+DVD) from Mill Creek Entertainment. It was previously released on Blu-ray in 2014, which I did review on this blog. (Read my review here!)

Directed by Terri Flores, the film centers around a documentary film crew, lead by anthropologist Steve Cole (played by Stolz) and director Terri Flores (played by Lopez), who are searching for the long-lost Shirishamas tribe on the Amazon River. On their journey, they rescue a snake hunter named Paul Serone (played by Voight) from a sinking boat.

Shortly after Serone's arrival, Cale is stung by wasp, which leaves him unconscious. Serone takes charge of the situation and says he will captain their boat to a hospital. However, Serone has another plan that involves hunting a deadly Anaconda.


Final Thoughts

I could never figured out why Anaconda received negative reviews from critics upon its original theatrical release; though the late Roger Ebert liked it. Sure, the plot is a little thin, but it has decent acting and good special effects. Speaking of special effects, the film uses a blend of practical effects and late 90s' CGI, which the latter has aged quite a bit over the years, but it's still enjoyable to watch.

There are no special features or bonus extras. The only difference between the 2019 and 2014 release is the new art cover on the DVD jacket. Plus, it comes with a DVD featuring the feature film. The sound quality is fine, but the picture quality is a little grainy in a couple of scenes. The color tint is a bit too grayish.

Overall, Anaconda is a fun creature flick! While this release isn't exactly perfect, it's worth owning it on Blu-ray if you can find it a cheap price. (Look for it at Walmart!).

*Note: I received a review copy from Mill Creek Entertainment. 
All opinions are my own.

4 comments:

  1. I watched it with my teenager. It was more appealing to her than me, but I enjoyed spending time with her, so it's all good. OMGosh, I had forgotten the movie is so star-studded!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Most horror films are aimed for a teenage audience. It's a fun movie.

      Delete
  2. That's a pretty amazing cast list!
    I'm pretty sure I never saw Anaconda because I'm not good with snakes (or spiders!). I did have quite a crush on Eric Stolz, though not enough to overcome fear of snakes

    ReplyDelete

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