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Anaconda Blu-ray
Sony Pictures | 1997 | 89 mins | Rated PG-13 | Jun 02, 2009
Anaconda Blu-ray Review'Fast food' takes on a whole new meaning in the Amazon.Reviewed by Martin Liebman, June 1, 2009 Something like this has made a meal of our dear captain. Two words spring to mind when thinking of the 1997 time-waster Anaconda: "unremarkable" and "fun." Plagued by average-at-best performances, a predictable script, laughable special effects, goofs aplenty, and thinly-developed characters, Anaconda places secondary importance on most everything but the meat-and-potatoes of the film, though even the kill scenes suffer from minimal gore and a lack of realism. Despite its obvious shortcomings, there is a certain charm in watching an animatronic/CGI snake devour a boat full of stereotypes. Although the film delineates between "good" and "evil" characters, the Anaconda becomes the real hero, and with every head bitten, bone crushed, and body swallowed, the deadly snake gains more and more favor as the rooting interest, though in typical Hollywood fashion, its fate seems sealed from the moment the concept was conceived. Predictable to a fault, the plot drags along and the only real suspense stems from the order in which secondary characters will be eliminated by the snake.
A documentary crew sets out deep into the sticky, humid jungles of the Amazon and up the Rio Negro in search of the "People of the Mist," a storied and as-of-yet undocumented group of native peoples. Among them is the film's director, Terri Flores (Jennifer Lopez, Maid in Manhattan); the cameraman, Danny Rich (Ice Cube, xXx: State of the Union); and a university professor versed in the mystery of the "People of the Mist," Steven Cale (Eric Stoltz, Memphis Belle). A rather uneventful journey turns deadly serious when the film crew stumbles upon a snake trapper named Paul Sarone (Jon Voight, Deliverance). Leading them into a series of dangerous and deadly mishaps in hopes of capturing a giant Anaconda snake, the crew falls prey to not only the snake's deadly bite and ravenous appetite, but to Sarone's unprincipled methods of snake trapping. Anaconda delivers a classic "man versus nature" picture where man's intellectual and technological superiority succumbs to the brute force of a creature that survives only on instinct and environment. Unfortunately, man suffers heavy losses not necessarily because of the size and determination of the snake, but because of the general incompetence of the two-legged creatures. Blame not humanity but rather lazy scriptwriting as the culprit here, though in the film's defense, and in the defense of most every blasé picture ever created, there would simply be no picture were the characters uniformly intelligent and well-versed in their environment and all that may be found in it. Nevertheless, the more successful picture would find a way to create a tense atmosphere and demonstrate the power of the enemy without sacrificing the integrity of the characters or insult the intelligence of the audience, a formula embraced by the genre's very best, for example Ridley Scott's 1979 masterpiece Alien. All is not completely lost with Anaconda. Aside from the fun factor, the film does enjoy steady, albeit visually unappealing (due not to technique but rather setting), direction by Luis Llosa (The Specialist). Llosa does well to capture the murky, humid South American locale, the camera simply swallowing the scenery but doing little for the feel of the film during the action sequences. Anaconda's greatest asset comes via the cast, a collection of moderately big names that all turn in acceptable, occasionally laughable, but never extraordinary, performances. Eric Stoltz delivers the best of the bunch, the actor spending most of his screen-time laid up comatose under a mosquito net and with a bandage around his neck. A practically unrecognizable Jennifer Lopez meanders through the film, and despite top billing, does little other than stand around until the end of the movie. Ice Cube is, well, Ice Cube, but Jon Voight turns in a rather unique performance as the film's villain, playing him with a mysterious yet magnetic aura, his very appearance stating the fact that he's up to no good but, like the snake, the easiest character to root for despite his status as film's villain. Video  Anaconda debuts on Blu-ray with an adequate 1080p, 2.40:1-framed transfer. The film takes on a slightly washed out appearance throughout, bright in some scenes but generally somewhat hazy and slightly soft. Colors are many but also appear somewhat dull. Whether Sarone's red t-shirt, Danny's Dodger-blue cap, or the many shades of green found in the background jungle locales, the palette appears somewhat dim but nevertheless appropriate when considered in the context and mood of the film. Detail appears sufficiently rendered, whether in human faces, close-ups of the snake, the jungle canopy, or the odds and ends scattered about the boat. The transfer does enjoy a fair sense of depth. Film grain is present though not at all heavy save for but a few scenes and generally over dark backdrops. Blacks fluctuate between a dark tone and a shade of gray. Flesh tones, like colors in general, appear slightly dulled. Anaconda will not set the high definition world on fire, but the transfer appears adequately strong in context of the film's intended appearance. Audio  Anaconda devours the listening area with a powerful, loud, and entertaining Dolby TrueHD 5.1 lossless soundtrack. The opening attack sequence that sees the snake tear a structure to pieces in search of its prey impresses. Whether the panicked hammering of nails to secure the structure or the snake tearing through the floorboards, the soundtrack immerses the listener in the terror and brings the scene to vivid life. Music, too, fills the soundstage with a nice, clear presentation. The film's many gunshots manage to pack a wallop, the crack of a rifle booming and the echoing sensation traveling all through the soundstage. Minor and major sound effects are presented in a 360-degree sound field. A blowing rainstorm in chapter two highly impresses with a sense of total immersion into the sequence. Likewise, the ambient sounds of the jungle pour out of every speaker to fine effect, about the only thing missing from the experience the sweltering heat. Thankfully, Blu-ray cannot recreate that! With clear dialogue reproduction, Anaconda's lossless soundtrack delivers a fun listen that engages the senses and serves up a solid workout for the home theater speakers. Supplements  Anaconda slithers onto Blu-ray with no film-related supplements. Only BD-Live (Blu-ray profile 2.0) interactivity and 1080p trailers for The Da Vinci Code, The Grudge, The Exorcism of Emily Rose, and Hellboy are included. Final words  Short on plot but high on fun, Anaconda delivers a suitable movie-watching experience that requires little more effort than the ability to munch popcorn and swig down a soda. A classic tale of man versus nature, Anaconda generally sees man at his worst and nature at its best, though without some offbeat characters, unscrupulous motivations, and generally inept decision-making skills, there would be no story. Ultimately, the movie works in spite of its shortcomings, making for a goofy yet entertaining 89 minute amusement park-style ride. It never scares or churns the stomach, but it delivers just enough excitement and at just the right pacing to hold interest. The very definition of "ho-hum entertainment," Anaconda is another "lazy Saturday afternoon" sort of movie. Sony's Blu-ray release of the film suits it nicely. With a decent 1080p video transfer and an exciting lossless soundtrack, the technical presentation suffices, though fans salivating to learn more about the film will be disappointed with the bone-dry extras section. Anaconda earns a recommendation as a weekend rental. 
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