5.5 | / 10 |
Users | 4.8 | |
Reviewer | 2.5 | |
Overall | 3.1 |
A filmmaker and an anthropologist travel to the Amazon to shoot a documentary about a mysterious local tribe, but they discover far more than they planned.
Starring: Jennifer Lopez, Ice Cube, Jon Voight, Eric Stoltz, Jonathan HydeHorror | 100% |
Thriller | 54% |
Adventure | Insignificant |
Action | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 2.40:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
English: Dolby TrueHD 5.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)
French: Dolby TrueHD 5.1
Spanish: Dolby Digital 5.1 (640 kbps)
Portuguese: Dolby TrueHD 5.1
English, English SDH, French, Portuguese, Spanish
50GB Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
BD-Live
Region free
Movie | 2.5 | |
Video | 3.5 | |
Audio | 4.0 | |
Extras | 0.0 | |
Overall | 2.5 |
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.
I'll have a 200-pound man, an extra-large fries, two apple pies, and a diet Coke.
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.
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.
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.
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.
2004
2012
2019
Collector's Edition
2003
Original Unrated Cut
2005
2013
1983
2007
2014
1975
2009
2013
2015
2020
1976
Unrated Director's Cut
2006
2024
1997
Collector's Edition
1995
40th Anniversary Edition
1983