This is nothing more than a direct-to-video feature that somehow managed to nab a theatrical run. Ignoring some of gorgeous photography of Fiji, that's exactly how this one feels. The paltry $25 million budget means the snakes do look a little better than some of the tripe on video store shelves, but that means very little. There's some mild entertainment to be had here, but only if you're a huge fan of this genre. (** out of *****)
To satisfy everyone, there is a 2.40:1 widescreen and pan & scan (yuck) transfer on the same side of the disc. This is a disc all over the place, ranging from near high-definition broadcast quality in one frame, to an overly grainy, despicable mess the next. There isn't a scene in the movie that doesn't vary wildly from one moment to the next. Things do seem to pick up later on, but then the black levels fall off and the transfer fails in that manner too. (**)
Home theater buffs will have some fun here, certainly more than their video counterparts. Rain has never sounded this good, mostly due to some fantastic separation in the rear channels. Countless moments, including a great scene in a cave, showcase spectacular movement in all the speakers. The slithering snakes offer up a few moments to be proud of, though the bass is a bit light throughout. Ambience is also key to any jungle movie, and you'll hear plenty of animal calls when there is a quiet moment. (****)
Extras are sparse; though it's amazing we got anything at all. "Creating Anacondas" looks at how the snakes were created and there are a few surprises. Most of this featurette is taken up with interviews and behind the scenes footage is minimal. Eight minutes of deleted/extended scenes are tossed on and all they did was add to the agony of the actor's performances. Add in a few trailers for upcoming features and you've seen everything. (**)
Good creature features are so hard to come by these days. Their heyday has long past and stuff like this proves it. It does nothing special, follows all the usual plot points, and tosses in some useless characters as feed. If you go in expecting anything else, then it's simply your fault.
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