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(About Our Ads) "ANACONDAS: THE HUNT FOR THE BLOOD ORCHID" (2004) (Johnny Messner, KaDee Strickland) (PG-13) Alcohol/ Drugs Blood/Gore Disrespectful/ Bad Attitude Frightening/ Tense Scenes Guns/ Weapons Heavy Moderate Heavy Heavy Moderate Imitative Behavior Jump Scenes Music (Scary/Tense) Music (Inappropriate) Profanity Mild Moderate Heavy None Heavy Sex/ Nudity Smoking Tense Family Scenes Topics To Talk About Violence Moderate Minor None Mild Heavy QUICK TAKE: Suspense/Horror: A group of researchers seek the medicinal "blood orchid" in Borneo. Along the way, they find themselves being stalked by several giant anacondas and begin to argue over priorities. PLOT: A team of Manhattan-based researchers and entrepreneurs embark on a river journey in Borneo, in search of the "blood orchid," a flower that blooms only once every seven years and whose medicinal powers approximate a "fountain of youth." Led by the ambitious finance expert Gordon Mitchell (MORRIS CHESTNUT), lead scientist Dr. Jack Byron (MATTHEW MARSDEN), and Jack's noble, gutsy research assistant Sam Rogers (KaDEE JOHNSON), the team includes skeptical scientist Gail Stern (SALLI RICHARDSON-WHITFIELD), tech Cole Burris (EUGENE BYRD), and "thrill-seeking" former Doctors Without Borders physician Dr. Ben Douglas (NICHOLAS GONZALEZ). In country, they go to a sordid bar to hire cynical boat captain Bill Johnson (JOHNNY MESSNER) and his first mate Tran (KARL YUNE). After a couple of set-up "scares" (Gail is surprised by Bill's pet monkey Kong; Gail falls off the boat and is attacked by a crocodile, which Bill wrestles and stabs to death), the crew is beset by giant anacondas. They lose their boat over a waterfall, lose team members, and finally have a showdown with the villain and the snakes. WILL KIDS WANT TO SEE IT? Children might be frightened by the scary snake attacks, but if kids like monster films or "fun" horror/thriller movies, they'll like this one, though the predictable plot and skimpy dialogue might seem tiresome or silly to teens. WHY THE MPAA RATED IT: PG-13 For action violence, scary images and some language. CAST AS ROLE MODELS: JOHNNY MESSNER plays a tough guy and military veteran who came to the work in the jungle to "forget" the bad acts he committed in battle; though he is first portrayed as a mercenary, he ends up being courageous in fighting the snakes and protecting his clients. MATTHEW MARSDEN is unscrupulous, putting money above the lives of his team, even engineering one member's paralysis by spider bite, leading to his death by snake. KaDEE JOHNSON makes appropriate moral choices throughout the film, becoming increasingly dedicated to doing the "right thing," even if it means the expedition must end. SALLI RICHARDSON-WHITFIELD is skeptical of the profits motive of the expedition from the start, but learns to trust and like her fellow survivors, even as her initial instincts are proved right. EUGENE BYRD speaks most of the film's foul language, but he also partly speaks for the audience, noting the ridiculousness of decisions made by those in charge and loudly remarking the scary moments. The REST OF THE CAST supports or challenges these primary moral positions. CAST, CREW, & TECHNICAL INFO HOW OTHERS RATED THIS MOVIE Curious if this title is entertaining, any good, and/or has any artistic merit? Then read OUR TAKE of this film. (Note: The "Our Take" review of this title examines the film's artistic merits and does not take into account any of the possibly objectionable material listed below). OUR WORD TO PARENTS: The following is a brief summary of the content found in this suspense/horror film that's rated PG-13. Profanity consists of at least 2 "f" words, while other expletives and colorful phrases are uttered. Some sexual innuendo and other related dialogue is present. Sam's shirt is tight and shows cleavage, but none of the characters acts on sexual desire as they're too busy running from the snakes. Like the original, the movie is structured much like a "slasher film," with the monster (here multiple snakes) popping out to snatch and kill characters one by one (with some related blood and gore) The tense scenes are designed to frighten viewers, but the characters are so broadly drawn and the plot is so familiar that neither encourages emotional identification with characters. Younger children will be scared. Pre-teens and teens will likely grasp the exaggeration and inanity of the situations. Multiple images of characters drinking and toasting are present, as are some bad attitudes, while the women are strong and independent thinkers. If you're still concerned about the film and its appropriateness for yourself or anyone else in your home who may be interested in seeing it, we suggest that you take a closer look at our detailed listings for more specific information regarding the film's content. ALCOHOL OR DRUG USE In the first scene, a beer sits in front of a panicked man on a boat, but he doesn't drink it. Most of the crew members drink beer or other liquor during the journey. Bill is introduced drinking in a bar. On the boat, several characters carry drinks, sip drinks, and at least twice, they toast with drinks. En route to rescue Bill's group, John Livingston drinks himself into a stupor, so that when the snake attacks him, he is incapable of reaching for his handgun. BLOOD/GORE Gail looks at the boat's toilet, which is filthy and yucky enough to elicit audience groans of disgust. When Gail is attacked by a crocodile, Bill wrestles and stabs it repeatedly. Gail needs stitches after her encounter with the crocodile. Later, Bill needs stitches after an encounter with an anaconda -- very little blood in either case, though the patients wince. The snake attacks are swift, but they do look awful. One character finds he is covered with blood-sucking leeches after one wading session; Bill uses a lighter to burn off the first one. Gordon's feet are scabby, blistered, and bloody. The team finds dead fish, with flies buzzing around them. The team comes upon a body hanging from a tree branch that has been regurgitated by a snake; it's dead and slimy. The team finds a snake that's been cut open by a tribe, so as to expose the legs of a tribe member who's been eaten. When one character is bitten by a poisonous snake, he's paralyzed -- his face swells up and he sweats, but he can't speak or move. Some survivors fall down a hill and are torn up by branches and rocks. When one group member is grabbed by a snake in the cave, the water where his abandoned flashlight floats is red-bloody. Sam chops off a snake's head. One victim is carried off by a snake, and the team finds him being squeezed to death, wrapped on a branch by the snake. Jack shoots Bill, who falls and bleeds a little, but acts tough. DISRESPECTFUL/BAD ATTITUDE Jack puts the others' lives at stake in order to pursue the money he imagines the orchid will bring him: he lies to them, steals their raft, hides a phone from them, and pulls a gun to force Sam to retrieve orchids for him -- as she must dangle over a pit of snakes (he's very mean). Jack tries to seduce Sam, a former student; she resists. Ben flirts with Sam, offering "No commitments"; she resists ("That's your pitch?"). Gail accuses Sam of getting her job by sleeping with Jack, saying, "I admire you: it took me 10 years to get where I am; your generation has it figured out." Gail, mad at Gordon, says, "I'm gonna kill you." Gordon's taunting toast to Gail, for surviving her crocodile assault: "She knows it's better to eat than be eaten." Jack and Bill connive to pursue the adventure, lying to the others by omission (Jack pays Bill $50,000 extra to continue, despite Bill's misgivings; later, Bill is redeemed when he admits the deceit and takes the blame on himself). FRIGHTENING SCENES There are several scenes where the anaconda chases after and/or catches crew members, coils around them, bites and swallows them. There are suspenseful scenes throughout the film that will be more intense for those who don't like snakes. Gail falls in the river and is attacked by a crocodile; Bill wrestles and stabs it, with much thrashing about. Several times, the (dwindling) group wades through water and the camera pulls up to show what they don't see: the very large snake slithering by them. In several scenes, the snake chases prey -- a monkey, a local hunter, the scientist crew -- with fast point of view camera work and pounding music creating tension. The snake grabs and tosses ferociously at least two victims. The snake quickly slithers up to and directly faces (much like the Alien in the "Alien" movies) at least two victims. The team comes on an abandoned local village, passing a "sacred site" that features skulls and skeletons. While Sam and Bill bond (he tells her about his Special Forces background), a storm comes, with thunder and lightning; they look worried. Running to catch the raft that Jack has stolen, the survivors fall down a jungle hill, screaming. They fall into a cave filled waist-deep with water, where one character is separated from the group; his flashlight goes out and when it comes on, he sees skeletons. A snake chases them through the cave, which narrows at its opening onto the surface, so one character is "stuck" as the snake approaches, creating the usual tension. Jack forces Sam, at gunpoint, to walk over a breaking footbridge to put the orchids in a bag; when she falls and clings to the side, he shoots at one of her friends to threaten her; the snakes writhe around below, and eventually start slithering up toward the group. GUNS/WEAPONS Knife: Bill has a large one, which he uses to kill a crocodile that attacks one woman and then a snake that's wrapped around someone, and at last, he tries to pull it on the traitorous Jack. Handgun: Originally John's, picked up from his shipwreck by Jack to enforce his will on his fellow survivors; he shoots Bill in the shoulder. Machete: Used to decapitate one of the snakes. Flare gun: Fired at one of the snakes. IMITATIVE BEHAVIOR Phrases: "What the f*ck?" "Bullsh*t," "Holy sh*t," "How you like me now, bitch?" (to taunt a dead snake); "Freakin' snake"; "You look like hell"; "Do I look like I'm kidding?"; "I'm a bad man!" (said twice, to indicate manly courage and skill) and "Screwed." Tran tells Jack, "Your Indonesian sucks." Ben annoys Gail by singing the "Jaws" music, just before the snake actually does attack. JUMP SCENES There are several scenes where the anaconda unexpectedly rears up and startles or attacks crew members. There are two scenes where Bill's monkey, Kong, suddenly jumps out or down from a high place. There's one scene where a flashlight suddenly goes on to reveal a human skull and a couple of skeletons, up close and alarming. MUSIC (SCARY/TENSE) There is a heavy amount of suspenseful music throughout the film. MUSIC (INAPPROPRIATE) None. PROFANITY At least 2 "f" words, 14 "s" words, 13 hells, 4 damns, 3 asses, 3 S.O.B.s, 2 uses of "Oh my God," 2 uses of "Thank God," 1 use each of "God," "I swear to God," "God help me," "Christ" and "My God." SEX/NUDITY On hearing about the orchid's curative powers, one executive in NYC exclaims, "That'd be bigger than Viagra!" Upon the crew's first arrival in Borneo, they seek out the captain in a bar, where extras smoke, drink, play cards, and appear to be soliciting or be propositioned by prostitutes. On first seeing the boat, one of the women complains, and Bill says, "She may be ugly, but she puts out." Ben looks longingly at Sam, and Cole advises, "Forget about that, dawg, that's one car you ain't never gonna catch." Ben flirts with Sam, she resists, repeatedly. In the context of Ben's coming on to Sam, Gail remarks that she's "sure Sam's very talented." Jack comes on to Sam (his former student and now his assistant), and she says they "agreed" it wasn't a good idea, suggesting they did not sleep together, though Gail assumes they have); Sam resists when Jack leans in for a kiss. Gail and Gordon discuss why they work for this particular company, agreeing that it's the "most popular... like sleeping with the head cheerleader." Bill tries to pressure John to come rescue them by threatening to tell his wife "about that little side trip to Bangkok"; after they hang up their phones, John mutters that it doesn't matter, as the wife is gone. Bill reveals that it must be mating season for the snakes, by way of explaining why there are so many of these "territorial" gathered in one area ("Females find a nice, wet, muddy place"); someone comments on the "snake orgy in the jungle." As the last survivors float off on the raft, two of them flirt (one with cleavage showing), and another rolls her eyes. SMOKING Some miscellaneous people smoke. TENSE FAMILY SCENES None. TOPICS TO TALK ABOUT The morality of seeking a cure for aging or diseases, versus seeking said cure to make money. The morality of continuing the expedition after one person is killed. VIOLENCE The first scene has a set of hunters in Borneo tracking a tiger; they soon are hunted, by an anaconda. One is brutally grabbed under water by the snake (though his body disappears), with smash cuts and loud music creating a violent mood. A monkey is chased by an anaconda up a tree; the monkey screams, the crewmembers hear it in the distance. Gail falls off the boat and is attacked by a crocodile; while the others yell and worry from the deck, Bill jumps in and wrestles the crocodile, stabbing it repeatedly until it dies; he grabs his knife back from out of the floating corpse. The boat goes over a waterfall with lots of screaming and disorder from the passengers. A snake attacks John on his boat: you see his face grimace as the snake apparently bites his back or buttocks (off screen). John's boat crashes and explodes. The paralyzing spider bite makes Gordon twitch and fret; a snake comes to get him, and after the team sees him carried off, they torch the tribal building where he just was. The snake gobbles up Gordon. Jack shoots Bill, who falls and bleeds a little, but acts tough. Jack forces Gail to tie up another male character. Jack forces Sam, at gunpoint, to walk over a breaking footbridge to put the orchids in a bag; when she falls and clings to the side, he shoots at one of her friends to threaten her; the snakes writhe around below, and eventually start slithering up toward the group. One character shoots a snake with a flare gun and it blows up, taking with it the cliff sides, so there's much crashing and slithering and commotion as snakes are crushed. Reviewed August 25, 2004/ Posted August 27, 2004