Anacondas - The Hunt for the Blood Orchid
by Dwight H. Little
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DVD Cover Information
Actor: Eugene Byrd, Johnny Messner, KaDee Strickland, Matthew Marsden, Morris ChestnutDirector: Dwight H. Little
Brand: SONY PICTURES HOME ENT
Writer: Daniel Zelman
Writer: Edward Neumeier
Writer: Hans Bauer
Writer: Jack Epps Jr.
Writer: Jim Cash
Writer: John Claflin
Writer: Michael Miner
DVD: Region Code 99
Audio: English (Unknown), Dolby Digital 5.1; Chinese (Subtitled); English (Subtitled); French (Subtitled); Korean (Subtitled); English (Original Language), Dolby Digital 5.1; French (Dubbed)
Format: AC-3, Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, Dubbed, DVD, Full Screen, NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen
Picture Format: 1.33:1
Running Time: 97 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2004-12-21
Audience Rating: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Studio: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
Movie Reviews of Anacondas - The Hunt for the Blood Orchid
Movie Review: Way Better Than Expected - Recommended For All Horror Fans And King Kong Fans
Summary: 5 Stars
Blowing away all expectations I had for it, "Anacondas: The Hunt For The Blood Orchid" was something that looked like it might be pretty good, but was among the last movies I would have expected to be one of 2004's top films. Far and away one of the best of the action/horror hybrids that have become very prevelant recently.
A jungle setting for a horror movie - with all its exotic danger and the hint of unknown discovery around every corner - or every tree or fern mass - is a natural fit, but the idea fell into disrepute and virtual disuse for a number of years because of a few really bad movies quite a while ago. The jungle theme was common for a while, but circa the 1970s a number of low-budget (not All of the low-budget jungle horror movies by any means, but a few rotten apples often leave a bad stain on the whole barrel) jungle movies - usually in the 'cannibal' subgenre (again, not the entire subgenre was like this) ruined it for everybody with blatant and ridiculous racist tones, and with inserting unsimulated violence (killing real animals; rounding up newsreel footage from war zones of real violence to humans and splicing it in). The jungle setting is now making a comeback with legitimate movies like the "Anaconda" fims and a number of Southeast Asian horror movies, which because of the geographical region they're from are as likely to feature jungle locales as horror movies from the West are to use forest locales. It's time once again to let the giant cave-dwelling jungle monsters and the sinister happenings on the banks of rainforest rivers run free!
"Anacondas: The Hunt For The Blood Orchid" has a simple plot done to maximum effectiveness. In Borneo, a flower called the 'Blood Orchid" is known from discovery and description of a single specimen in the late 1800s by a botanist. In recent times, the plant has been rediscovered and found by a small team of researchers to apparantly have uncanny cellular properties: it can severely retard, possibly even halt, aging. And preliminary research shows that it may very likely be able to be used to make pharmaceuticals that would have the same effect on humans. The orchid only blooms once every few years, and is nearing the end of its current period's active stage. A team of researchers is hurriedly dispatched to Borneo where they have to hire a local independantly-owned riverboat to take them up the river to the Orchid's location, because no large commercial operation will sail the interior waterways during the treacherous rainy season. Inside the jungle wait impossibly large snakes, unbeknownst to all involved.
Sounds like it might be a fairly good watch but nothing that exciting, right? But everything that can possibly elevate this movie does so, and does so in spades. The characters initially seem like they're going to be pretty generic and bland but quickly develop into far more interesting players. A monkey who lives with the riverboat's captain (I can't remember the little fella's name. It may have been Kong or that may have been the small primate who played him) adds a great deal to the proceedings, both in cute/funny ways and in other aspects. The Indonesian rainforest setting is gorgeous and intimidating in its scope at the same time, and is captured very, very well by great cinematography. The action sequences are intense and, in general, more believable than in most big action fare (There's one exception and it's one of the only flaws in the whole movie. It's probably not giving much away to say that both the anacondas and the humans take their hits, but there's One instance where one individual goes down far, far easier than is consistent with the rest of the movie. A very minor point when that's the worst thing wrong) There are genuine shocks and jolts. The occasional humor is well-done and not insulting to watch. Great overall pacing.
There's one aspect of the movie that's very intriguing that I'd like to touch on briefly. It's probably not giving anything away because I think most of this was in the trailers, but I'm going to put a spoiler warning on it anyway.
**WARRNING: POSSIBLE SEMI-SPOLIERS AHEAD**
Okay, the anacondas are huge in this movie because anacondas never stop growing while they're alive, and their lifespans are greatly expanded because the Blood Orchid is in their food chain (Presumably they don't eat the flower, but eat something that does eat the flower). Okay, so if they live longer they would get a lot bigger. But - they're smarter too. It's handled in a very subtle way, but they seem to be utilizing more strategy than you'd expect a snake to, and in one part, although it's never spelled out, I got the impression that two or more snakes were co-operating to 'herd' their human prey. Not typical snake behavior, I don't think. Plus, they're Very fast. Snakes can be pretty bloody fast for short bursts but these behemoths are practically flying through the jungle at times. Presumably this isn't a side effect of their longer lifespans, but unrelated changes brought on by the Orchid being part of their food chain.
So my question is, What other changes - in addition to longevity - may have cropped up in other inhabitants of the jungle where the Orchid grows, either in other animals or in the area's indigineous tribes?
I didn't anticipate saying this when I rented "Blood Orchid", but I want an "Anaconda 3" (or some differently titled sequel if it's other lifeforms that form the plot basis)
Summary of Anacondas - The Hunt for the Blood Orchid
Eight adventurers brave the perilous jungles of Borneo in pursuit of the fountain of youth, unaware theyÕre being stalked by gigantic snakes that feed on human flesh.So here's the deal: A bunch of sassy scientific types, who all look as though tey've spent just as much time lifting barbells as they have beakers, head out into Borneo to find some rare flower that's the "pharmaceutical equivalent to the fountain of youth"--and end up dodging the digestive system of several mutant snakes during mating season. You gotta hate when that happens. If you don't, you soon will, because this in-name-only sequel to Anaconda, 1997's now seminal guilty pleasure, is proof that more does not necessarily mean merrier. The thing isn't even good-bad; it's cheap and completely unmemorable even as popcorn fodder. Director Dwight Little and his posse of his screenwriters have neither the budget nor the imagination to come on like a rip-snorting Aliens clone--it?s pretty much one snake at a time, and frankly more concerned with the conniving British baddie (Matthew Marsden) who really, really wants that orchid. The cast of no-names is destined to remain that way, although the chiseled Johnny Messner, as a rugged jungle guide, provides a few hoots in his laughably stoic attempt at Vin Diesel-dom. It's hard to determine who you?d like eaten first. --Steve Wiecking
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