Paul Rudd’s Anaconda Just Edges Out Jennifer Lopez Original On Rotten Tomatoes

Paul Rudd is bringing back Anaconda next Christmas, and the early word is... not exactly a warm hug. The 2025 reboot is being sold as a winky love letter to the 1997 cult favorite with Jennifer Lopez. Critics who caught it early say the meta idea is cute, but the movie keeps tripping over its own setup.

Quick basics

• Title: Anaconda (2025)
• Release date: December 25, 2025
• Director: Tom Gormican
• Cast: Paul Rudd, Jack Black, Steve Zahn, Thandiwe Newton, Daniela Melchior, Selton Mello, Ben Lawson
• Runtime: 1h 40m
• Rotten Tomatoes (critics, early): 45% from 60 reviews
• For context: the 1997 original sits at 39%

So, what is this thing exactly?

It is a meta-reboot. Rudd and Jack Black play lifelong friends who set out to recreate their favorite monster movie, which means the film toggles between self-aware comedy and snake-chompy action. On paper, fun. In practice, the balance seems off.

Early word: funny first act, wobbly follow-through

Critics who have seen it already (early reactions started popping up around December 18-23) are split, leaning negative. The general vibe:

- The chemistry between Rudd and Black is the movie's easy win. Multiple reactions call their timing the best thing on screen, with Steve Zahn sneaking in as the unexpected scene-stealer.

- The tone shift is the sticking point. Once the movie turns from meta comedy to action/horror, several reviewers say it loses its footing and never fully recovers.

- Humor vs. suspense is a constant tug-of-war. Some found the jokes toothless or flat; others had a good time with the self-referential gags and silly set pieces.

- A few folks genuinely loved it, calling it surprisingly heartfelt, loaded with franchise Easter eggs, and one of the bigger laughers they have had in a while. But they are in the minority.

The 1997 shadow

Jennifer Lopez's Anaconda was not a critics' darling either (hence that 39%), but it worked because it knew exactly what it was: simple thrills, campy charm, big snake. A lot of the disappointment here sounds like a mismatch between what people want from a giant-snake movie and what a meta-comedy is prepared to deliver. Basically, if you want either classic B-movie juice or a razor-sharp genre riff, this one might leave you hanging in the middle.

Jack Black vs. actual snakes

Separate from the tomato-throwing, Jack Black apparently went through the wringer to make this. He has a legit fear of snakes (ophidiophobia), and told USA Today it goes back to a teen-years horror story at home.

"A snake got loose in my house, and we found it hours later, slithering out of my mattress. It snuck into a hole in the mattress, and ever since then, they haunt my dreams."

Not exactly the ideal backstory for a movie set with reptile wranglers. Still, he pushed through, leaned on the trained pros on set, and by most accounts, turned in one of the film's highlights. Credit where it is due.

Where things stand

With a 45% critics score off 60 reviews, Anaconda (2025) is tracking slightly better than the original but not by much, and the negative-to-mixed takes are already seeding doubt about a Christmas Day ticket. If you are in for Rudd/Black riffing and a knowingly goofy tone, you might have fun. If you want real tension or a clean genre lane, temper expectations.

Are you in, out, or waiting for streaming? Drop your take below.