Anaconda is a 2024 Chinese action horror film involving a circus troupe, a poacher and a giant snake. Also known as Hundred Poisons Rampage
Xiang Qiuliang and Xiang Hesheng directed the movie. The production stars Yin Ziwei, Xia Ruoyan, Wang Xingchen, Luo Dahua and Che Paulo.
Plot:
A group of Chinese circus performers are on their way to what they think is a new performance location in Thailand. However, they become stranded in a lush rainforest after the boat they were on, and the captain leading the way, are eaten and destroyed by a huge anaconda with a special red marking.
The troupe crosses paths with a deadly poacher hunting the anaconda and realises he might have enough bait to catch it. But being circus performers, they have a few survival tricks up their sleeves…
Our review:
We’ve finally reached the point where Chinese monster movies are now – easily – the best in the world, with the only exception being the big-budget American blockbuster films. I say that because I’ve never seen anything better regarding realistic-looking snakes.
What China lacks in decent horror movies, it more than makes up for in its monster and creature features titles. Unburdened by the shackles of theatrical censorship, and fresh with the knowledge that snake movies have universal appeal, they’ve been producing a steady diet of pure popcorn delight: Monty Python 2, Rising Boas In A Girl’s School and now Anaconda.
And you can tell they are doing something right, because this movie features quite a few recognisable Hong Kong actors, such as Paul Che from Fruit Chan’s Coffin Homes and Terence Yin as the main bad guy, who has been a whole host of Hong Kong and American action films such as Cold War 2 and Tomb Raider.
As fun and wacky as the movie is, and that’s certainly established in the opening twenty or so minutes where the movie wants you to know that it has a few very sexy girls in the cast, it’s unfortunately not as great as it could’ve been.
Certainly, there are a lot of positives going for it. A genuinely likeable cast of characters – including a Taoist priest and his hopping zombie costumed cousin – makes their death scenes a little personal, whilst the impressive CGI snakes will have you wondering if they found a 60ft long anaconda and trained it to be an actor in the film!
There’s also a fantastic hilarious dream sequence, and a decent cast of well-known actors only hams up their performances at appropriate times. This doesn’t have any of the hallmarks of your typical low-budget straight-to-streaming schlock.
Yet, it lacks a coherent story, if that’s the thing you’re looking for. We don’t get to understand the motivations behind our evil poacher other than money. Then again, this is a creature feature. Do we need to know this much about the characters? The most important thing is that this movie is fun. And by golly it surely is. Make sure you hunt this one down.
The Arty Dans – for more of Dan’s reviews visit his site website
Trailer:
Full film – free to watch online:
Original title:
百毒狂袭 aka Bǎi dú kuáng xí “A hundred poisonous attacks”
Quick links:
action | Asian | Chinese | monsters
Related:
More Chinese creature features/monster movies:
12 Hours aka Polar Pursuit
Abyssal Spider
Alien Monster Invasion
Alien Awakening aka Alien Invasion
Alien Monsters
Anaconda (2024)
The Antarctic Octopus
Battling to Survive aka Fight Monsters
Big Octopus
Big Shark Attack
Big Snake King
Bigfoot 2 aka Sasquatch
The Blood Alligator
The Bloodthirsty Bees
Bloodthirsty Spider
Bugs 3D
Chang’an Fog Monster
Cockroach Tide
Crazy Spider
Crocodile Island
Dinosaur World (2020)
Death Worm
Deep Sea Mutant Snake
Deep Sea Python
Dragon Pond Monster
Escape from the Shark’s Mouth
Giant Crocodile
Giant Python aka Python Island
Giant Spider
Horror Shark
Huge Shark aka Terror Shark
Insect Disaster
Invisible Alien
Iron Blood Guard
Junkrat Train aka Rat Disaster
Jurassic Island
Jurassic Revival
Killer Bee Invasion
Killer Shark
The Labyrinth (giant centipedes)
The Lake
Land Shark
The Lizard
Mega Crocodile
Megalodon Returns
Metamorphosis aka Mutant Tyrannosaurus vs. Giant Python
Monster (2022)
Monster 731
Monster Attack
Monster Attack 2
The Monster is Coming
Monster Island
Monster of Lake Heaven
Monster of the Deep
Monsters (2015)
Monty Python aka Monster Python
Monty Python 2
Mutant Python
Mutation on Mars
Prehistoric Monster
Rage Centipede
Restart the Earth
Rising Boas in a Girl’s School
Sand Python Siege
Sea Monster
Shark Evil
Snake aka Serpent of Death
Snake 2
Snake: Dinosaur vs. Python
Snake Girl
Snake Island Python
Snake King (2020)
Snake King (2021)
Snow Monster
Star Abyss
Underground Monster
Varanus Priscus
Variation Hydra
We Are Werewolves
We Are Werewolves 2
Worm Apocalypse aka Insect Disaster
