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 really 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 reviews visit Dan’s website
Other reviews:
“Outside of a couple of ropey shots, most of this is convincing, helped by the use of genuine (albeit normal-sized) snakes. For example, when they blow up a river obstruction, the resulting reptile rain is largely real. The Crimson Anaconda, while large, is not ridiculously so, and although the characters are quickly sketched, each has enough quirks to make you care as they slowly get the life crushed out of them.” Rating: B, Film Blitz [click site link for more Chinese monster movie reviews]
YouTube reviews:
Trailer:
Highlights [21 mins]:
Full film – free to watch online:
Original title:
百毒狂袭 aka Bǎi dú kuáng xí “A hundred poisonous attacks”
