Anacondas: The Hunt for the Blood Orchid (2004)

User Rating:

4.2/10   

Director:

Dwight H. Little

Writers (WGA):

Hans Bauer (1997 screenplay) and
Jim Cash (1997 screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

27 August 2004 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Horror | Thriller

Tagline:

The hunters will become the hunted.

Plot:

A scientific expedition sets out for Borneo to seek a flower called the Blood Orchid, which could grant longer life. Meanwhile, they run afoul of snakes and each other.

Plot Keywords:

Blood | Borneo | Orchid | Flower | Anaconda

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Johnny Messner	...	Bill Johnson
KaDee Strickland	...	Sam Rogers
Matthew Marsden	...	Dr. Jack Byron
Nicholas Gonzalez	...	Dr. Ben Douglas
Eugene Byrd	...	Cole Burris
Karl Yune	...	Tran
Salli Richardson-Whitfield	...	Gail Stern
Morris Chestnut	...	Gordon Mitchell
Andy Anderson	...	John Livingston
Nicholas Hope	...	Christina Van Dyke
Peter Curtin	...	Lawyer
Denis Arndt	...	CEO
Khoa Do	...	Lead Lopak Hunter
Aireti	...	Lopak Hunter
Andre Tandjung	...	Bartender

Directed by
Dwight H. Little

Writing credits (WGA)
Hans Bauer		(1997 screenplay) and
Jim Cash		(1997 screenplay) &
Jack Epps Jr.		(1997 screenplay)
Hans Bauer		(story) and
Jim Cash		(story) &
Jack Epps Jr.		(story)
John Claflin		(screenplay) &
Daniel Zelman		(screenplay) and
Michael Miner		(screenplay) &
Edward Neumeier		(screenplay) (as Ed Neumeier)

Produced by
Verna Harrah	....	producer
Jacobus Rose	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Nerida Tyson-Chew

Cinematography by
Stephen F. Windon

Film Editing by
Marcus D'Arcy
Mark Warner

Casting by
Justine Baddeley

Production Design by
Bryce Perrin

Art Direction by
Brian Edmonds		(senior art director)

Set Decoration by
Jill Eden

Makeup Department
Jason Baird	....	creature supervisor
Kate Birch	....	hair stylist
Nick Dorning	....	prosthetic manufacture
Megan Dwyer	....	hairdresser: second unit
Megan Dwyer	....	makeup artist: second unit
Sean Genders	....	special makeup effects artist
Paul Pattison	....	key makeup artist
Claire Rutledge	....	hair artist: second unit, Fiji
Jennifer Stanfield	....	makeup artist (as Jen Stanfield)
Zeljka Stanin	....	key hair stylist

Production Management
Liz DiFiore	....	unit production manager
Ray Hennessy	....	production manager
Gordon MacPhail	....	post-production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Bish Bishop	....	third assistant director: second unit
Miranda Colman	....	third assistant director
Jamie Crooks	....	first assistant director
Jason Faulkner	....	second assistant director
Mark Wareham	....	second unit director

Art Department
Brett Bartlett	....	construction manager
Carl Braga	....	screen graphics designer
Jo Carter	....	art department accountant
Martin Crouch	....	screen graphics designer
Richie Dehne	....	property master
Jenny Hitchcock	....	set designer
Julia Holden	....	storyboard artist
Anson Jew	....	storyboard artist
Miriam Johnson	....	assistant art director
Peter 'Babylon' Owens	....	art director: second unit
Andy Robinson	....	head scenic
David Russell	....	storyboard artist
Dilys Tan	....	art department coordinator
Rudi Tuisk	....	assistant vehicle/boat coordinator

Sound Department
Damian Candusso	....	adr editor
Kirke Godfrey	....	sound designer
Kirke Godfrey	....	sound effects editor
Paul Korber	....	assistant dialogue editor
Howard London	....	adr mixer
Michael McMenomy	....	sound department intern
Nada Mikas	....	dialogue editor
Linda Murdoch	....	sound effects editor
Andrew Plain	....	supervising sound editor
Liam Price	....	additional effects editor
Peter D. Smith	....	sound re-recording mixer
Lidia Tamplenizza	....	sound effects editor
Mark Ward	....	sound effects editor
William Ward	....	assistant sound editor
Gary Wilkins	....	sound mixer

Special Effects by
Simon Ambrose	....	special effects head rigger
Billy Aziz	....	special effects logistics
Nils Bendix	....	special effects rigger
Bruce Bright	....	special effects onset supervisor
Paul Eichorn	....	special effects runner: Sydney
Marcus Erasmus	....	special effects: atmos chief
Marianne Evans	....	special effects coordinator: Fiji
Lloyd Finnemore	....	special effects foreman
Ray Fowler	....	special effects: rain chief
David Goldie	....	special effects modelmaker
Leo Henry	....	pyrotechnician
James Howe	....	special effects technician
David James	....	special effects electrician
Jim Leng	....	special effects technician
Dean Manderson	....	special effects technician
Kent Miklenda	....	special effects manager
Shane Murphy	....	special effects head fabricator
Dan Oliver	....	special effects set foreman
David Pride	....	special effects design engineer
Tad Pride	....	special effects supervisor
Stewart Riach	....	special effects technician
Tim Riach	....	special effects technician
Arthur Spink Jr.	....	special effects foreman
Monika Stankowski	....	special effects coordinator: Sydney
Dougal Thompson	....	special effects logistics: Fiji
Tim Whiteley	....	special effects technician

Visual Effects by
Tim Ahern	....	computer effects
Ben Ambrose	....	assistant visual f/x supervisor
Pippa Anderson	....	visual effects producer
Miles Bellas	....	modeler
Miles Bellas	....	texturer
Marten Blumen	....	digital compositor
Paul Booth	....	visual effects editor
Andrew Butler	....	visual effects
Angus Cameron	....	digital effects supervisor
Tom Davies	....	head model maker
Sylvan Dieckmann	....	3D technical supervisor
Dale Duguid	....	visual effects supervisor
Simon Dye	....	compositor
Patrick Felgueras	....	digital effects artist
Belinda Griffiths	....	digital artist
Belinda Griffiths	....	matte painter
Michael Halley	....	senior 3D artist
Sean Heuston	....	digital compositor
Nicky Ladas	....	IT manager
Nicky Ladas	....	film scanner operator
Evans Mark	....	digital artist
Damon Milman	....	technical director
Tony O'Loughlan	....	motion control camera assistant
Kim Pearce	....	senior system administrator
Eric Person	....	digital film supervisor
Paul Raeburn	....	digital compositor
Michael Sarkis	....	lead motion control operator
Murray Smallwood	....	digital compositor
Sean Steinmuller	....	creature animator
Michele Stewart	....	assistant to visual effects producer
Randy Vellacott	....	digital compositor
Donna Wallace	....	visual effects production accountant
Steve Cronin	....	digital compositor (uncredited)

Stunts
Renee Bowen	....	stunt double
Augie Davis	....	stunts
Ashley Fairfield	....	stunt double: Matthew Marsden
Joe Pampanella	....	safety supervisor
Glenn Ruehland	....	stunt coordinator
Sheree Swords	....	stunt double

Camera and Electrical Department
Jason Binnie	....	first assistant
Jason Boland	....	still photographer
Simon Christidis	....	underwater cinematographer
Kevin Donovan	....	rigging grip
Karl Engeler	....	gaffer
Martin Fargher	....	dolly grip
Frank Hruby	....	camera operator
Gillian Huxley	....	rigging electric best boy
Ben King	....	second assistant camera: additional unit
Leigh Mackenzie	....	camera operator
Henare Mato	....	rigging gaffer
Luis Olivares	....	video assist operator
Jem Rayner	....	first underwater focus puller
Ricky Schamburg	....	first assistant camera: second unit
Zeb Simpson	....	video operator
Marc Spicer	....	camera operator
John Trapman	....	aerial director of photography
Anthony Veith	....	best boy
Nathan Walton	....	lighting technician
Helen Ward	....	assistant camera
Mark Wareham	....	director of photography: second unit
Marc Windon	....	assistant camera
Steven J. Winslow	....	aerial camera technician: Wescam camera

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Mary Lou Da Roza	....	costume buyer
Diana Freeman	....	costume coordinator

Editorial Department
Alicia Gleeson	....	first assistant editor
Tristan La Fontaine	....	colorist
Antonio Mestres	....	additional editor
Milena Romanin	....	additional assistant editor
Mark Warner	....	additional editor
Matthew Ozerski	....	assistant editor (uncredited)

Music Department
William Boston	....	orchestrator (as Bill Boston)
Christo Curtis	....	score recordist
Rick Giovinazzo	....	orchestrator
Coralie Hartl	....	orchestra contractor
Phillip Hartl	....	concert master
Andrew Kinney	....	orchestrator
Pilar McCurry	....	music supervisor
Larry Rench	....	supervising orchestrator
Nerida Tyson-Chew	....	conductor
Linda Murdoch	....	music editor (uncredited)

Other crew
Warren Beaton	....	creature illustrator
Jason Bogard	....	production accountant
John Charles	....	software engineer: Sony DAC
Judy Dale	....	production secretary
Lou Grant	....	script supervisor: second unit
Kelly Hamilton	....	assistant: Ms. Harrah
Milli Howson	....	assistant to director
Duncan Jones	....	location assistant
Kitty King	....	assistant: Mr. Little
Ernst W. Laurel	....	first assistant accountant
Damian Molloy	....	marine coordinator
Arwen Munro	....	production coordinator: second unit
Alexander Nicolas	....	marketing
Chris O'Connell	....	script supervisor (as Chrissie O'Connell)
Alex Taussig	....	production coordinator
Jessica Haden Walsh	....	production assistant
Tim Williams	....	monkey trainer
Joyce Heftel	....	script supervisor: pre-timing (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Screen Gems
• Middle Fork Productions

Distributors

• Screen Gems (2004) (worldwide) (theatrical)
• Sony Pictures Releasing (2004) (USA) (theatrical)
• Buena Vista International (2004) (Switzerland) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar Film Distributors International (2004) (Singapore) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar Film (2004) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar Films (2004) (Spain) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar Films (2004) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar Films de Argentina (2004) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar Italia (2005) (Italy) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar (2004) (Austria) (theatrical)
• Falcon (2004) (Czech Republic) (theatrical)
• Gaumont/Columbia TriStar Films (2004) (France) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment (2005) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (2005) (Netherlands) (VHS)
• Columbia TriStar (2005) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Columbia TriStar (2005) (Brazil) (VHS)
• LK-TEL (2005) (Argentina) (DVD)
• LK-TEL (2005) (Argentina) (VHS)
• RTL Entertainment (2008) (Netherlands) (TV) (first national airing) (RTL7)

Special Effects

• Animal Logic (opening titles)
• Makeup Effects Laboratories (orchids creation)
• Photon VFX (visual effects)
• Photon (visual effects)
• Studio Kite (animatronics)

Other Companies

• Cameraquip Australia  camera equipment provided by
• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  dollies
• Light Odyssey  t-lights rental
• Motion Picture Lighting  lighting
• Studios 301  orchestra score recording facility
• Varèse Sarabande  score album released by

Also Known As:

Anaconda 2: The Black Orchid (USA) (working title)
Anacondas 2: The Hunt for the Blood Orchid (Malaysia: English title)

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for action violence, scary images and some language.

Runtime:

USA:97 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Canada:PG (Ontario) | Malaysia:U | South Korea:12 | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Brazil:14 | Chile:TE | Czech Republic:U | Finland:K-15 | Germany:12 | Netherlands:16 | Norway:15 | Peru:PT | Philippines:PG-13 | Singapore:PG | UK:12A | USA:PG-13 (certificate #39545) | Iceland:16

Filming Locations:

Deuba, Fiji

Company:

Screen Gems

Trivia:

The First Hollywood movie to have its premiere in Fiji.

Goofs:

Errors made by characters (possibly deliberate errors by the filmmakers): After the boat sinks, a member of the crew says "Hard Drive's ruined". The device being held in his hand, dripping with water, is in fact an ASUS 52x CD-ROM drive. Clearly not a hard drive.

Quotes:

Gail Stern: Hey! Over here bitch!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Anaconda 4: Trail of Blood (2009) (TV)

SSsssuper Ssssize Ssssnakes Redux = zzzzzzzz!!!

ANACONDAS: THE HUNT FOR THE BLOOD ORCHID (2004) * Johnny Messner, KaDee Stickland, Matthew Marsden, Nicholas Gonzalez, Eugene Byrd, Karl Yune, Salli Richardson, Morris Chestnut. (Dir: Dwight H. Little) SSSSsuper Ssssize Sssssnakes Redux!

While it is hard to believe that there was an actual clamor – albeit a 7 years later one – for a sequel to the marginal hit 'Anaconda' starring Jennifer Lopez and Ice Cube it is even harder to believe that the film is a near-virtual remake only substituting a documentary film-making crew with a scientific expedition that none-the-less winds up the river without a paddle in this rudderless display of new ineptitude.

When a pharmaceutical conglomerate giant decides to listen to a panel of young, go-getting researchers to extract an extremely rare blood orchid from Borneo that may have the key to eternal youth (you can practically here the ka-ching! of millions of cash registers and saliva foaming at the corners of their mouths with greed) they are pressed for time since the flower only blooms once every seven years (of course!) and literally have days to procure the bounty that awaits in the thick no-man's jungle that only offers rogue boat captains (you'd think a multi-gazillion corporation would have their own fleet of ships at the ready but NOOOOOO!!!) in questionably seedy bars with an appropriately slap-dash vessel at the wait.

So begins the journey into fear since not one character in this unknown cast emerges with a unique thought as to maybe that this is not a good idea with the fact that it is monsoon season and they have not a clue as to the dangers that lie in waiting (cue the giant deadly snakes!)

Captain Bill Johnson (can he be a more blandly named 'hero'!?!?- played by Messner, who resembles a deflated, charisma-less version of The Rock) skippers the team – with his Asian first mate, Tran (Yune) and cute monkey Kong (who gets the most close-ups, I kid you not then the entire cast combined!) in tow – with a few problems that derail them over a waterfall and eventually trekking through the treacherous tropical thicket where one-by-one they become prey to a 40 foot anaconda and several of his buddies (we learn that it is mating season – How convenient! – and it seems a booty call for the cold-blooded reptiles is in order , but first one must eat and the international food court (that would be the untalented cast) is tops of the menu.

The sequel's biggest problems is that there is no one to truly root for, with its cardboard characters : Richardson, the bitchy idiotic company woman who actually whines she's lost her phone after being rescued from a crocodile (!); Marsden the Rico Suave of Doctors Without Frontiers program (I kid you not!); Byrd, the black sacredy cat ala Bill Paxton's Hudson in 'Aliens'; Marsden as the not-to-be-trusted British scientist and Chestnut – the only real name actor and substitute 'Boyz N The Hood' alum for Cube – basically doing a variation of Samuel L. Jackson's gig in 'Deep Blue Sea'. However Strickland's mousy administrative assistant proves to be the film's wild card as she gets in touch with her inner Sigourney Weaver mid-way through the slogging mess (literally) that is this lame, dunderheaded horror flick that elicits very few scares no thanks to the pedestrian direction by hack Little.

The CGI critters do in fact look more authentic than its predecessor however they are barely on screen long enough to get worked up over but should note that they are effectively quicker in their kills. Wish they could've done the same to the bonehead who greenlit this loser.