[Anaconda 4:Trail Of Blood]
Plot:Fourth installment of the "Anaconda" series.

Cast:Crystal Allen, Calin Stanciu, Linden Ashby, Danny Midwinter, Ana Ularu, Claudiu Bleont, Anca-Ioana Androne, Emil Hostina, Alexandru Potocean, John Rhys-Davies, Dan Badarau, Marcello Cobzarju, Elias Ferkin, Razvan Gheorghiu, Vasile Albinet.

My Thoughts:Beats "The Offspring"

Review:"Anaconda 4:Trail Of Blood" is the fourth installment of the "Anaconda" series, which began spectacularly in the mid 90's with "Anaconda"...and has unfortunately, degenerated into SCI-FI original pictures with a CGI snake and pretty much no-name actors being involved. But atleast part four is alot better than part three, "The Offspring". Mostly because "The Hoff" is absent in this entry. Instead, he's replaced by a more talented face, Linden Ashby, who plays the male lead in this film.

John Rhys-Davies character, the evil corporate guy...is the second character from the third movie to return in part four, once again pursuing the serum which will cure him of his fatal illness. And the experiments on the anaconda which had the blood orchid sap in it's bloodstream, is exactly what led to the disaster which included the snakes escape, and eventual devouring of a shitlod of people. Crystal Allen also returns as Amanda, the obligatory sort of mad scientist who after realizing her evil ways in the previous installment, has now in part four become a full-fledged good girl.

And is out to help a group of people, one of which who looks like the Goth version of Clea DuVall stop the carnivourous snakes. But Rhys-Davies character has hired his own mercenary squad, and they have been instructed to retrieve the serum and kill Amanda and the other protagonists in the film. And of course, the guys he hired...in a stereotypical film like this, are the typical Russian/Eastern European cold-blooded killer types, with bad accents and ponytails. However, there are some bright moments to be found in the movie beyond it's bad acting and it's horribly cgi'ed snake.

The deaths, which is what you watch a movie like this for...are pretty awesome. People get their bodies crushed, heads ripped off, and are swallowed whole "Deep Rising Kitchen Scene" style. And that's really all you can ask for in a SCI-FI original picture, good deaths. Even if the blood is cgi blood. So on that note, the movie certainly delivers with the death scenes. It also has some nifty comedic moments as well, one of which includes an attempted heroic-suicide moment which doesn't exactly turn out the way one character hoped it would, and the films final scene where Rhys-Davies finds himself in a situation where he gets the squeeze put on him, in more ways than one.

But this movie is really better than part three because David Hasselhoff is not in it. And while I know that sounds typical and cliche to say of pretty much any film, horror or not...in this particular films case, it's more true than ever because it's a SCI-FI original picture with a CGI freaking snake. It needs all the help it can get, and dumping Hasselhoff was a big help. Also it gave the director more chances to give Crystal Allen more screentime, and considering that she's so easy on the eyes...that was definitely a good thing.

The movies ending is very much a thrill ride, and includes some great escapes, a funny death scene, and a suspense-filled jeep escape. Although the final scene will make you hang your head right into your bowl of popcorn in disappointment and grief. I know that's what I did. "Anaconda 4:Trail Of Blood" is about as good as a SCI-FI Original Movie can get. Which basically means it's decent, nough said.

Positives:Linden Ashby replacing The Hoff in the male lead, more Crystal Allen, some great deaths, a funny and entertaining ending.

Negatives:Too many cliches such as the Russian bad guys, and most of all the CGI anaconda.

Overall:Two and a half out of four stars.





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