The computer-generated special effects are so-so; the characterisation is by-numbers; and, crucially, it's almost fright-free.

The challenge with poking fun at the original Anaconda -- even in the form of an affectionate, scare-quoted homage -- is that it’s already in on its own joke.

The monster looks like a maniacal garden hose in a couple of sequences. Still, it delivers the necessary thrills and chills.

While the acting is uneven, the special and practical effects are shaky, and the story is over the top, it still adds up to a timeless horror classic that is more fun than the most recent, verging on soulless reboot.