PLOT: A team of doctors embarks on a local mission in the Amazon rain forest, but it soon becomes clear that not everybody – or everything – is happy to see them. Their sudden appearance draws the attention of a predatory animal, the “Boiúna.”
REVIEW: As much as we can complain that there’s really only one truly great shark movie, it can be argued that we’ve never gotten a legitimately good snake movie. 1997’s Anaconda is pretty much the closest thing we’ve received, and even that has pretty questionable quality. So while my next statement may not have tough competition, that doesn’t make it any less true: Beware Boiúna is the greatest killer snake movie of all time, and it’s not even close.
Beware Boiúna follows a group of doctors on a mission in the Amazon Rainforest as they try to save the people with medicine. But when something tragic happens, they run off and end up hunted by a man out for revenge. During their escape, they find themselves in the territory of a giant snake with an insatiable appetite. Now, they have to contend with the humans hunting them and the snake that wants to make a meal out of them. It’s a fairly simple setup, and I always love it when a horror film uses a local legend as its main antagonist. I had never heard of a Boiúna before, but I’m damn sure glad these things don’t exist in modern times.
Happy Death Day made Jessica Rothe a final girl, with the horror world really embracing her, so it’s always nice to see her pop up in any genre fare. She’s very easy to like and root for, as she’s a doctor just trying to make the world a better place. She clearly has a bit of ignorance regarding the harshness of said world, but it just makes her a solid protagonist. Kiana Mediera‘s Lena is from the jungle but was quick to leave, so she has a complicated relationship with returning home. Her main motivation is finding her brother, who disappeared in the jungle. She has a more boots-on-the-ground approach and definitely has some Ellen Ripley in her, especially with how much she’s put through the wringer.
I always love a good villain so it’s hard to view Logan Marshall Green as anything except an absolute highlight. When he’s first introduced, he seems like a stereotypical bad guy; some white dude coming along and wiping out sections of the jungle for profit. Yet he’s given some very intriguing layers, to the point where I actually empathized with him and wanted him to make it out alive. It makes all the sense in the world why he would want revenge against these doctors, yet he never sways too far from his humanity. Admittedly, most of the other characters are simple fodder for the snake.
I found myself constantly comparing the film to last year’s Anaconda, which featured awful FX and a snake that constantly defied the laws of physics. In comparison, Boiúna is a force of nature, but practically blends in with the world around her. Is the snake probably a little too fast for something this size? Sure. But it still manages to be perfectly grounded for the world the film takes place in. Speaking of which, I love that they always referred to the creature as “her,” as it gave the snake a bit of sentience, without having outright motivations. She is simply territorial, and these people are in the wrong place at the wrong time. There’s one shot of the snake silhouetted by lightning, which is absolutely beautiful and perfectly encapsulates the spectacle.
What really helps Beware Boiúna is that it completely avoids campiness. A giant snake is such a ridiculous idea that lampooning it always seems to be the option taken. Make light of it and practically wink at the camera. Thankfully, the filmmakers never so much as dip their toes into camp, and the snake is always a deadly serious threat.
With that realism comes a bit of a sacrifice with the kills. While I enjoyed them all, nothing stands out as overly creative, as it’s mostly quick bites, and dragging the victim off. What works so well about them is their shock factor, with several occuring at the most unexpected moments. Director Mike P. Nelson is also very clever with shot selection, often repeating the framing/setup of an earlier kill to help ramp up the tension later on, where the viewer may not even consciously recognize it’s even happening. Because even when Boiúna isn’t on screen, her presence is always felt.
Beware Boiúna is a non-stop thrill ride that perfectly balances character moments, action, and absolute terror. Boiúna is treated with such care, never going too ludicrous, making her downright horrifying. The FX are fantastic and show the snake just the right amount. Rothe, Mediera, and Marshall-Green are fantastic, being some of my favorite characters of the year, horror or otherwise. And there’s nothing quite like rooting for characters you want to see persevere.
Beware Boiúna releases to theaters on October 2nd, 2026.
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