Beware Boiúna

Humans have always wanted to explore new places. These days, we have satellites that can show us just about every corner of the planet, but that hasn’t stopped us from wondering what’s still out there. And despite everything we’ve learned, the oceans and rainforests still hold plenty of mysteries. Mike P. Nelson’s new film, Beware Boiúna, imagines what might be lurking deep in the jungle. Snakes. Why did it have to be snakes?

A team of doctors heads into the Amazon on a mission to help local communities. Led by Dr. Miguel (Juan Pablo Shuk), the group includes Ali (Jessica Rothe) and Callum (Will Close). A father and his daughter, Lena (Kiana Madeira), transport them by boat, but the trip soon takes a dangerous turn. They get on the wrong side of Brannan Malloy (Logan Marshall-Green), a man determined to hurt them. Unfortunately, he isn’t the only threat waiting in the jungle.

That would be Boiúna, a giant snake that, according to local legend, rests when things are in balance and hunts when they aren’t. With the creature on the move and Malloy pursuing them, the medical team has more than enough to worry about. Even the jungle seems to be working against them, making an already slim chance of survival look worse by the minute.

Written by Tony Giglio, Alan B. McElroy, and Nelson, who also directs, Beware Boiúna takes its time building dread. It follows a path that a certain shark movie made famous some 50 years ago, letting the threat of its creature do much of the early work. Where the film loses some of its bite is in its characters, who feel thinly written. Then again, we all know who the main attraction is.

The story draws on local folklore, and shooting in Colombia gives the film a strong sense of place. Nelson and cinematographer Nick Junkersfeld make the jungle feel imposing, beautiful, and dangerous. The setting plays a real part in the group’s struggle, offering possible escape routes one moment and new threats the next. You can almost feel the humidity, as the atmosphere gets even heavier when Boiúna finally arrives.

Getting there takes some patience, though. Beware Boiúna doesn’t always move as quickly as I wanted it to, and a few stretches feel like a crawl. Once the snake shows up, things get considerably more fun. Boiúna is a fearsome sight, although the camerawork sometimes gets in the way. I understand using a handheld camera to make the attacks feel chaotic, but there are moments when it’s simply too difficult to tell what’s happening.

Thankfully, the human cast gives us more to appreciate than a collection of potential snake meals. Madeira and Rothe are the standouts, bringing enough presence and determination to keep us invested even when the writing doesn’t give them much to work with. They hold their own alongside the scenery and the giant reptile, which is no small task.

I don’t know what you expect from a giant-snake movie, but I went in with fairly modest expectations. For me, Beware Boiúna offers enough to make its 104 minute runtime worthwhile, even if I wish more of that time belonged to the snake. Like Jaws, it’s as interested in the pursuit as it is in what happens when the creature finally strikes.

There are plenty of flaws, but there’s enough here to entertain. And in this case, I’m glad it was snakes.

Brian Taylor

Member of the North Texas Film Critics Association, and lover of all things Cinema