A scientific expedition, funded by the pharmaceutical firm Wexel Hall, travels to Borneo to find the ( Perrinia immortalis ), a rare flower that blooms only once every seven years. Scientists believe the orchid contains a chemical that can act as a "fountain of youth" by prolonging human life.
Contrary to the film's portrayal of aggressive hunting on land, the anaconda is largely aquatic. Its eyes and nostrils are positioned high on its head, allowing it to stalk prey while almost entirely submerged. The "sangrienta" (bloody) aspect of the film’s title alludes to violence, but in nature, the anaconda’s life is a cycle of patience and energy conservation. It is an ambush predator, relying on the murky waters of the Amazon basin rather than the speed or aggression often depicted in fiction. The anaconda represents the raw, primal power of the river system—a system that is currently under severe threat from habitat fragmentation and climate change.
