STRANGE WILDERNESS (2008)

Directed By: Fred Wolf 
Written By: Fred Wolf & Peter Gaulke 
Cinematography By: David Hennings 
Editor: Tom Costain 


Cast: Steve Zahn, Allen Covert, Jonah Hill, Justin Long, Peter Dante, Harry Hamlin, Kevin Heffernan, Robert Patrick, Ashley Scott, Ernest Borgnine, Blake Clark, Joe Don Baker, Jeff Garlin, Oliver Hudson, Jake Abel 


When his father dies, Peter Gaulke inherits "Strange Wilderness," dad's TV show about animals. After ratings plummet and the show is canceled, we watch a long flashback to see its demise. The studio head gives the show two more weeks. An old friend brings a story about Bigfoot in Ecuador, so a long road trip ensues with stops along the way and enough problems, misjudgments, and deaths to sink a less intrepid band. Peter's team faces competition from a better-funded and more practiced set of rivals. Who will find Bigfoot first, and will they get it on tape and save the show? Can Peter make dad proud?

"Strange Wilderness" began its life in the 1990's as a series of independently produced short videos by former "Saturday Night Live" writers Fred Wolf and Peter Gaulke. "They started out as little parodies of wildlife shows," explains writer and producer Gaulke. "Fred and I went out and shot them with the help of John Burrud, who actually has a real-life wildlife show. His father Bill used to host 'Animal World' and other travel and nature shows back in the '60s. So John helped us produce these little shorts which we eventually got onto Comedy Central."

Now in the past Happy Madison productions films have always looked bad based on the trailers but watching them they are not only surprisingly funny, but entertaining and decent. The films are usually assembly line movies for pals of Adam Sandler like Rob Schneider.

Nowadays with the success of GRANDMA’S BOY he usually casts his two buddies Allen Covert and Peter Dante who also co-star in his bigger yearly major productions. At least here they are still playing supporting roles and the lead is handled by a noted actor Steve Zahn even if the film is more of an ensemble piece.

At first when the budgets for these movies were lower they got by on supporting roles. Nowadays they are more like bit parts. So I guess he rewards them with the lower budgeted films while also giving a chance to emerging comedic talent and always with more of an R-Rated material with nudity and more sex and weed jokes.

Even by those standards already met. This movie was pretty raunchy. This film truly proved to be a disappointment especially considering the talent involved. Who are all funny and scene stealers in their own right in other films. Not starring them bit given a chance I guess with this and really no material they can only do so much.

Most of the Jokes are sex and weed jokes. Which can be fun bit not if it’s all the humor the film has. As it’s not breaking new ground and we have seen it too many times before.

Now i’m not go to say that this move is not funny, but the laughs are few and far in between. I would say for an 87 minute movie 30 minutes are actually funny. The rest feels like throwaway. Like the common thought was animal footage is funny.

Steve Zahn tries his best as do Jonah hill and Justin Long who co-star and as much as I like them. It feels like they are just coasting through this film.

Ashley Scott is pretty as ever but that is all she is given to do. She tries to be goofy but still comes off as used in a more limited way. As at the beginning. She seems more straight laced but as the film goes along she gets to be just as silly as everyone else. Which is what happens to any kind of sense and logic this movie has after a while. It just drops it’s façade and goes off into straight lunacy.

The scenes that are funny just to name a few are Wild Turkey, the Dentist office, Scary stories, Bigfoot discovery, Bigfoot tape and reunion. Only if you are a hardcore fan of happy Madison can I recommend this. If not you are going to be disappointed. Even with the short running time.


GRADE: D