Rated: R for non-stop language, drug use, crude and sexual humor. Runtime: 100 mins. Director: Fred Wolf Writer: Peter Gaulke & Fred Wolf Cast:Steve Zahn; Allen Covert; Jonah Hill; Kevin Heffernan Tagline: "This ain't March of the Penguins." Genre: Comedy Memorable Quote:"Two weeks from now, the show is cancelled."... more quotes Release Date: February 1, 2008 Distributor: Paramount Pictures Official Site:www.strangewildernessmovie.com/ View the Trailer:apple.com/trailers/paramount/strangewilderness/
Reel commentary: ... it's the kind of stuff running rampant through any Junior High School across America, and while some smiles do come from watching the actors laugh at their own jokes (a la Jackass), none of it is really funny enough to produce anything more than a few slight chuckles ... full review
We've all watched those television documentary-style nature shows that dot the upper reaches of the cable TV dial, and we've all certainly giggled once or twice at the sometimes-unintentional humor those programs provide. So, it shouldn't be that difficult to make a funny film that parodies shows like Marty Stouffer's Wild America or The Crocodile Hunter, right? After all, there's humor to be had when animals don't cooperate with a filmmaking crew, or when a rather cowardly show host sends members of his film crew into the mouth of danger. So how then does Strange Wilderness - which started nearly a decade ago as a series of nature-show spoofs by former SNL writers - miss its mark? Rather easy to answer really – they oddly go for stoner humor instead.
The film stars a lot of funny people, is written by a couple of brilliant up-and-coming screenwriters and its production company is best known for it's laugh-out-loud, slapstick comedies. But unfortunately even Happy Madison Productions couldn't get any mileage out of such comedic hard-hitters as Steve Zahn, Jonah Hill, Kevin Heffernan, and Allen Covert. Blame it on Peter Gaulke and Fred Wolf's awful script that apparently calls for mind-altering illegal substances to "get" the humor. But even then, is it still funny when movie characters drive around in a vehicle filled with mind-numbing inhalants? Thought we'd already been through that in countless Cheech & Chong movies, and even a couple of years ago when we went to White Castle. Stupid and high doesn't work like it used too. Now we need more.
Stoner cameraman, Junior (Justin Long) is a member of a TV crew searching for Bigfoot
Zahn is Peter Gaulke (is it funny that they named a character after one of the film's writers?), the pot-smoking son of a legendary nature show host who has run his deceased father's program into the ground since taking over. Upon learning from the network that the show is about to be cancelled, Gaulke jumps at the opportunity to film Bigfoot when informed by a friend, Bill Calhoun (Joe Don Baker), of the existence of a map to the abominable creature's cave in South America. Hoping to get the show back on the air, Gaulke, gasses the Winnebago, fires up the bong, and gathers his motley crew before heading into the wild.
What ensues amounts to a freewheeling road comedy laced with stoner humor, sex gags, and other juvenile hijinks. The penis jokes topple like a row of falling dominoes pushed over by a jungle guide named Dick and a penis-biting turkey protecting her young. It's the kind of stuff running rampant through any Junior High School across America, and while some smiles do come from watching the actors laugh at their own jokes (a la Jackass), none of it is really funny enough to produce anything more than a few slight chuckles. We mostly groan and squirm in our seats, wondering how such low-ball juvenilia was ever greenlighted.
With a cast that includes stars from such crass fare as Superbad, Beerfest, and Grandma's Boy, and with Adam Sandler's production company behind this thing, we knew we weren't getting a brand of comedy on the level of Mel Brooks, Woody Allen or even Sandler himself. But we did expect something funnier than what might come from a bunch of horny pre-teens on an unsupervised campout. I thought we'd reached the absolute bottom of the monkey barrel when the Jackass movies were unleashed on an unsuspecting public, but at least when those films went for gross-out funny, they did occasionally make us laugh. Here the gross-out humor is just gross. Take a close-up of a pair of mangled testicles for instance. Gross. Not funny.
Frank Wilkins
Comments
Frank Says:
February 1, 2008 at 20:09
More Strange Wilderness quotes:
"It is estimated that the faster a shark swims, the more distance he covers in a given period of time."
This species is extremely rare and can only be found in two places on Earth: The Northern and Southern Hemisphere."
"It is estimated that bears kill over two million salmon a year. Attacks by salmon on bears are much more rare."
"Bears derive their name from a team in Chicago."
"No matter how many se lions are eaten each year by sharks, it never seems like enough."
"the show sucks....2 weeks from now, the show will be cancelled."
"that's big foot.... and I know where he lives."
"These sharks are attacking Nicole Ritchey."
Uh, guys, I dont wanna die. For the first time in 11 years I'm seeing the world through sober eyes. It's exhilerating, see I have so much to live for right now. I want to find a nice girl and settle down, and have kids, and dance with them in the moonlight. I wanna do it all ya know?
Homer Says:
February 9, 2008 at 11:45
This movie was dope!!! especially if your young and enjoy the refer.
Kate Says:
February 13, 2008 at 23:09
Are you kidding me? Okay, okay, okay I will admit the script was a touch juvenile, but that's the fun of it. I loved Superbad, and I love Strange Wilderness. I was falling out of my seat. Immature? Yes. But comedy gold in my opinion.
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