DVD Review: Strange Wilderness

3 out of 5 stars.

This comedy stars Steve Zahn (Joy Ride, That Thing You Do! National Security) as Pete Gaulke, a wannabe wildlife TV Show host, host of a show called Strange Wilderness. The film begins with a look at bears and some screwed-up comedic elements. His crew consists of Fred (Allen Covert), Milas (90-year-old Ernest Borgnine), Junior (Justin Long, Live Free or Die Hard, The Sasquatch Gang, Apple Mac commercials), who is a pothead, and Cooker (Jonah Hill) and RV Driver Danny (Peter Dante). With the ratings on the show sinking fast and on the verge of cancellation, the team is approached by a fellow named Bill Calhoun (Joe Don Baker) who tells them of sightings of Bigfoot in Ecuador. They hire an "animal expert" named Bill Whitaker (who turns out to be a mechanic, played by Kevin Heffernan) along with a lovely assistant named Cheryl (Ashley Scott), and after one misadventure after another and bad luck all the way, they reach Ecuador and come across a fellow named Dick (Blake Clark) who guides them to a guide named Gus Hayden (Robert Patrick, Terminator 2: Judgment Day) who tells them a harrowing story about a scar in an interesting place. I will not reveal too much more, but suffice it to say the group does find Bigfoot and hilarity ensues. There is plenty of crude humor and nudity throughout the film, which required an "R" rating. I do recommend this, even if most will not get the humor.