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Strange Wilderness
R1 - America - Paramount Home Entertainment Review written by and copyright: Pat Pilon (9th June 2008). |
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The Film
 With its R rating, it’s no surprise this movie didn't make any money. (It made less than $7 million worldwide). When I saw the previews on television, I always assumed this was PG-13, because otherwise, there wouldn’t be any chance it would make any kind of money. Add to the fact that this movie is really crappy, and nothing really helps it. After about 20 minutes I wanted this movie to be finished. I actually don't see the appeal in watching this movie, for anybody. As far as stoner comedies go, there are better ones than this. As far as regular comedies go… well, I'm not going to finish that sentence. The movie, if it actually matters, concerns the dipping ratings of 'Strange Wilderness' an animal education show, the makers of which, to improve ratings decide to go look for Bigfoot. They figure that if they find Bigfoot, their show will be saved. I really couldn't have cared less whether or not they found Bigfoot. I'm wondering why the show was on the air in the first place, but I suppose that’s not really important. It seems like comedy isn't really important, either. None of the jokes are particularly funny and they're all pretty juvenile. They never show any intelligence or wit. For example, Steve Zahn gets a turkey stuck on his johnson. (Don't ask.) I know I could stop right there, but I'll go on. He goes to the doctor's, because this is a serious problem. To help the turkey relax his throat, a cute nurse runs her hands up and down the turkey's throat. You can guess what kind of jokes ensue. Likewise, on their way to see Bigfoot, they meet a guy called 'Dick'. Just 'Dick', nothing else. Again, Mensa members rejoice. The movie has Steve Zahn doing exactly what Steve Zahn does. For a better example of what Steve Zahn does, look at 'Happy, Texas'. This movie is kind of pointless and even the talent involved (Jonah Hill, Justin Long, Ernest frigging Borgnine, for crying out loud) seem like they're forcing themselves to be funny. The movie shows no originality and no intelligence. That may only be two strikes, but I'd throw this movie out without waiting for third inevitable strike.
Video
2.35:1 widescreen. The picture is a nice one and the transfer is very good, actually. The colours are bright with good contrast. The black levels are very strong. The contrast is also very good, with nice sharpness and adequate level of detail. The skin tones have a nice hue and the rest of the colours are quite accurate, as well. Sadly, the best thing about the entire DVD is its transfer.
Audio
There's a Spanish Dolby Digital 5.1 dub, or the original English Dolby Digital 5.1 track to choose from. The movie sounds nice. The dialogue is always clear, much to the chagrin of David Mamet lovers. It's also never muffled by the sound effects, which are usually in the centre, never much showing very good positions or ambiance. Though the rear speakers aren’t used too much, the sound is clear so it's a passable track. Subtitles are available in English, French and Spanish.
Extras
Paramount was pretty nice giving the disc a small array of featurettes. The extras ar as follows: - Cooker's Song (5:48). This is about Jonah Hill's song in the movie. You see him prepare, then you hear him sing the entire, 5-minute song. It's basically longer than what’s in the movie, nothing more. - The Turkey (6:47). This is about the turkey scene I mentioned above. You see tons of behind the scenes footage of Steve Zahn and the animatronic fowl. - What Do We Do? (6:06). This is about the scene in the movie where they discuss the future of the show. You see tons of adlibbing by Jonah Hill and the rest of the cast there. Some of the jokes are funnier than what’s in the movie, but otherwise this is forgettable. - Reel Comedy: Strange Wilderness (21:15). The funniest moment in the entire DVD happens in this making-of, when the host talks to Justin Long. The actors basically answer random questions about the movie's plot (none of them can find an answer to that one), and various questions about animals. This is probably the most enjoyable 20 minutes of the DVD. - Deleted Scenes. None of these scenes are particularly funny and they don't really add much to the movie, if they were in there to begin with. The dentist scene probably has the funniest joke of the bunch, but that's not saying much, quite honestly. The scenes are: "Four Things" (0:42), "Pete Yells at Debbie" (0:33), "Judy" (1:52), "Lawson" (1:13), "Pet Perv" (0:52), "Interviews" (4:35), "Not Fans" (0:50), "Cooker Song: America" (4:35), "Dentist" (1:16), "Immigration" (2:02), "Tattooed Boobs" (0:42), "Pier" (1:29) and "Beaver/Moose" (1:28). Previews ‘Cloverfield (2:11), ‘The Love Guru’ (2:30), ‘Drillbit Taylor’ (2:29) are here, the latter two being start-up trailers, as well.
Overall
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