The stoner-comedy isn’t exactly known for tight screenwriting or technically impressive filmmaking. The finest examples of the genre tend to be slovenly, underachieving movies that mirror the lifestyle of the protagonists. Yet, even when held up against these low standards, Strange Wilderness comes across as a lazy and sloppy project slapped together over a weekend in a haze of smoke. The movie opens with a set-up that suggests a plot will follow, but instead the film devolves into a series of loosely connected sketches featuring pathetically clichéd characters.

Steve Zahn stars as the host of a struggling wildlife program trying to capture Bigfoot on film. The show was a hit when his father was in charge, but with Zahn and his pothead friends behind the camera it faces cancellation. That just about covers the entire plot until the film's sudden conclusion. The cast is filled with some very funny actors (Zahn, Allen Covert, Jonah Hill, Justin Long and oddly Ernest Borgnine) and it would be nice to say that they are able to overcome the source material, but sadly this isn’t the case. Sure, they contribute the occasional funny line, but the screenplay by Fred Wolf and Peter Gaulke is so tired, unfocused, and boring that it’s shocking it was even produced.

Strange Wilderness also marks Wolf’s directorial debut and it shows. The man behind such classic screenplays as Joe Dirt and Black Sheep has no flair with the camera. Every scene is flat and static despite the fact that the movie is supposed to be a wacky wildlife adventure. To make matters worse, there’s also an awkward flashback structure and forced happy ending that reeks of re-shooting and studio interference. Some entire scenes are played in off-camera dialogue following significant rewrites that were made in the editing room. As a result, the film can be difficult to follow, particularly as it reaches an abrupt and confusing conclusion. The 2006 copyright suggests that this title has been gathering dust on studio shelves and is only getting a quick release now to capitalize on the rising stardom of the cast. Don’t fall for the trick. Some movies are unreleased for a reason.