With Anaconda Coming Out, Let’s Revisit An Underrated 2008 Comedy With Steve Zahn That Isn’t As Bad As Its 2% Score On Rotten Tomatoes

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As the list of movies coming out in 2025 gets shorter, I’m particularly looking forward to seeing Paul Rudd and Jack Black in their new comedy, Anaconda. But I’m even more excited about a new adventure film starring Steve Zahn. It reminds me of one of his most hilarious, though critically-panned, movies: Strange Wilderness. While critics didn’t love that 2008 film, I often find they miss the mark.

I’ve been a huge fan of this movie for almost 20 years – I was even one of the few who saw it in theaters (or at least, will admit to it!). But I think it’s time we took another look at this wild, funny story about a group of friends searching for Bigfoot.

Let’s Address The Elephant In The Room: Strange Wilderness’ RT Score

I recalled that Strange Wilderness received negative reviews when it was released in early 2008, but I was surprised to see its Rotten Tomatoes score – only 2% (with a 35% audience score). While I don’t think it deserves such a low rating, I actually appreciate the site’s Critics Consensus, which perfectly describes the film as “a laugh-free comedy that’s both aimless and overly crass.”

Let’s be honest, the story of Peter Gaulke attempting to revive his late father’s famous nature documentary series is over-the-top, crude, and pretty ridiculous, mixing early 2000s bro humor with stoner comedy. But, who wouldn’t enjoy a fun adventure about friends searching for Bigfoot?

Though Not The Best Movie Of All Time, Strange Wilderness Is Hilarious

Let’s be real, this isn’t a groundbreaking or even the funniest movie from 2008 – there were some great ones that year like Tropic Thunder, Pineapple Express, and Forgetting Sarah Marshall. But despite all that, it’s a surprisingly funny and enjoyable comedy. I don’t care what the critics say!

I don’t want to give away too much about this movie, which came out 17 years ago – it was filmed way back in 2005! – but there’s a scene with a shark that still cracks my friends and me up whenever we talk about it. Honestly, Zahn’s impression of a laughing shark is comedy gold. But that’s just one example – despite what some people say, this movie is actually really funny and full of hilarious moments.

Strange Wilderness Is Streaming For Free… With A Library Card

Okay, so you can definitely rent or buy Strange Wilderness on Amazon if you want, but let me tell you, there’s a way to watch this 2008 gem for free. Seriously! It’s currently streaming on Hoopla, that digital service you get with your library card. Look, I know there are probably more ‘important’ things to use your library card for, but honestly, using it to watch what might be the goofiest, most wonderfully dumb comedy of the last twenty years just feels right. It’s perfect, honestly.

Stream Strange Wilderness on Hoopla.

This comedy isn’t exactly a critical darling, but it offers some truly unique and bizarre moments – like a laughing shark, Justin Long sporting eyelid tattoos, and even a Bigfoot sighting! That alone makes it worth checking out.

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2025-11-12 17:13