Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #8463 in DVD
• Released on: 2005-04-18
• Rating: Suitable for 12 years and over
• Aspect ratio: 2.35:1
• Formats: Anamorphic, Dubbed, PAL
• Original language: English
• Subtitled in: Arabic, Bulgarian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, Finnish, French, German, Hungarian, Icelandic, Norwegian, Polish, Romanian, Swedish, Turkish
• Dubbed in: French, German
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 95 minutes

Synopsis
In Steven Brill's WITHOUT A PADDLE, three friends embark on a hilariously dangerous adventure through the woods of the Pacific Northwest. When their childhood friend Billy dies, 30-year-old buddies Dan (Seth Green), Tom (Dax Shepard), and Jerry (Matthew Lillard) return home to pay their respects. While there, they unearth a map that Billy left behind, which may or may not lead to a hidden treasure. Dan is a germ-phobic doctor who would rather spend his time anywhere but in the wilderness, but the recently dumped Jerry and down-on-his-luck Tom are intent on fulfilling their friend's lifelong dream; and so begins the trio's journey. It isn't long before things begin to spiral out of control. Starting with a gigantic bear that mistakes Dan for one of its own, the guys are also on the run from two pot-growing maniacs (Ethan Suplee, Abraham Benrubi) who are looking for revenge after their marijuana farm is burned to a crisp. Of course, what would a wilderness expedition be without raging rapids, a towering waterfall, beautiful (but hairy) hippy chicks, and an encounter with a menacing mountain man (Burt Reynolds). Brill's madcap adventure gleefully references DELIVERANCE and 1980s pop culture, and features spot-on performances from Green, Lillard, and Shepard.

Customer Reviews

Less than original, but pretty entertaining as a whole
Without a Paddle really doesn't do much to distinguish itself from other films of its kind, wherein the main characters take off on a comically hairy adventure in order to recapture their youth and end up figuring out the kind of adults they want to be in the process, but it does play out pretty well. There are laughs to be had throughout the film, the underlying story holds together satisfactorily, the lush wilderness setting makes for a vivid backdrop, and I felt pretty entertained by the time all was said and done. On the negative side, the film does rely on a number of hackneyed storylines, such as the ubiquitous ignorant locals who chase the main characters all over the woods, and the big life-changing realizations of each character ring a little hollow in the end.

Some people say the film should appeal mainly to teenagers, but I'm not so sure of that. Those of us who came of age in the 1980s love every chance we get to reminisce about our good old days, and this movie takes us back to those days of Star Wars, Raiders of the Lost Ark, 80s music, etc. Without a Paddle also doesn't descend to the level of crudity that today's teens may have come to expect from their comedies. Sure, the movie takes the low road every once and again, but it soon works its way back to middle ground - there's basically no nudity, relatively little cursing, and even the human waste product shtick (seemingly required by law in everything coming out of Hollywood these days) is somewhat sanitized here.

I liked the setup of the story, with its link to the mystery of D.B. Cooper. I know I was fascinated as a kid by the Cooper story, but I doubt that many young people today have ever heard of the guy. For the record, Cooper stole a bunch of money, made his escape by parachuting out of a plane, and proceeded to vanish into thin air; no one knows what happened to him or to the stolen money. This is exactly the kind of treasure hunt I dreamed of as a kid, so it makes perfect sense to me that this group of thirty-year-old friends would set out in search of Cooper. They make the trip in honor of the fourth member of their childhood foursome, after bidding him farewell at a pretty disrespectful funeral. It's certainly the adventure of a lifetime, complete with a whitewater washout, a very close encounter with a bear, a meeting with two modern-day flower children living high up in a tree, the aforementioned hostile locals, and a very grizzly Burt Reynolds. You might expect Seth Green to stand out from his fellow actors, but it is really Dax Shepard who supplies most of the comic energy of the film. Without a Paddle isn't really a cinematic trip you won't to take twice, but it does make for a pretty entertaining ninety-minute diversion from real life.

without a paddle
This is a very funny film about three friends who find themselves after their childhood friend dies and they go on a camping trip to rehash old memories. This film has a funny side with wild bears and crazed gunman. The other side of it is it just shows no matter how much a friendship is tested good friends remain friends.
If you want a good giggle this film is for you

brilliant!!
Without a paddle was the last film i saw in 2004. I have to say it was the best of the lot. Seth Green plays a clever but scared character who is reluctant to go on the treasure hunt with Matthew Lillard and the other bloke who's in punk'd. I forget his name. (not Ashton Kutcher). They run into many obstacles on the way including beautiful protesters up a tree and running through a field of burning marajuana (the best bit).

A suprising role for Bert Reynolds ("Driven" and many other films i am too young to remember) acting as a sort of hermit adds to this brilliant plot.

This film is the biggest blockbuster of 2004 and don't listen to any film critics that say it was rubbish Because they think they know everything but they don't. .

If you want to see action, brilliant comedy and a wierd romance between Seth Green and a hairy legged woman then you have to get this superb movie. Hope this was helpful. Peace out.