Without a Paddle: Nature's Calling

My little sister accidentally rented this movie thinking it would be as funny as the original Without a Paddle film. However, its only use is as a Frisbee, and even then it doesn't fly straight. Avoid. The acting was abysmal, a total joke to be honest. The plot was non- existent, and the movie was simply made up of lame joke after lame, stinking joke. Oliver James used to be good, in 'What a Girl Wants,' he is a half decent actor and is rather hot too, but this film is simply a great disappointment if you were watching it only for him. And really, that seems like the only reason anyone would watch this movie, because honestly, you would be better off cleaning the bathroom or writing a ten-page essay as this would be both more entertaining, and a better use of your time. Sure, if you're bored out of your mind, it is vaguely possible you might gain some slight entertainment value from this film, but you would have to be an immensely sad, lame-humoured person for such an impossibility to occur.

I am aware this is a sequel.

But if you haven't seen that one, this is a fun movie. No one will win awards for acting, but Kristopher Turner is quite likable and Rik Young eventually shows he is more than just a spoiled brat, although he is quite appealing in a way from the time we meet him. Oliver James has kind of an uptight clueless quality but eventually shows us some degree of substance.

The guys learn a lot about each other, and this movie turns out to be more than just silly comedy.

The villains have a lot in common with The Three Stooges, which is good news for our heroes, but things do get kind of scary.

The girls are gorgeous and do an okay job of acting.

And what about the Sasquatch? Fans of football great Jerry Rice may be the only ones to appreciate him. He does not have a future as an actor.

One thing is certain: this movie hammers home a pro-environment message. The scenery is gorgeous like the girls, and the idea is to keep it that way.

Can the entire family enjoy it? Maybe. More cautious parents might not care for the suggestive dialogue, and it is implied the girls are more than just friends. On the other hand, there is more sexual humor that suggests otherwise. There is cartoon violence including the favorite type of fans of the longest-running show that had Tom Bergeron as a host. The difference is that it really does hurt and we see what happens afterward.

Also ridiculous: the animated squirrels. It's great work for those who produced them, but this movie is too naughty for the young children who might just be the only ones to enjoy their antics.

It's a fun adventure.

"Without a Paddle: Nature's Calling" (2009) is a comedy/adventure about three old friends who venture into the Northwest wilderness to find a girl whom one of them fell in love with when they were kids. She's now a hippie tree-hugger, but stands to inherit a fortune. Will they find her? Will they even get back alive?

This "sequel" was only made because the first movie, 2004's "Without a Paddle," was a minor hit at the box office, making three times its expense in the USA alone. As you can see from the above synopsis, "Nature's Calling" is merely a retread of the same plot with slight variations and different actors. It also cost $12.7 million less.

If you liked the first film you might appreciate this one, but it's anemic by comparison, not that the first one was that good. The protagonists are likable and the filmmaking is hip, including the soundtrack, but the shenanigans are only mildly amusing and the girls, again, aren't anything to get too excited about, although the brunette is the best of both worlds. The over-the-top scene with the squirrels is easily the best scene and is almost worth the price of admission. I suggest only watching this one if you're a fan of the first movie and want to see a lesser film with the same plot and tone.

An interesting difference is that this one was actually shot in the Great Northwest, in the wilderness East of Portland, rather than New Zealand.

The film runs 96 minutes.

GRADE: Borderline C- or C

When I heard a a sequel had been made to "Without a Paddle," I was kind of excited. Dax, Matt Lillard & Seth Green were pretty fun in the first movie, so I expected a decent flick. With a cast of relative no names, this movie seems to be a more straight to DVD type of movie. The biggest name had to be Hall of fame football player Jerry Rice, playing crazy woodsman "Hal Gore."

Two lifelong friends (a laid back nurse and a stressed lawyer) and a Limey-Brit must take raft down river, in search of a beautiful hippie girl, who lives deep in the Oregon woods. Adventures unfold with white rapids, crazy squirrels and angry mobsters making things tough on the guys.

All in all, the movie is pretty entertaining throughout. Very simple and kind of silly plot, with a fair amount of laughs. This is a movie that kids will enjoy a lot more than adults and overall I found the first movie in this series to be better than this one.

I'll be the first to admit, I'm VERY tolerant when it comes to movies. I will watch almost anything at least once. This movie was no exception, and after the first movie (which I have to admit I liked) I figured there was no harm in watching this one.

I almost never say this... but, I wish I'd turned the channel. Seriously, that is saying a LOT for me. I willingly sit through movies that most people cannot stand. I knew from the start that this was not actually a sequel to the second as far as characters and events; but rather of concept and idea. I have no problem with that. My problem is, the things that made the first movie endearing to me (a halfway decent script, fairly likable characters, and a nice good feeling at the end) were completely missing from this one. Add in goofy CGI squirrels (such things have a proper time and place people, come on!) and it was bordering on unwatchable.

I will say, you just cannot blame this on the actors, because that part wasn't bad - the material they had to work WITH was the problem. This movie started off on the wrong foot with a shaky script. And the actors are really the only reason I've rated this even as high as I have.