Adam Sandler�s Happy Madison Productions has done it again, if �it� means producing another mediocre comedy using a formulaic plot to generate another box office failure. The company has steadily declined in its hit-making capabilities since its namesake debuted, recently putting out the clunkers �Mr. Deeds� and �I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry.� Now Sandler gives us the bumbling antics of �Strange Wilderness,� a stinker that may be his worst yet.

The premise at least is slightly more original than usual, but the plot quickly falls into the sight gag assembly line. �Strange Wilderness� follows the inept character of Peter Gaulke (Steve Zahn, �Rescue Dawn�), a loser who has inherited his father�s television wilderness show and is struggling to keep it on the air. When the network informs his crew that they have two weeks until the show is cancelled, Gaulke follows a lead and a map with the supposed location of the legendary Bigfoot in a last-ditch effort to save his show. This takes Gaulke and his crew of misfits and junkies on a ludicrous hunt for the mythical beast while competing against their rival TV show�s host, Sky Pierson.

Besides Zahn, the �Wilderness� crew integrates some of Sandler�s usual cast of buddies, including Allen Covert and Peter Dante (�Big Daddy�), with other promising up-and-coming stars of comedy, like Jonah Hill (�Superbad�), Kevin Heffernan (�Super Troopers�) and Justin Long (�Accepted�).

Any promise the film had rested in its stars, but even here �Strange Wilderness� is a considerable letdown. Despite these encouraging names, a major downfall comes from the screenwriters� failure to build upon the actors� past, far more successful roles. Hill, for example, is unfortunately reduced to a rather inadequate supporting role, with his character�s comedic qualities being limited to an indeterminate accent, an ability to write vulgar songs and a tendency to strike fellow cast members in the groin. Hill fans will be frustrated as once again his lead role abilities are once again overlooked. Similarly, Heffernan plays a quiet, polite character � quite the opposite of his best role thus far, as Farva in �Super Troopers.�

Such disappointments are a repeated theme in �Strange Wilderness,� which is riddled with sophomoric comedy and grade school humor, typified by an obnoxiously lengthy scene in which the crew takes cheap shots at a character named Dick. The funniest scene in the movie � a ridiculous 20-second loop of a shark accompanied by a raspy belly laugh � was already featured in the trailer and on TV spots. The best part of the film, then, can be watched without squandering precious dollars on theater admission.

�Wilderness� is just another sad attempt at farcical comedy by Happy Madison Productions, and it goes to show that if one film makes enough money, Hollywood will produce a dozen lookalikes to turn a quick buck, especially at this time of year during the pre-Oscars lull. Most jokes fall flat, the production seems rushed, and it�s difficult to say if even those involved actually cared about the film.

While lovers of mindless comedy will be somewhat satisfied, �Strange Wilderness� has neither the brains nor heart to appeal to anyone else.

1 1/2 stars out of 5