It is 1804 and the Corps of Discovery has started its historic trip up the Missouri River and trek to the Pacific Ocean. Meanwhile, Leslie Edwards (Matthew Perry) has grand plans of beating Lewis and Clark to the Pacific. However, he needs a guide. Bartholomew Hunt (Chris Farley) is just the man, if only Edwards can arrive in time to save him from execution. The pair assemble their own corps of adventurers. Of course, Edwards is a slave owner and brought Jonah (Bokeem Woodbine) along. One cannot venture into the vast wilderness without a French guide: Guy Fontenot (Eugene Levy) fills that roll. Inevitably, Frenchmen have Indian wives; Shaquinna (Lisa Barbuscia) is Guy's drop-dead gorgeous wife and Sacagawea knock off. Though starting two weeks after Lewis and Clark, Edwards presses to overtake them. There are many challenges to overcome: troops morale, a grizzly bear, Guy Fontenot's violent jealousy regarding his wife, river rapids, Indian tribes, acquiring eagle eggs, and most importantly, Hidalgo (Kevin Dunn) and his band of conquistadors.
The movie is mostly lowbrow slapstick silliness. Edwards is an effete gentleman with delusions of competence while Hunt is Chris Farley, which is to say he lacks volume control and gesticulates wildly. Guy spends most of his time verbally or physically attacking anyone who gazes upon his wife. Bidwell (David Packer) is the designated slapstick victim, loosing body parts as the journey continues westward. Then there is the story about the sheep shit pudding. Sigh. For a comedy, it is seldom funny.
As far as the historical setting, the most glaring anachronism was the presence of conquistadors. Did these guys get lost in the 16th century and stumble into early 19th century America? Obviously, as this is a silly comedy, it isn't meant to make sense and a goofball villain who styles himself as a conquistador is just the sort of silly nonsense one should expect. That would be easier to accept if it had been funny.
Skip.
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