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Almost Heroes

Our explorers are different.

Almost History... Almost Legends... Mostly Ridiculous.

This 1998 film took a lighter look at the concept of exploration in the early 1800's. Leslie Edwards (Matthew Perry) seeks to trek West, from the United States territory to the Pacific. Unfotunately, he finds himself in a race against the more famous Meriwether Lewis and William Clark, and lacking much in the way of the crew. Enter Bartholomew Hunt, a hefty, crass woodsman with a taste for booze. Accompanied by Hunt's hapless cohorts, a frenchmen and his Indian slave, the band sets out to beat the more famous Lewis and Clark at their own game.

This was Chris Farley's last movie before his premature death. His true final movie, Dirty Work, was released after it.

This film provides examples of:

Adaptation Distillation: In the historical sense.
Artistic License - Geography: "We can walk to Asia!"
Artistic License - Physics: Hunt is carried in the air... by an eagle. The saving throw is that it's done for laughs.
Badass Grandpa: "I am one of these braves!"
Chekhov's Gag: The eagle.
Companion Cube: One of the men carries a woman made of straw on the journey (he in fact brought her from a "whorehouse" full of them that they come across), completely convinced she's real.
Could Have Avoided This Plot: Apparently all that was needed to cure Edward's sickness was the shell of an eagle egg. It would have been nice to have told that to Hunt before he kept eating the eggs and having to go back for another.
The Dandy: Leslie Edwards.
Drinking Contest
Forbidden Fruit
Indian Maiden
Outdoor Bath Peeping
Playing Against Type: Chris Farley as the mostly competent sidekick, a role usually reserved for David Spade.
Rule of Funny/Three: Hunt's trials in obtaining an egg.