You probably won't find a more mixed up movie until Spielberg elects to direct another half baked Kubrick idea.

Based on a mix of Deliverance, Stand By Me and Road Trip, with references to Butch & Sundance, Lord Of The Rings and Predator, Without A Paddle works, on at least one of the levels it aims for... despite the alarming lack of originality.

Brought back together after the death of the fourth member of their group, a trio of 20-somethings talk about old times and stumble upon the idea of going on a river trip in search of some lost treasure.

Dan (Seth Green) is the neurotic doctor who won't take risks, Jerry's (Matthew Lillard) the leader of the group whose life needs a make-over and Tom (Dax Shepard) is the class clown that never grew up.

The opening act is dominated by the sort of sentimentality that you’d expect from any movie with designs on being the Stand By Me for the 20-somethings. Fortunately, it doesn’t maintain this approach.

Seemingly out of nowhere, the tone changes. The buddy comedy is exchanged for slapstick humour and, possibly because of the surprise change in tact, it really works.

This is a film that isn't constrained to the rules of the world it's in – like George Clooney suddenly being attacked by vampires in From Dusk 'Till Dawn, the style of comedy that takes over here doesn't belong. However, it is very, very funny.

For instance, an altercation between Dan and a wild bear is, quite frankly, silly and not the sort of set piece you’d see coming. But that’s why it hits the spot.

The occasional bum note is forgiven, such is the sincerity of the piece and earnest efforts of a cast who are playing parts made up of characters pieced together from various other movies.

It doesn’t stop at characterisation either – there are more movie references here than Halliwell's Film Guide but perhaps not as subtle as the filmmakers would have us believe – the Burt Reynolds cameo is a little bit heavy handed as, yes, we did get the Deliverance similarity.

Without A Paddle breaks no new ground and much of it is quite forgettable. But the bits that do work work so well you won’t regret giving up 90 minutes to give it a shot.

Rich Phippen