Almost Heroes 1998

In 1804, Leslie Edwards, Matthew Perry, a foppish aristocrat, teams with the loud, blunt Bartholomew Hunt, Chris Farley, as they race to chart a route across the United States to the Pacific, aiming to outpace the renowned Lewis & Clark expedition. Edwards arrives with ambition and funding, but his sheltered upbringing leaves him ill-prepared for the rugged realities of the frontier. To guide the journey, he hires Hunt, a supposed wilderness-man and tracker who quickly proves less capable than advertised, his bravado often curdling into trouble.

They are joined by a rugged crew of frontiersmen and Shaquinna, the group’s version of Sacagawea, a young Indian woman who becomes an essential navigator and source of wisdom on the perilous trek. Shaquinna, Lisa Barbuscia, also grows close to Edwards, transforming from aide to confidante and eventually a focal point of the expedition’s emotional center, helping to steady the team through tense moments and shifting loyalties.

The journey throws them into a barrage of challenges: tense encounters with Indigenous tribes, dangerous wildlife, and the looming presence of Hidalgo, a fearsome Conquistador figure who adds a volatile obstacle to their path. Hidalgo’s appearances intensify the danger and push the group to rely on one another’s strengths, even as Hunt’s missteps threaten to derail every progress they make. Amid the hardships, food shortages squeeze the camp, and romantic misfires complicate the dynamics, testing Edwards’ patience, humility, and capacity for leadership.

Yet, through the trials, a transformation unfolds. Edwards sheds much of his aristocratic swagger, learning to value camaraderie, courage, and a more grounded sense of honor. Hunt, in turn, discovers genuine friendship with Edwards and a newfound sense of self-confidence he hadn’t known he possessed, a shift that begins to redefine his identity beyond bravado and bluster.

After a grueling sequence of setbacks and small victories, the scouts reach the Pacific coast just moments before Lewis & Clark would arrive, and the moment feels like a culmination of a fierce race as well as a personal conversion for both men. But the triumph doesn’t simply mark an end; it triggers a collective reconsideration of what they want from their lives. Rather than returning to their old roles, they choose to press forward, deciding to continue their expedition and extend their exploration into uncharted territories, driven by a shared thirst for discovery and a broader sense of adventure that has evolved beyond rivalry.**