All Rise...

Whoever wins between Judge David Johnson and the wild, we all lose.

Editor's Note

Our reviews of Man Vs. Wild: Season 2 (published February 28th, 2009), Man Vs. Wild: Season 3 (published August 21st, 2009), Man Vs. Wild: Season 4 (published May 4th, 2010), and Man Vs. Wild: Season 5 (published August 6th, 2011) are also available.

The Charge

(puke)

The Case

Look, I know Bear Grylls takes crap and some of his "man moments" are hilariously staged, but I'm more than willing to slide him the credit he deserves: the guy does insane things. And he does all these ridiculous Jackass-shaming stunts in the name of "educating" viewers on how to survive in various Hellscapes of our planet.

Right. Like any of us will ever be in the position to root around a camel carcass, suckling on one of its internal organs like a Hi-C juice box.

This guy is an entertainer, plain and simple, and the shenanigans he embarks upon while running around some godforsaken wasteland are done to shock and amuse us. Using that calculus, Mr. Grylls gets the job done.

If you don't want to navigate through entire episodes and just get to the stomach-churning stuff, Man vs. Wild: Top 25 Man Moments is for you. This is essentially a highlight compilation, a countdown delivered by Bear himself, detailing favorite hardcore moments from his various adventures.

Lots of familiar highlights here, including his Arctic skinny dip, sucking down a dung frappe, scaling a 300-foot railroad bridge with a chain, traversing a dangerous river on a dilapidated log bridge, drinking a snake's innards, and…the number one Man Moment…no, I can't say. But, if you're a fan of the show, I have no doubt you can surmise what the top entry is. I still can't believe the camera-man didn't vomit.

The DVD: standard definition 1.78:1 anamorphic widescreen, and Dolby 2.0 stereo. For bonus features, we get four additional episodes: "Pacific Island" (hint: this is the show featuring the number one moment), "Mexico," "Texas," and "Shooting Survival"—a behind-the-scenes special on how Bear's excursions are shot. To be honest, I have more respect for the crew, who are forced to do all the same crazy stuff while holding a camera.

The Verdict

Not Guilty. Props to any man who gives himself an—oops, almost spilled the beans.

Give us your feedback!

Did we give Man vs. Wild: Top 25 Man Moments a fair trial? yes / no

What's "fair"? Whether positive or negative, our reviews should be unbiased, informative, and critique the material on its own merits.

Share This Review

Follow DVD Verdict

Other Reviews You Might Enjoy

• Fear Factor: The First Season
• Trading Spaces: The Specials
• Wreckreation Nation: Season 1
• Hit Celebrity TV Commercials