There were a lot of big studio films I had wanted to review this week, from Civil War, to The First Omen, still gotta see Immaculate, hell, I even thought of reviewing Spermworld, because I’m sure you can fathom the drink I would make for that. That was until I saw today’s film; one I heard about a while ago and kind of forgot about. Even though it technically premiered in 2023, it is now available to watch to the public through digital streaming, and I gotta tell ya, you absolutely should watch Hundreds of Beavers.
As both an homage to the silent and slapstick eras, Hundreds of Beavers is a riotous and dare I say audacious imagining of a live-action Looney Toons cartoon. This thing is just non-stop silliness, utilizing hilarious sight gags, well placed sound design, and a surrealist winter world to craft a familiar yet incredibly unique take on man versus nature. At first glance, it feels like a film that would be so easy to phone-in, yet the execution is so high effort and imaginative, that I just can’t help but say that this is hands down one of the best films I’ve seen this year.
Set in 19th century colonial wilderness, a drunkenly joyous applejack distiller loses his entire business thanks in part to the meddling of mischievous woodland critters. With the unforgiven winter rolling in and no discernible assets or skills to his name, the man known as Jean Kayak must brave the elements and learn the trade of trapping if he is to survive. Along the way he fancies the daughter of a grouchy merchant, forcing him to take on the seemingly endless hordes of the forest’s rabbits, raccoons, and of course, beavers.
This is the feature directorial debut of one Mike Cheslik, who also co-wrote the film along with star and man of 4 names, Ryland Brickson Cole Tews. And what a hell of a way to introduce yourself to the world, because truthfully there’s not many films I’ve seen out there that look like this. Shot in black and white and utilizing a mixture of real life wooded locations, vintage looking sets and digitally imposed backgrounds, this film proudly wears its goofy, shoestring budget identity on its sleeve. The visuals just work, reminding me of an old pop-up booking detailing the tail of old American folklore. The film’s technical limitations hardly ever feel like limitations at all, nailing a charming fantasy world aesthetic that, and I’m not joking, honestly give Dune 2 a run for their money when it comes to impressiveness. The same goes for the animals, who the film makes no honest attempt at capturing realistically. These bipedal mascots are so hilariously stupid looking, but the world building is done so well that you hardly ever remember these are guys in suits. Well…okay, obviously you do, but it’s not an element that weighs heavy on your mind and contains a lot of the same charm as old movie animatronics or kaiju rubber suits.
Like I alluded to before, this is a film with little to no dialogue, meaning most of the story is told through the lead actor’s physical performance and the endless amount of visual gags. Ryland Brickson Cole Tews absolutely carries the narrative on his back through an incredibly expressive and animated performance. Jean Kayak’s journey from nothing to something isn’t exactly untrampled snow, but I can’t remember the last time I saw such a Chaplin-esque performance that managed to be so downright funny. He really goes through the wringer here, getting beat down by animal and mother nature constantly, yet never gives up and learns to adapt to the rules of the weird world he finds himself in. Tews’ performance is one of the reasons why a film like this works so well, because despite his surroundings he never feels too displaced, kind of like how a CGI character can feel in live action. And even when he does, it just amplifies the film’s charm anyhow. He’s just as offbeat and cartoony as the big-headed varmint he aims to capture, and I gotta give him huge props for this role.
Being that there’s no spoken dialogue for practically any of this, the film utilizes an absolute crap-ton of visual gags to keep things moving. It’s been a while since I’ve seen a film with this many rapid-fire jokes, but there’s far more hits than misses. Whether it be a callback to classic slapstick or adopting the framework of an old video game, this had me at best laughing, and at worst, with a big smile on my face. Even though it employs a lot of old fashioned comedic techniques and setups, there’s a lot of modern comedic tactics at play here too that just blend so seamlessly. Things like a well cut scream or a dynamic camera zoom mesh so well and never really break the immersion of what the filmmakers were going for. There’s very little time to breathe but it never feels suffocating, allowing for any dud jokes to be quickly swept away by a good one. Some jokes even continue to build throughout the film, like Kayak learning how to weaponize his misfortunes for his benefit. And of course, the violence in here is so gruesomely cartoonish. Heads get ripped off, limbs get devoured and ragdolls get thrown every which way. It’s hokey but so effective. The climax features a top notch bar brawl and a chase sequence that genuinely cannot be described by words; you just need to see it for yourself.
I guess if I were to have one minor complaint, it would be that parts of the 2nd act kind of drag a bit, getting a tad repetitive at times. Yet the film is so smartly constructed that it does manage to find ways to alter things ever so slightly so you’re always engaged. But other than that, what an ingenious film this is. Hundreds of Beavers is the kind of comedy film I didn’t think we could get in this day and age. Echoing the timeless comedic stylings of the past, the film is chock full of absurdist insanity that manages to be so rapid-fire but so consistent at the same time. This is a, in theory, low effort concept amplified by a committed and unique presentation, charming silent era acting, and an endearing wit that rarely ever misses a beat. This is the kind of low budget filmmaking on steroids I live to see, and I’m so happy I finally got to watch this. If you can see this in a theater with others I would absolutely jump at the opportunity, but if you want to watch it at home, it’s available to rent on Apple TV and Prime Video. Get your friends together (and maybe a few drinks) and get ready for a hell of a time.
Oh also, the title drop happens with like 20 mins left in the movie. Legendary.
RATING
TUNDRA APPLEJACK
Jean Kayak was once a simple applejacker, until those meddling critters destroyed his operation. Now burried in the snow, Kayak must dig his way out of a icey grave, despite his penchant for a good libation. This cocktail is a blend of Kayak’s past and the frozen wilderness he finds himself in. While it does not use applejack itself, you’re still going to get the same crisp, burning flavor profile, alongside the woodsey flavor of fresh rosemary!
INGREDIENTS
- 2oz overproof bourbon
- 2oz hard apple cider
- 1/2oz rosemary syrup
- crushed ice
- a few drops of bitters
- Garnish: rosemary
INSTRUCTIONS
- In a copper cup, add the bourbon, cider and syrup.
- Add a bit of crushed ice and stir to chill.
- Top with more crushed ice.
- Garnish with rosemary sprigs and a few drops of bitters.
The Martini Shot 