Every time I show the trailer of Mike Cheslik’s 2023 film, ‘Hundreds of Beavers,’ to anybody, I am met with a similar, confused response as to what I have just forced them to watch. On the surface, the film looks weird and low-budget and…yes that is all true but trust me, that couldn’t be more of the point. The film follows the Furrier/Jean Kayak (Ryland Brickson Cole Tews) as he loses his business and then has to hunt and sell animals to survive. What makes this film distinct is that it is a black-and-white silent movie with clear Looney Tunes and video game inspirations. Oh, and that every animal is played by someone in a mascot costume. This film is pure madness and though I can appreciate that that it’s not everyone’s cup of tea, I loved every second.
I’m not lying that there is a joke in this film every couple of seconds. Though there is some brilliant humour in their one-off gags, the comedy shines in their recurring jokes. The jokes are bizarre and can be unfunny the first few times they happen but by the end, you can’t help but laugh. The movie essentially throws so many jokes at you, that you are worn down into loving it, like a comedic Stockholm syndrome. This slapstick comedy couldn’t have been achieved or even attempted without the phenomenal acting of Tews. He captures the silent film genre perfectly through his physical comedy and has to get my credit for the sheer amount of times he was brutally shoved over by a man dressed as a 6-foot beaver.
The animals (people in giant, cheesy mascot costumes) are the real highlight of this film. By using these ridiculous costumes, it adds another surreal element to the film as these animals will just act like humans both in their actions and mannerisms, which in turn makes their gruesome deaths even funnier. The costumes also reflect the small budget of the film, an apparently obvious fact when watching the film. However, whilst some films would crumble under the lack of budget, Hundreds of Beavers achieves a certain charm, making you smile throughout as you are able to see every ounce of love that was poured into this film. It feels like something you’d spend hours making when you were a kid, only significantly better.
they used to turn dead beavers into hats. we turned them into a movie #HundredsOfBeaversMovie #indiefilm #film #filmmaking #filmmaker #filmfestival #cinema #independentfilm #movie #cinematography #indiefilmmaking #supportindiefilm #indiefilmmaker #indie #films #comedy pic.twitter.com/dQ9meLSO8Z
— Hundreds of Beavers Movie (@beaversfilm) April 19, 2023
Though I loved this film, it does risk being too quirky, especially due to its nearly 2-hour runtime. Some jokes can wear a bit thin, and the pacing does slow down in the second act before the insane finale. The style and absurdist nature of this film can repulse some cinemagoers and it’s not hard to understand why. However (speaking as a biased Looney-Tunes-Enjoyer) those people are wrong. This film is mad from start to finish and once it puts a smile on your face, it’s very difficult for you to get rid of it.
Verdict – 4/5
A special thanks to Leeds International Film Festival.
