Movie Review ~ Hundreds of Beavers

I’m fortunate to see many movies throughout the year, ranging from the insipidly awful to the profoundly moving. In my mind, they can’t all be skilled life-changers you make room for in your movie library, nor is it easy to write off the time and talented efforts of hundreds of people who have come together to make a film they hope an audience (nevermind a critic) will love. The hardest thing to do when making a movie nowadays is to give viewers something original, an experience they’ve never had before and won’t be able to capture again – even on subsequent viewings easily.  First impressions are everything, so if you’re going to take a big swing, aim sky high and let ‘er rip.

The filmmakers behind Hundreds of Beavers have certainly put a few distant clouds in their target when stepping up to the plate, and it’s not long into their wildly ambitious, boldly audacious movie that you understand just how much muscle they’ve put behind their project. Here is a movie that almost defies description…and in the best way possible. It’s a mostly silent film that harkens back to the days of Buster Keaton and Charlie Chaplin while emulating the slapstick animated comedies pioneered by Tex Avery and best remembered today via the gang of Looney Tunes characters. Part musical, part snowbound survivalist Western, it’s an incredibly inventive display of fast-flying jokes and physical comedy wrapped up in a subversively absurdist narrative.

In 19th century Wisconsin, applejack salesman Jean Kayak (Ryland Brickson Cole Tews) finds himself out in the cold when his drunken shenanigans result in a fire that burns down his home and business. Forced to find a way to survive in the bitter winter weather, the local wildlife torments Kayak. He attempts to hunt for food (all animals are played by actors in hand-sewn mascot suits or inventively manipulated puppets) but is thwarted by his ineptitude. Trapping his meals comes with trial-and-error hilarity. As he gradually gets the hang of living off the land, he encounters a local merchant (Doug Mancheski) and his daughter (Olivia Graves), to whom he often returns to sell pelts and gain supplies.

The more Kayak visits the daughter, the deeper in love he falls. However, her father demands that Kayak bring him ‘hundreds of beavers’ before he allows Kayak to have her hand in marriage. So begins our shaggy hero’s quest to eliminate a bevy of beavers in a variety of increasingly complex ways, get hitched to the gal of his dreams (actually, she’s the only woman in the vicinity), and start building a new life in the harsh conditions. Of course, he doesn’t count on that while his other prey has been somewhat easy to hunt, the beavers are far more advanced than they look and are prepared for the attack with a plot of their own…

Shot in black and white using various film techniques that range from stop motion to animation, director Mike Cheslik and his crew took four years to make Hundreds of Beavers, and the result is an instant cult classic with massive appeal. In full transparency, when I saw the 108-minute run time, I balked at first, especially considering the premise and style, but rest assured, this is one of the easiest, breeziest watches in a long time. As Kayak, Tews has the expressive face of a silent film star and the physicality to pull off the comedic bits while interacting with life-sized beavers, rabbits, wolves, dogs, and other creatures that pop up in the Wisconsin wilderness.  Many gags are tossed around, and it’s no small feat to have them land squarely inside the target more often than not.

Coupled with a jaunty score from Chris Ryan (that does, admittedly, get a bit repetitive as we reach the 90-minute marker), Cheslik shows a strong command of all the elements that come together to make Hundreds of Beavers the kind of film destined to be a bright spot in midnight madness line-ups around the world. Without excessive gore or nudity, it can play to a broader range of audience members, and though I wouldn’t classify it as a family film due to the violent nature of animal deaths, there is a charming inclusivity going on that only filmmakers emanating from the Midwest could have a handle on so well.

After making a massive splash at Austin’s Fantastic Fest in 2022, the demand for the film was such that the filmmakers are taking it on a mini roadshow around the country. Hosting a special Q&A with surprise guests and offering exclusive merchandise, these shows promise a perfect opportunity to experience the film with an audience. If you can’t do one of these screenings, the film will open in several cities for standard runs afterward. More than just a simple curiosity of a movie, Hundreds of Beavers is exceedingly well made and a hilariously effective mix of sight gags and unique storytelling. It may not be everyone’s cup of tea (and honestly, I wasn’t sure it would be mine), but if you respond positively to creativity run amok, you must check this out.

For a complete list of screenings: https://hundredsofbeavers.com/#watch