It has been a while since I’ve seen a movie as clever and as bonkers as Hundreds of Beavers. This is a movie that no studio would ever consider doing; it’s a fun and wild homage to the silent film era and the old B&W cartoons, most notably the Warner Brothers cartoons. But really this film is more than that. It is rich with so much slapstick influence, while visually it’s a marvel with its use of miniatures and creating images that make it look like cell animation that has come to life … all while looking like a film that a group of friends got together and decided to make. On a surface level this film seems like it would fail, but after the first 15 minutes I was mesmerized and in love. I’d imagine the casual filmgoer would take a look at this film and immediately check out, and that’s fine. This is a movie for a niche audience and is destined for cult status … It’s funny … It’s weird … But what’s it all about?
The film kicks off with Jean Kayak (Ryland Brickson Cole Tews), an apple farmer who has his business destroyed by a group of beavers. Months later while trying to survive in the harsh winter, Jean struggles to find food, that is until a kind hunter takes him under his wing. But it isn’t long before a new threat comes along and Jean is left on his own again. I should mention that the animals in the film (raccoons, beavers, dogs, rabbits, etc.) are played by mascots … yes, people in costumes, and this only adds to the fun absurdity of the film. There is also the Merchant (Doug Mancheski) who Jean goes to for supplies. The Merchant has a daughter who Jean is fond of, but he has to prove himself to the father in order to ask for her hand in marriage. Just how does he need to prove himself, you may ask? Well, Jean has to become an accomplished trapper and bring the merchant “hundreds of beavers”. What ensues is a hilarious but repetitive quest we see Jean go on to kill all these beavers. There’s more to the story, and when this gets into the third act, it takes a fun little twist and just manages to get even crazier until the credits roll.
Sure, the plot is simple. Did this need to be 109 minutes? Not at all. There are portions of the film that are a bit tedious, but I’m willing to forgive it, because there is so much to enjoy and embrace in this film. The film was made on a shoestring budget of $150,000, which is impressive when you look at the budgets of even most independent films being made today. Some of the animation in the film looks like something out of the early days of South Park, while there is some clever use of miniatures along with many other in camera tricks that shows how far creative ingenuity can get you.
What I also found impressive was how the film pulls off the violence … Sure, it has a cartoon slapstick feel, but there are still some wild and goofy kills that done in a different way would easily have given this film an R rating or worse. The “gore” and “blood” in the film is simply replaced by plush toy stuffing. Some of the fight scenes get a bit crazy as knives, guns, saws and various other methods of killing are used, but it’s all over-the-top, cartoonish violence.
Director Mike Cheslik definitely knows what he is doing and does an impressive job at juggling so many stylistic and surreal art forms in the film. It’s as though we’re seeing Elmer Fudd being thrown into an Evil Dead film, but also capturing the essence of the works of Charlie Chaplin or Buster Keaton. This is a film that certainly had a vision, and it is impressive that everyone involved was able to collaborate and bring this vision to the screen. I understand that this film isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, but for those who are willing to try something that is a bit experimental, I feel many will have a blast with this film. The other hope I have for this film is that it will show those young film students out there or those wanting to create just what can be possible with a little creativity, a little ingenuity, and the right motivation. Micro-budget filmmaking is on the rise, with many finding YouTube as a platform to spread their films. While Hundreds of Beavers found success on the festival circuits, it is also paving the way for smaller films just like it in the near future.
