- Title: Hundreds of Beavers
- IMDb: link
Basically a live-action WB cartoon whose plot could easily star Porky Pig or Daffy Duck mixed with a bit of low-budget gameplay, the slapstick Hundreds of Beavers introduces us to an applejack salesman turned fur trapper after the factory is destroyed by beavers. Jean Kayak (Ryland Brickson Cole Tews) is forced to reinvent himself as he learns, with much trial and error, to survive the wilderness, hunt rabbits and beavers, outsmart racoons, and avoid wolves (all of which are played by humans dressed in mascot costumes walking around on their hindlegs which help give the film its unique charm).
The film is wacky nonsense from beginning to end, but director Mike Cheslik‘s bizarre little film (shot in black-and-white on a shoestring budget) is an incredibly creative and enjoyable bit of wacky nonsense.
While keeping mostly to Jean and his struggles, we do get a few other human characters such as the disapproving Merchant (Doug Mancheski) who trades useful items to Jean for the pelts he offers, the Merchant’s devilish daughter the Furrier (Olivia Graves) who catches Jean’s eye to the constant consternation of her father, and the Master Fur Trapper (Wes Tank) who teaches Jean skills needed to thrive (only some of which stick).
At 108 minutes, the film does suffer a bit of lull with the gags getting somewhat stale before the story ramps back up in the final act and the final showdown with the beavers. Shortening the film to under 90 minutes would have helped to avoid those peaks and valleys. That said, Hundreds of Beavers is a crazy amount of fun, featuring only very cartoonish violence, and unlike anything you are likely to find elsewhere. A throwback to the slapstick silent films of Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton with modern sensibilities and the zaniness ratcheted way up, it’s certainly one of the most memorable movies of 2024.
Watch the trailer
