Sasquatch Sunset

Rating: 6.1 Overall, a decent film that mimics a nature documentary as we use to lens of the camera to look into the lives of sasquatches and how they parallel humans, but this movie was not really for me because of the excessive use of bodily fluids and grotesque comedy.

Decent to Pretty Good Direction (The direction on a macroscale is pretty good as they set the scenic shots well and show the beauty in secluded nature; the direction on a microscale is decent as they get a lot out of their actors through action-based acting (because there's no dialogue); storytelling is very slice-of-life (making it feel somewhat like a documentary), but there are some moments where they try to move the story forward)), Pretty Good Acting (Pretty Good from the cast (The whole cast acted as a unit to portray Sasquatches going about their day, and showed how they do have a good amount of humanity to them)), Decent to Pretty Good Story (The concept is interesting as it's a slice of life look into sasquatches (which helps give them humanity and show parallels to humans); the plot structure is not really present as the movie tries to be mostly slice of life, while also shoving in shock and grotesque humor; flow between sequences is pretty bad as lot of the movie feels disjointed; character writing is decent as it helps show the parallels between humans and sasquatches), Decent Screenplay (the humor is pretty overt as they try super hard to shock and show grotesque subjects (with this sometimes hitting and sometimes not); the symbolism is decent as it's about looking at humanity from the lens of Sasquatch; the foreshadowing is nonexistent), Pretty Good Score (Used well in the establishing shots), Pretty Good to Good Cinematography (Used well in the scenic/nature shots as it helped make the movie seem like a documentary), Pretty Good Editing (The way they cut the movie gave it a nature doc feel), Pretty Good Sound (Helped show the actions of the characters), Decent Visual Effects (Uses Practice effects well), Pretty Good Production Design (The nature setting is nice and helps show the wilderness), Very Good Makeup (Good use of full body makeup), Makeup (Good use of full body makeup), Very Good Costumes (Good use of costumes to make the actors look like sasquatches), Costumes (Good use of costumes to make the actors look like sasquatches), Pacing is very slow as a lot of the movie drags with its elongated/repetitive scenes, Climax is decent but just feels like a continuation of the rest of the movie, Tone is very similar to nature documentaries (with some comedic flavors), This movie was really not for me with the excessive bodily fluids and grotesque scenes; saw the Texas Premiere at SXSW.

Almost uniquely odd, "Sasquatch Sunset" won't appeal to all. Jesse Eisenberg, Riley Keough, Christophe Zajac-Denek & Nathan Zellner (unrecognisable all under heavy & impressive prosthetics) are a family of sasquatch (aka bigfoot and/or yeti) seen roaming the Californian jungles over a year in the '80s. The screenplay (from David Zellner - who co-directed with brother Nathan) is divided into the four seasons, thru which the four forage, fish, re-produce, and curiously react to their surroundings. Having no narration it's not a mockumentary, but also with no dialogue (except grunts etc) it won't easily engage everyone, despite being interesting & relatively well made.

Sasquatch Sunset starts off as a laugh riot. For the first hour, the Zellner brothers deliver a surprisingly hilarious portrayal of a Sasquatch family navigating the trials and tribulations of...well, Sasquatch life. From their hilariously primal attempts at courtship to their unrefined digestive habits, the film finds humor in the unexpected, and anyone with a decent sense of humor will find themselves snorting with laughter.

Then, the sun inexplicably sets on the comedy. The light-hearted mood takes a sharp turn in the second half, venturing into surprisingly serious territory. Themes of life, death, and the struggle for survival come crashing in, leaving the audience with a gut punch where there were once guffaws. Here's the problem: the tonal shift feels unearned. Sasquatch Sunset spends so much time establishing itself as an absurdist comedy that the sudden seriousness feels jarring, like two entirely different movies stitched together.

It's a shame. The first hour is pure comedic gold, and the Zellner brothers deserve credit for their audacious premise. But the jarring shift into somber territory leaves the viewer feeling cheated. It's like being promised a cupcake and then getting served a bowl of lukewarm broccoli instead. If you're looking for a laugh-out-loud comedy, you'll have a blast with the first half of Sasquatch Sunset. Just be prepared for the unexpected emotional downpour in the final act.

A "nature" film follows four Sasquatch living in their habitat. Going through the natural cycle of the seasons and mating season, they travel through the woods. As they migrate across the region, they sense a change, encounter strange things, and experience tragedy.

This movie is supposed to be a comedy, which may be appropriate if you are really into dark humor. However, the movie has no dialogue, which can cause your attention to drift. Quite a few WTF moments will make you laugh and take a moment. The movie's underlying premise is how humans affect the environment and natural habits. This movie is not for everyone, but it will impress you if you can get through it. Stream it for something different.

Granted, I had never heard about this 2024 movie titled "Sasquatch Sunset" prior to sitting down to watch it. So I didn't know what I was in for here, aside from it apparently being a comedy with sasquatches.

Well, this movie wasn't really much of a comedy, and I wasn't brought to any laughs throughout the course of the 88 minutes that the movie ran for. It was, however, a very, very unique movie. I must admit that in my many years of watching movies, then I have never actually experienced anything like what directors David Zellner and Nathan Zellner delivered here. "Sasquatch Sunset" is a movie that will find easily find a liking with everyone in the audience as it is a rather odd and unique movie experience.

You actually come to care for the sasquatches as they trek through the wilderness and you sort of form an attachment to them, basking in their accomplishments and grieving with them in their loss and sadness. And that was a nice accomplishment from writer David Zellner and performers Jesse Eisenberg, Riley Keough, Christophe Zajac-Denek and Nathan Zellner.

I must admit that I actually enjoyed watching "Sasquatch Sunset", because it was not a mainstream movie. And the fact that it wasn't a comedy didn't really matter, because the movie proved to be entertaining nonetheless.

"Sasquatch Sunset" is a visually impressive movie. I really liked the sasquatch designs, because they looked realistic and believable. Well, as realistic and believable as imaginary creatures can get. The costume designs were really good and added a lot of flavor to the movie. But not only was the costume designs good, but the entire way that the movie was shot, with the nature locations and the cinematography, that was quite aesthetic as well, adding great layers to the overall impression of the movie.

And in all my years of watching movies, I never thought I would ever see sasquatches fornicate, defecate and urinate on the screen. But here it is, in all its natural glory.

The movie only has four names on the cast list, and with Jesse Eisenberg being the only familiar name. I will say, though, that the acting performances in the movie were good, despite there being no dialogue.

If you enjoy movies that deviate from the norm and from the mainstream cinema, then you definitely should take the time to sit down and watch "Sasquatch Sunset". I was genuinely entertained throughout the course of the entire movie.

My rating of "Sasquatch Sunset" lands on a six out of ten stars.