Sasquatch Sunset

Well, I didn't actually knew what to expect, but in the end it was a quite entertaining experience.

The Zellner brothers introduced the movie to the audience at the Berlinale and said it probably is the weirdest Sasquatch movie. It is.

While some scenes are excessively obscene, we had some good laughs over the blunt portrayal of this family living in the woods. You will probably say WTF a dozen times. I understand that some people walked out of the theater. However, in my opinion, the movie manages to balance obscenity, humor and drama quite good.

Personally, I was pleasantly surprised how much story one can tell without using a single spoken word, and with only little facial expression. I believe the actors tried their best, but one could see that the costumes limited overall movement and expressions.

I would probably not pay 15 bucks again to watch the movie in a theater, but it wasn't too bad after all. A solid 7/10.

I had a real hard time trying to figure out a score for this film, much less an overall impression of it. Frankly, you just don't see film like this any more.

I can understand if some audiences don't get it, mainly because it feels like the Star Wars Holiday Special on a severe drug bender. But once you peel away the Sasquatch mating rituals, birthing scene and other idiosyncrasies that make up this experience, you start to piece together the meaning the Zellner brothers were most likely seeking. They posit the reason why we don't see sasquatches is because they just don't exist anymore.

Like the last days of a failing empire, this very well might be the last Sasquatch family in the Pacific Northwest. Some people won't like the reasoning behind it, but it's the usual blame falling on deforestation and human infringement. I'm sure some might derive more meaning, but this is the base understanding I took away from this film.

Sasquatch Sunset is definitely not for everyone, but if you are a curious film goer, you might find something interesting in this bizarre and completely one of a kind movie. Just be ready for weird nature stuff....because I sure wasn't.

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.

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.

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.