Sasquatch Sunset

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.

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.

There are some beautiful things about this film. The photography is one of them. The music is also fitting. The rest is meh.

I guess one could dig deep and try to find as many meanings as one wants into this movie and that is certainly something that we should cherish. Spoon-feeding movies are not the solution. However, I'm pretty sure we can find a balance between an on-the-nose flick and this.

It is categorized as a comedy/drama/action/adventure, depending what website you check. Truthfully, if you have the sense of humor of a 12 year old, I can see the fun in it. However it becomes old quite quickly. When it comes to the drama...I don't know? When something bad happens is because the creatures are just stupid.... And when it comes to action or adventure? The most action-like moments happen off-screen and how can there be any sense of adventure when there is no sense of purpose. Meaning, direction, discovery, and desire?

There is no momentum, there is nothing going on but eating, having sex (or trying to), and pooping. I guess these are all worthy things to explore in a film, but making a feature film out of this is a bit ridiculous. I could this being a short film from some filmmakers trying to establish their style and showcase their skills, but a feature film? What for? We had at least a dozen eating scenes and none were substantially different than the others or had any particular implication.

I still give it a 5/10 because, as mentioned at the beginning, it is a movie that looks and sounds good. Too bad there is no story or rhythm or anything going on really.

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.

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.