In a North American forest, we follow a family of Sasquatches. There are four members to the family: the Alpha male (Nathan Zellner), a female (Riley Keough), a young male (Jesse Eisenberg), and a child (Christophe Zajac-Denek). The story spans a year, beginning in the season of spring. Throughout this year, we watch the family spend their days cautiously exploring unknown territories, wandering through the beautiful forest, and enjoying their freedom while hunting for food. They prepare a home each night to sleep in and take joy in counting the stars. The Sasquatches frequently interact with each other, communicating in their language, which consists of lots of grunting and other noises.
As the Sasquatches continue to explore deeper in the forest, they begin to discover unknown areas and encounter multiple complex, life-threatening, and shocking challenges. As a family they are about to go on a whole new kind of journey and experience, but be warned: this journey will also be filled with moments of tragedy and heartbreak. Despite the hurdles, they must continue forward as a family and work together to survive.
Sasquatch Sunset is a drama and adventure that incorporates elements of comedy through wacky, raunchy, and disgusting moments (seriously, you have been warned). The film was directed by David Zellner and Nathan Zellner, also known as The Zellner Brothers. Their previous collaborations include Damsel (2018) and Kumiko, the Treasure Hunter (2014).
The film is visually flawless and stunning. It features breathtaking cinematography and scenery, all taking place in great locations within a colourful forest. The Sasquatch costumes look realistic, making it nearly impossible to discern which actors are in which costume. Their movements and grunting dialogue are convincing, making it feel like viewers are experiencing something intensely fresh and new. The film’s pacing is slow, but that’s to be expected, considering it follows a family of Sasquatches.
One aspect of the film that I thought was well done is the drama. The score by The Octopus Project also complemented the drama nicely, creating touching, compelling, and even sad moments on-screen. The plot had some surprising twists, which caught me off guard and took me by surprise. While I enjoyed the drama, I didn’t enjoy the comedy aspects. The comedy felt not only ridiculous but also excessively crude and dirty. I found that the comedy detracted from the film’s dramatic impact, making it hard to take the severe moments seriously. Even when I was engrossed in a scene, the crude and childish gags would make me roll my eyes, such as the Sasquatches spraying poo, urinating frantically to mark their territory, and picking their noses. Additionally, the film’s ending felt abrupt, as if the film didn’t know when to stop.
Overall, suppose you’re a movie lover looking for a unique experience; well, in that case, Sasquatch Sunset is a touching story. The film’s musical score adds to its beauty and drama as we follow a family of Sasquatches on an unexpected journey filled with adventure and compelling moments of drama. The costume design of the sasquatches is excellent, making all the leading characters look realistic and highly natural on the big screen. However, the film’s comedy didn’t work for me as it was often distasteful or childish, and the pacing, as expected, going in, was slow. This film offers a unique and visually stunning experience, but the humour and pacing may not be to everyone’s preference.
Sasquatch Sunset (2024) will be screening at BIFF2024! For session times and more information, please check out the link here: https://biff.com.au/
7.1/10
22nd September 2024
Written by Peter Walkden
THANK YOU FOR VISITING!
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