‘Hundreds of Beavers’ Review: A Comedic Masterpiece

One of the best films of the year has everyone talking, and is now seeing a nationwide re-release this month. How has a film with such a goofy title, a budget of only $150,000, and no dialogue accrued such acclaim? Quite simply: it’s funny as all hell.

Hundreds of Beavers is a film that harks back to comedies of the silent era, reminding us where movies started. It perfectly captures the wonder and creativity that Buster Keaton and Charlie Chaplin displayed almost a hundred years ago.

It’s the most giddy, inventive, and confidently laugh-out-loud funny film of the year! The way in which the cast and crew have concocted such a low-fi yet high entertainment value film is inspiring, and I for one love to see it.

Low Budget, High Energy

What’s most amazing about the film is its lack of a budget. Made with approximately $150,000, the creativity and hard work at play is unparalleled. Especially compared to the dozens of overblown and stale blockbusters that have come out this year, the authentic look and feel of HOB is refreshing. Director Mike Cheslik raised the funds over four years, and wrote the script with lead actor Ryland Brickson Cole Tews. These two clearly have a knack for comedy, storytelling, and have seen their fair share of Looney Tunes cartoons. The comic energy bursts at the seams, with writer/actor Brickson Cole Tews doing a lot to make this movie work.

Playing the main character “Jean Kayak”, applejack salesman turned fur-trapper, Ryland Brickson Cole Tews has a hell of a time. Between the woodland creatures, The Merchant, and his own stupidity, Jean Kayak takes a beating in this film. The physical comedy on display is ceremonious- every act of slapstick leading to another heroic act of comic genius. What results is a rambunctious comedy that moves at a break-neck speed, giving you barely enough time to breathe in between each joke, gag, or show of comedic violence.

Comedy Then Vs Now

What gives this zany-feel-good-slapstick masterpiece is its unbridled wholesomeness. While there are a few darker jokes or moments in the story, the violence is purely comedic, and raunchiness is left at the door. So many modern comedies tend to fall back on shockingly raunchy or gross situations, and vulgar language. It’s nice to see that the good old-fashioned comedic values are still being utilized by filmmakers today. There is a mad-cap energy inspired by the screwball comedies of the 70s and silent comedies of the 30s. In tapping into the comedic values of earlier decades, HOB creates something fresh and familiar all the same.

Cheslik and his team certainly leaned into this style, also using animation as a way to counter the low budget. Weather effects, animals, and scenes of operatic action are achieved with an old-school style of animation that lends itself nicely to the fantastical story. Using animal mascots, a snowy location, and clever animation, Cheslik has created a world all his own. It both reaches back to the past while staying timely as ever, using modern day techniques to achieve classic comedy.

Why Hundreds of Beavers Works

It’s funny like an old movie, and its budget is humble, but why has this ridiculous film garnered so much love? With a 97 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, and a re-release all over the country this month, its clear people are loving these beavers. Despite its clear inspiration, the film is truly unique. Taking characteristics of old cartoons and silent films, Cheslik has created an entirely enjoyable fable, and that’s what speaks to all of us. With a few dark jokes aside, the film is warmly welcoming to all ages. The comedy is timeless, and just about anyone with a sense of humor will find themselves properly cracked up.

You don’t see films of such unabashed joy anymore. The most popular of films this year have been gritty horror films and lifeless dramas- and while every genre has its place- there has been a clear drought of comedies in Hollywood. There have been some quality comedic films this year sure, with The Fall Guy and Y2K coming to mind. These, as most modern films however, are infused with other genres, action and horror. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen a *strictly* comedic film, and one that uses a formula to its advantage, instead of drowning in cliches and exposition.

What we can Learn from Hundreds of Beavers

My biggest take away from watching Hundreds of Beavers is that there is hope. Hope for low budget indie filmmakers. Hope for creative comedies. Hope for filmmakers who just want to show audiences a good time. I think back to the 1941 comedy Sullivan’s Travels, whose ultimate message is that people need laughter more than anything. And these days, with everything going on outside the theaters, laughter is more essential than ever. So many films and TV shows are being made to depress us, to give us glimpses of a harsher-than-life reality. Otherwise we’re getting sequels, reboots, and remakes up the wazoo- it’s pathetic. With HOB, Cheslik, Brickson Cole Tews, and their crew are showing us that it doesn’t take much to make a quality, lighthearted film.

What’s most distressing however, is that I am the only person I know who has seen this film, and that goes to show you how the media works its hands. I didn’t see any advertising for this film when it released in September, and I only heard about it through an ad marketing its re-release. While smaller films such as this may eventually get the recognition they deserve, they do not get the same chances as big budget Hollywood films. I bet you this film played for a weekend or so at smaller, local theaters, while unfortunate movies like Megalopolis and Beetlejuice Beetlejuice maintained their wide releases. If there’s anything to learn from Cheslik’s masterpiece, it’s that smaller filmmakers are out there brimming with original ideas, and its about time we let them take the wheel.

Hundreds of Beavers is streaming now on Amazon Prime.