Slapstick Epic "Hundreds of Beavers" Riotously Earns Its Place Among the Great Comedies

Cinema possesses the power to show us things we've never seen before. All it takes is a single image to transform the medium beyond its wildest imagination. The Lumiére brothers showed the world what a train arriving at a station looked like. Alfred Hitchcock dispatched his unsuspecting protagonist with a shocking murder in her motel shower. Stanley Kubrick took us on an interstellar stargate vortex to a whole other plane of existence. But, most importantly, Mike Cheslik gave us a horse, but not just any horse — the greatest movie horse. If you're wondering why I'm fixated on a horse despite the fact that the feature I'm covering is titled "Hundreds of Beavers," (aside from it being one of the funniest things I've ever seen) it's because it goes to show how this one running sight gag (in an ocean of them) can leave the kind of impact most contemporary comedies would kill for. The remaining hour and 47 minutes not only cements writer-director-editor-VFX artist Cheslik as a must-watch filmmaker on the rise, but the film itself as a landmark of the genre. Equal parts live-action "Looney Tunes" and ode to the silent clowns, "Hundreds of Beavers" is an awe-inspiringly funny silent comedy adventure about Jean Kayak (Ryland Brickson Cole Tews), a drunken 19th century applejack salesman who falls on hard times after his whole operation goes up in flames. To get back on his barrel, Kayak takes to becoming a bonafide Wisconsin fur trapper. But the animals he's hunting are far from what you would expect. It wouldn't make for a particularly fun comedy if he were hunting real animals, therefore every creature, barring any puppets, are played by actors in large suits. It's exactly as funny as you're imagining. Tews masterfully plays the lovable woodland loser as if Bruce Campbell possessed Elmer Fudd, resulting in the ultimate slapstick punching bag. He's got an expressive face that manages to tell you so much about this character without him having to speak a single word. It's hard not to laugh about the increasingly hard objects that Tews shows off with a damaged, yet proud smile and a gargle of blood. There's an incredible gag where Kayak grabs two large blocks of wood to form a crucifix with his teeth, only to show that he gnawed on them to the extent that it also features a Jesus on it too. There's hardly a moment to catch your breath before Cheslik and Tews unleash a whole new wave of sight gags that never let up. It wasn't until my last rewatch that I noticed a "For Sale" real estate sign in one shot during a climactic action sequence that made me laugh harder than I already was. "Hundreds of Beavers" is the kind of indie filmmaking miracle you can't believe looks this good. Cheslik and co. wisely utilize a staggering $150,000 budget that puts swaths of studio filmmaking (and their bloated budgets) to shame. Every frame of this looks expensive, in spite of its charming DIY nature. Quinn Hester is the silent MVP, pulling double duty as cinematographer and lighting crew to make this black and white slapstick fever dream look like more than just pastiche. The smallest cues from this sound team (Bobb Barito, Blake Collins and Joanna Fang) make a thunderous impact in setting a tone all its own. A great example of how a little ingenuity can make a low-budget feature feel so much grander than its budgetary limitations. Beyond the characters themselves, the world in which they inhabit lives and breathes cartoon logic, brought to life through Cheslik's impressive proficiency with After Effects and Shutterstock. The titular beavers (of which he only had about five to six) are used wisely to create a surprising sense of scope. In spite of "Hundreds of Beavers" being a years-long undertaking (mostly in terms of a lengthy post-production process), the end result is cinema in its purest form. The film functions as a remarkable marriage of the silent era's vaudeville allure and the gonzo lunacy of Adult Swim, all wrapped up in a brand-new package of generational filmmaking that comes out on the other side as an evolution of the genre. Yes, I am indeed talking about the very same movie that features a sweet, yet horrifying meet-cute amid the disemboweling of a fuzzy raccoon. Have I forgotten to mention that it's also a stealth video game movie about the rewarding dedication of trial and error? I'll never forget watching this indie curiosity turn a packed audience at the always luxurious Somerville Theater into the most alive crowd I've seen at a comedy in some time. It's still making the rounds with one-night showings at theaters across the U.S., so if you happen to come across one, I highly implore you to take advantage of the opportunity. I'm deeply excited for whatever madness Cheslik and Tews have cooked up next. Easily one of the greatest filmic achievements of the 2020s. If You Liked "Hundreds of Beavers," Then Try This: . Lake Michigan Monster - Some filmmakers need a test run before they unleash their epic upon the world, and this is a fun starter for everyone involved. Directed by Tews and co-written by Cheslik, "Lake Michigan Monster" is a bizarre and creative B/W adventure comedy that utilizes the same manic energy of "Beavers," but, even more impressively, on a much lower budget. Tews plays the idiosyncratic Captain Seafield (Tews) who, having lost his father to an infamous sea beast, recruits a motley crew to locate its acoustic whereabouts below Lake Michigan and slay it. What makes "Monster" feel so special is how it captures the spark of spontaneous childhood imagination. It's one big, weird game of make believe made by a pair of friends who share an undeniable affinity for making movies. (Currently Streaming on Tubi) "Hundreds of Beavers" is currently available for rental/purchase on most VOD streaming platforms. Are there any streaming projects that you would like to see me cover? Shoot me an email at moviemoxie1@gmail.com and be sure to let me know! Be kind. Stay safe.