After directing 3 episodes of the one-of-a-kind TV series The Curse, Nathan and David Zellner craft another experimental work. This time, Sasquatch Sunset unfolds in the misty forests of Northern California following a family of four Sasquatches who may be the last of their kind. Set over the course of a year, this quartet fights for survival amidst a world changing around them.
From executive producer Ari Aster, this feature takes a fascinating approach by having recognisable stars Riley Keough and Jesse Eisenberg give wordless performances while playing the sasquatches in full body makeup. The Zellner’s draw from silent cinema to bring the story alive without dialogue, ensuring that it can be understood even as the characters grunt, expel their bodily fluids, and act on their sexual desires.
It is a testament to the cast that their performances shine through the prosthetics, with the physicality and grunts expressing such emotion in non-verbal ways. It ensures the familial relationships are understood, as this quartet try surviving within a cruel and unfamiliar world which repeatedly shows them the fragility of life. The circumstances showcase the rising destruction of the wilderness they called home, with the landscape wonderfully brought alive courtesy of Michael Gioulakis’ cinematography.
There is no doubt regarding the originality on display within this absurdist work, although one wishes the execution of this interesting concept left more of a mark. The ideas in play feel refreshingly original, yet the plodding pace can leave attentions to waver. The humour is also rather vulgar, which does fit with the wild animals that the film follows, although it can be a testing experience for anybody who is not a fan of that. There are only so many times that a Sasquatch boner can be shown on-screen. For anybody on this film’s bizarre wavelength, Sasquatch Sunset is a fascinating time.
Sasquatch Sunset is in UK cinemas from 14 June
James’s Archive – Sasquatch Sunset (2024)
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