2024 Sundance Film Festival Review: Sasquatch Sunset

I wouldn’t consider directors David and Nathan Zellner’s latest film Sasquatch Sunset a great film. Heck, it might even ride the line between good and mediocre. But it is a movie I am glad exists because of the skilled filmmaking and the sheer originality.

Sasquatch Sunset looks at a year in the life of a family of Sasquatch. They wander the unknown forests in search of food and shelter while trying to survive the dangers of the woods like mountain lions and humans and keep their family safe and together. The Sasquatch family is played by Jesse Eisenberg, Riley Keough, Christophe Zajac-Denek, and Nathan Zellner, all of whom give wonderful, committed physical performances. 

Watching Sasquatch Sunset is like watching a nature documentary about these Sasquatch. There is not a single word spoken in the film. The Sasquatch only speak through grunts, yelling, and waving their arms in the air. We see the Sasquatch in every aspect of their lives. We see them eating bugs off of each other while they comb each other’s hair, we see them have sex, we see them release their bowels in several scenes, and sometimes throw these bowels at each other or other creatures. It is like watching an unfiltered documentary on National Geographic.

And through all of this, the Zellner Brothers made a mostly captivating and surprisingly emotional family drama. The film starts a bit slow and I wasn’t quite sure where it was going or what the film was doing. But then the film picks up in the second act when the female Sasquatch realizes she’s pregnant and the family continues a long journey in search of a home while trying to keep the pregnant Sasquatch safe. The journey features heartbreak, terror, love, and triumph. The film, unfortunately, peters out in the final act and feels redundant with a puzzling finale.

Could Sasquatch Sunset have made a more effective short film? Possibly. But I must applaud the Zellner brothers for their originality and their vision. Sasquatch Sunset marks their fourth feature directorial effort, following Kid Thing, the unique drama Kumiko, The Treasure Hunter, and the bizarre western Damsel, and with each film they improve as filmmakers. Sunset Sasquatch is a gorgeous movie filled with stunning shots of forest landscapes. and the emotion they can get out of a family of grunting and screaming Sasquatch is a skill only a few directors could possess. Though Sasquatch Sunset is not my favorite film from the Zellner’s, it is a film that shows that they continue to grow as filmmakers and are some of the most original voices working in movies today.

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