Rodents of Unusual Size

Released Sep 14, 2018

1 hr. 11 min.

Documentary

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98%

46 Reviews

Tomatometer

91%

100+ Ratings

Audience Score

Delacroix Island is a little-known region south of New Orleans that survived Hurricane Katrina and is now facing its latest threat -- hordes of 20-pound rodents known as nutria. Louisiana's coastal wetlands are one of the largest disappearing landmasses in the world, and the voracious appetite of this invasive species from South America is greatly accelerating coastal erosion.

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Critics Consensus

Rodents of Unusual Size approaches a variety of timely and thought-provoking subjects from fresh angles -- and a lot of surprisingly large creatures in the bargain.

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Audience Member

This is a fascinating and entertaining film. The filmmakers affection for the nutria-nists is palpable. A real joy.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/03/23

Full Review

dave d

While the trio who made 'Rodents of an Unusual Size' have a great concept, it's littered with tangents. When the filmmakers stay on the subject of the animals they find gold. There are people tied into the hunting of the rodents and there is backstory though muddied. The documentary morphs into a global climate change doc and other areas, but oddly sometimes conservatives are on the side of preserving in certain aspects and this is one. These animals have destroyed land and are invasive. Louisiana fisherman Thomas Gonzales is a tangent that works. His tale makes the movie. He has a likability that several other characters just didn't have. Also we learn here that sometimes animal rights groups aren't great for the society on a hole. There are sometimes shades of grey or nuance. Totally worth checking out! Final Score: 7.3/10

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Rodents of Unusual Size is part zoology lesson, part environmental impact statement, part unflinching look into the recklessness and resiliency of human nature, with a bit of horror film mixed in. Beautifully filmed in the swamplands of Louisiana, Rodents is so engaging that it was even hard for me to look away during a few gory scenes. And I am someone who goes to great lengths to avoid walking past the butcher case in a supermarket. Watch this film! It is a story you are not likely to hear about anywhere else.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/05/23

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Audience Member

Awesome documentary on these giants. Loved the characters in the movie and seeing their point of view on how they have been affected by this invasive species. Highly recommended.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/25/23

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Audience Member

Before seeing this film, I didn't quite know what to expect. But I was almost immediately blown away by how spectacular it proved to be. Not only is the filmography and editing visually stunning and beautifully executed but the story and characters are refreshingly unique and weave a captivating tale. I was transported into Louisiana and truly had a feel for the lives and culture of the area. Through the consistent theme of the nutria, this film was truly enlightening and entertaining. Touching upon so many unexpected topics such as fashion, cuisine, history, environmental issues, sports, and many more, Rodents of Unusual Size was extensively researched, informative, but most of all, enjoyable. The viewer meets so many complex and likable people with real stories that were relatable while also paradoxically being so foreign. Through their tales (again, mostly centered around nutria in various fascinating ways), the viewer has the pleasure of truly feeling connected and yearning for more. I feel as if I am so much more informed of an entire culture, both with positives and negatives, that I wasn't even aware existed, which is a thrilling sensation. When I noticed the film was almost over, I had two urges: the first was to restart it because I hadn't yet had enough of this fantastic film. The second was to immediately hop on a plane to Louisiana.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/14/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Emotional roller-coaster, cringing at the huge Nutria, empathetic to the plight of the local people, laughing with the Cajun music (there is an awesome sound track) I loved this film upside down and around again!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/22/23

Full Review

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Quinn Costello

Director

Chris Metzler

Director

Jeff Springer

Director

Wendell Pierce

Narrator

Quinn Costello

Producer

Chris Metzler

Producer

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Rodents of Unusual Size: Trailer 1

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Rodents of Unusual Size: Teaser Trailer 1

1:09

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Christy Lemire

What the Flick?!

It's a fascinating look -- and it's only 70 minutes long.

Rated: 3/4

Jan 31, 2019

Full Review

Ben Sachs

Chicago Reader

Directors Quinn Costello, Chris Metzler, and Jeff Springer emphasize their subjects' creativity and camaraderie, resulting in a upbeat, flavorful community portrait.

Oct 2, 2018

Full Review

Karen Han

Village Voice

The film demonstrates a surprising - and commendable - frankness, especially as its creators interview those working to stay afloat amid hurricanes and nutria-accelerated coastal erosion.

Sep 15, 2018

Full Review

Sarah Brinks

Battleship Pretension

Rodents of Unusual Size manages to pack an incredible amount of information, perspective, and heart into its 71 minute runtime.

Nov 3, 2020

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Nathan Mattise

Ars Technica

Beyond a profile on this species, Rodents of Unusual Size may work even better as a snapshot of a life not many will ever live: those in these coastal communities who directly experience the impacts of climate change and coastal erosion.

Rated: 7/10

Oct 19, 2020

Full Review

Richard Propes

TheIndependentCritic.com

Rodents of Unusual Size is an extraordinarily entertaining feature doc.

Rated: 3.5/4.0

Aug 31, 2020

Full Review

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Synopsis

Delacroix Island is a little-known region south of New Orleans that survived Hurricane Katrina and is now facing its latest threat -- hordes of 20-pound rodents known as nutria. Louisiana's coastal wetlands are one of the largest disappearing landmasses in the world, and the voracious appetite of this invasive species from South America is greatly accelerating coastal erosion.

Director: Quinn Costello, Chris Metzler, Jeff Springer
Executive Producer: Sally Jo Fifer
Distributor: Tilapia Film
Genre: Documentary
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Sep 14, 2018, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Apr 26, 2019

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