Cocaine Bear

Director - Elizabeth Banks (Pitch Perfect 2, Charlie's Angels)

Starring - Keri Russell (Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, Star Wars: Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker), Alen Ehrenreich (Han Solo, Beautiful Creatures), and O'Shea Jackson Jr. (Straight Outta Compton, Godzilla: King of the Monsters)

Release Date - 2023

Genre - Comedy/Horror

Tagline - "Get in line"

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

       The pandemic has really tossed the television and movie industry on it’s head. Many companies tried not to gamble with lack of ticket sales while others taking huge risks with their movies. Genre films has seemed to flourish with X, Pearl, The Black Phone, Barbarian, and so many more taking the box office by storm. However, we’ve seen some strange films get the greenlight and these films are some of the most memorable films of the last three years. One film that has really taken off with movie goers is Cocaine Bear. For years the internet has seen various memes and clickbait articles claiming a bear ingested cocaine in the 70s. However, the fact this was turned into a film directed by Elizabeth Banks and starring Ray Liotta, Ice Cube’s son O’Shea Jackson Jr., and Game of Throne’s Kristofer Hivju absolutely blows my mind. The film was such a hit that it has now inspired countless indie filmmakers to make their own films featuring critters on the verge of overdosing. We now have films like Cocaine Cougar, Crackcoon and the sequel Crackodile, Cocaine Crabs from Outer Space, and a few more that I’m sure I’m forgetting about. I know I’m seriously late to the party with this one but Cocaine Bear is one I couldn’t wait to check out. 

      The film follows a bear that finds itself enjoying a package of cocaine when a botched delivery lands several packages in the woods. Soon the bear goes on a murderous rampage in search for more nose candy. Stuck in the middle of the mayhem is the forest rangers, tourists, kids playing hooky along with their mom looking for them, the drug dealers trying to get their score back, and the police after them. 

      Cocaine Bear may not be for every fan of horror but for those of us that don’t have a stick up our ass or a hard on for extreme horror. It’s goofy, unexpected, and wild at times. Sure, the story is predictable and some of the cast is underutilized but the humor and effects more than made up for the film’s short comings. It’s a lot of fun and one that I wish I would have seen in theaters with some friends. The acting in this one is decent enough. I was really impressed with the cast. We have Ray Liotta, Keri Russell, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, O’Shea Jackson Jr., Alden Ehrenreich, Scott Seiss, Kristofer Hivju, and a few more I’m sure I’m missing. Some of the characters are more enjoyable with bigger personalities than others but seeing them all appear in the film really surprised me. I was more impressed with Scott Seiss and O’Shea Jackson’s performances than the others. Their characters were a lot of fun and both appearances were a pleasant surprise. Honestly, I can’t wait to see a sequel and what the casting director throws at fans. The story for this one is predictable but because you know where it’s going doesn’t mean it’s not a fun trip. We get a lot of random moments that you don’t expect but the twists and reveals that pop up here and there can be seen from a mile away. With that being said, it offers up part crime drama, part coming of age tale, and a lot of comedy. I fucking loved it but some horror snobs will turn their noses up to it but if you dig the crazier side of the genre then you will appreciate this story and how absurd it is. Finally, the film has plenty of blood and great effects. The film blends practical with visual effects which works for me but there was a few instances where the visuals looked cheap. They stood out and didn’t do the job they were intended to do. With that being said, I fucking loved the amount of blood and death scenes we got. It was a lot of fun seeing a film of this size get the bloody treatment that it did. Overall, Cocaine Bear is an instant classic. It’s fucking wild, brutal, and fucking hilarious. Honestly, I’m all for the clones that this one inspired and I can’t wait for a follow up that I’m sure we will be getting. Check this one out as soon as possible