REVIEW: ‘Cocaine Bear’ arrives on Blu-ray with a ‘Maximum Rampage Edition’
Image courtesy of UPHE / Provided by official site.
For a quick second earlier this year, the movie Cocaine Bear was the talk of the cultural water-cooler. The so-unbelievable-I-have-to-see-it trailer sparked a lot of interest, and then when audience members found out the story was apparently “inspired by true events,” the clamor reached a fever pitch. The actual film, produced and directed by Elizabeth Banks, doesn’t quite match that hype, reminding viewers of other flicks that tried too hard to be digestible B-movie fare (Snakes on a Plane comes to mind).
Cocaine Bear tells the story of a large black bear in the wilds of Georgia that happens upon a supply of cocaine that was dropped from a drug runner’s plane. The bear becomes addicted and erratic, wanting more, more, more. One by one the animal dispatches unsuspecting hikers who are traipsing around the woods. The humans in the story are played by Keri Russell, O’Shea Jackson Jr., Christian Convery, Alden Ehrenreich, Brooklynn Pierce, Isiah Whitlock Jr., Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Margo Martindale and Ray Liotta, in one of his final cinematic appearances.
The subplots involving the cocaine smuggling are tedious and never hold the attention of the viewer. There’s some charm and humor with Martindale’s portrayal of a frustrated park ranger who tries to attract the attention of Jesse Tyler Ferguson’s character. Russell, playing a mother trying to save her daughter from the bear’s clutches, feels too one-note and humorless, as if she doesn’t realize what type of movie she’s in.
The bear itself is menacing, and for animal rights reasons, it’s nice to see that they go with a CGI bruin throughout the 95-minute duration. That being said, it’s obvious this bear is brought to life by computer animators, and one wonders if animal rights are ultimately hurt because of the image of this rampaging bear and its unlikely behavior.
The bonus features on the new Blu-ray-DVD set includes an alternate ending, deleted and extended scenes, and a gag reel. It’s difficult to say that these extras warrant a label like “Maximum Rampage Edition.”
Banks is a skilled movie producer and director, and Hollywood seems excited by her projects. On paper, Cocaine Bear would seem like a hoot, with some thrilling moments thrown in to get the blood bubbling, but Banks and company are unable to stick the landing. They appear to be playing the story for laughs, and there are some hard-earned chuckles, but it’s also not a laugh-fest, which leaves the viewer with nothing else but the absurd story that is supposedly based on true events.
By John Soltes / Publisher / John@HollywoodSoapbox.com
Cocaine Bear (2023). Directed by Elizabeth Banks. Written by Jimmy Warden. Starring Keri Russell, O’Shea Jackson Jr., Christian Convery, Alden Ehrenreich, Brooklynn Prince, Isiah Whitlock Jr., Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Margo Martindale and Ray Liotta. Running time: 95 minutes. Rated R for bloody violence and gore, drug content and language throughout. Rating: 
